Ridgmont Farm was only formally established in June last year, with Dunemann and partners Mitchell Cunningham of Cunningham Thoroughbreds and 50 year thoroughbred industry veteran Neil Douglas buying the old Glastonbury Farm along Segenhoe Road, opposite Darley, to establish a 530-acre farm. They have a seven-horse draft in the Classic Sale.
“It’s obviously been a journey to get to this,’’ Dunemann said. “I had a sporting career and once I finished that I’ve been doing this for probably seven or eight years in different capacities.
“I’ve got my own broodmare stuff and some syndication bits, and am doing some stuff with Tony Gollan. I’ve been to a lot of sales but it’s dead-set different doing it this way though.’’
Andrew Dunemann | Image courtesy of Ridgmont Farm
As if drawing from the rugby playbook of quotes and his 271 games, Dunemann said it was very exciting to be presenting a draft but like everything worthwhile, it hadn’t been easy.
“Nothing is ever easy but we’re here and we’ve got a very nice draft. It’s very well-presented,’’ he said. “We’re probably not going to shoot the lights out to the higher levels but it was important for us to bring a draft here that we could present to people and they walk away saying that the horses are very well-presented, they look good and they look healthy.
“Nothing is ever easy but we’re here and we’ve got a very nice draft. It’s very well-presented.’’ - Andrew Dunemann
“If you look at our draft, I think that’s what they are.’’
Built from scratch
Dunemann said there had been no cutting corners at Ridgmont and the farm and this draft had been developed by the small but dedicated team which, along with everything else, had been built up from scratch.
“They’re being fed the best feed you can feed a horse from day dot and I think that shows,’’ Dunemann said. “Our Easter horses too, at the moment, you could bring them straight to the Sale.
Ridgmont team members | Image courtesy of Ridgmont Farm
"They’re healthy horses, they look well and we’ve got some nice pedigrees here."
Asked by TDN AusNZ what was most important when establishing a new bloodstock business, to get the right people or the right horses, Dunemann said he also went back to his rugby career for the answer.
“We’ve talked about this pretty regularly,’’ he said of conversations had in the industry. “For me, it is probably the people. With what I’ve been involved in in the past, if you get the right people you get results.
"For me, it is probably the people. With what I’ve been involved in in the past, if you get the right people you get results." - Andrew Dunemann
“You just want to get people who buy into the same thought process and model and we’re getting to that stage now and that makes it great to be able to also showcase our horses."
Car ride Ridgmont’s catalyst
Ridgmont Farm is the product of a conversation had on a car ride to the Inglis Chairman’s Sale a few years ago. Dunemann mentioned to some of his now investors in the farm the possibility of buying a farm for the growing number of horses they collectively owned, and would continue to buy.
“We came down here (Sydney) for the Chairman’s Sale inspections a few years ago and just mentioned the possibility of being able to buy a farm,’’ Dunemann said. “We’d obviously invested a lot of money between us all so why not have your own farm in the horse capital of Australia and look after them?’’
Ridgmont Farm's paddocks | Image courtesy of Ridgemont Farm
The idea was “explored” and led to the purchase of Glastonbury Farm and the property next door.
“We’ll have a racing arm for sure,’’ said Dunemann. “ I think between us now we’ve probably got 75 racehorses and we invest back in and buy yearlings. We were very active at Magic Millions and they’re one of the owners. As a farm we’ll start buying those sort of horses as well,’’ he added.
"We were very active at Magic Millions and they’re one of the owners. As a farm we’ll start buying those sort of horses as well." - Andrew Dunemann
The racing interests currently are held by individuals associated with the farm but Dunemann said they had been buying some younger horses and they’ll come through in the Ridgmont colours.
“Taizai is one at the moment in those colours with John Thompson. She’s been a bit unlucky the last few starts in town but I’m sure she’s not far off a win,’’ Dunemann said.
Fancied fillies
An American Pharoah (USA) filly by Snitzel mare Royal Fashion filly at Lot 215 that was bought at the Magic Millions National Weanling Sale from the Newgate Farm draft by James Bester Bloodstock for $55,000 is one of two most fancied in the Ridgmont Farm draft, according to Dunemann.
“If you look at the horse itself, it’s dead-set thrown to the mare,’’ he said. “It’s a Snitzel mare and the female family is outstanding. She’s Group 3-placed and a Sydney city winner.
Lot 215 - American Pharoah (USA) x Royal Fashion (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
“Look at the second dam, and it’s all black-type horses, so it’s a really good pedigree for sale. If you look at her physically, she’s dead-set Snitzel.’’
A Pierro filly by Frankel (GB) mare Golden Hooves (GB) at Lot 587 also comes with good wraps, and not just from Dunemann himself.
“I was having a conversation with James Bester the other day and I asked him what a good Pierro looked like… he’s bought Pinot and others and had a lot of success with them and he basically pointed to her,’’ Dunemann said. “I think that’s pretty good.’’
Lot 587 - Pierro x Golden Hooves (GB) (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Dunemann said the Pierro filly was bred to get over some distance and would not be an early type. But she would be a later 2-year-old and should develop to be a good 3-year-old.
“She's from a really good mare, Golden Hooves won two races in France and is obviously a full sister to East who was a magnificent race filly before she retired,’’ he said. “She was Group 1-placed in America in the Breeders’ Cup."
Dunemann said fillies by Pariah from Wildpea (Wanted) at Lot 341 and Spirit Of Boom from Toy Kingdom (Animal Kingdom {USA}) at Lot 318 were also quality horses.
Gallery: Some of Ridgmont Farm's fillies, images courtesy of Inglis
“The good thing is that all the horses seem to be finding someone that likes them,’’ Dunemann said. “It’s been really busy. The whole seven have got admirers in some capacity. It’s just a matter of us getting them sold now and in 12 to 18 months' time hopefully they can go and become good racehorses on the track.
“Inevitably, we can present a nice horse but if they’re not performing on the track, it means nothing."
Support shining through
Dunemann said the atmosphere at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale had been great for Ridgmont Farm’s first showing.
“We’ve got a little Friday group in Scone with a lot of the other studs in the area so we get together on a Friday, and I’ve been here for plenty of sales so you get to know everyone,’’ he said.
"We’ve got a little Friday group in Scone with a lot of the other studs in the area so we get together on a Friday, and I’ve been here for plenty of sales so you get to know everyone." - Andrew Dunemann
“I think that’s the beauty of the game, we’re all here to sell our horses. It’s no use trying to get another owner from another one… they’ll buy a horse if they like a horse. That’s what I really like about this. There’s no real rivalry. People are happy for others to do well.’’
