Well known Bendigo studmaster, breeder and official John Campbell was honoured by Harness Breeders Victoria for more than 50 years’ service to the breeding industry with the coveted Ian Daff Memorial Award.
Campbell, a son of Hall of Fame breeder and studmaster Jack Campbell, followed his father into the sport, helping out at the Loddon Valley Trotting Stud at Durham Ox after leaving school.
“Dad bought the property at Durham Ox in 1950 and purchased the stallion Noble Scott about the same time. He went on to become the leading Australian sire on six occasions,” John said.
After marrying Kay in 1972, John took over the role of studmaster at Loddon Valley Stud.
“We were the first stud in the modern era to stand four stallions at the one time,” John said.
Among the stallions the farm has played host to have been Muckalee Strike (John and Kay’s favourite), Dale Spring, Exotic Earl, Echelon, Nevele Romeo, Dale’s Gift, Spare Hand, Union Guy, Motorcycle, Sports Town and the trotters Classic Adam, Jeb Hanover, Conch De Ville and Danny Bouchea.
The couple bred and raised hundreds of winners over the years headed up by the dual NZ Cup winner and NZ Horse of the Year Flashing Red, the Australian Pacing Gold winner Exotic Strike, the Oaks winner Please Don’t Tease, a top flight Tasmanian juvenile in Turbo Tyson, the Cups-winning trotter Rockin Dale and more recently, Boxofchocolates.
“At one stage we sponsored 13 clubs in Victoria. We sponsored the Loddon Valley Juvenile Classic at Bendigo for 33 years,” John said.
In 2010 John and Kay moved to Lockwood where they continued to stand stallions until 2019.
“We are still enjoying being involved in the industry but we’ve wound down a fair bit,” he said. “We only have a couple of broodmares.”
John has served as president of Harness Breeders Victoria, treasurer of the Standardbred Studmasters’ Association, president of the Boort Trotting Club and was a member of the steering committees for the Breeders Crown and Victoria Sires Stakes.
Campbell said he was delighted to receive the Ian Daff Award.
“I have read Ian’s two books and he was a person with a very good commentary on breeding,” he said.
Other awards announced by Harness Breeders Victoria were the Woodlands Stud Victorian Breeder of the Year – Mick Harvey; the Aldebaran Park Victorian Trotting Broodmare of the Year – Justa Phoenix (Ash Haynes) and the Benstud Standardbreds Pacing Broodmare of the Year – Cinco Amigos NZ (Adam Cahill).
- Ubetcha Tigerpie, the winner of the Group 3 $60,000 Renshaw Cup at Penrith, was bred and is owned by Victorian western districts horseman Ian Stanley
- Bruce and Vicki Edward, of Durham Park Standardbreds, took the breeding honours at Melton on Saturday night with a winning double in Captain Perfect and Fire Marshall
- The champion pacers King Of Swing and Colt Thirty One were credited with their first winners this week. King Of Swing was represented by the NZ Kindergarten Stakes prelude winner Fanfare, while Colt Thirty One led in the Marburg winner Oneandonly
