Breeding the Natural Way

Despite a small band of thoroughbred yearlings (12 – 16) entering the market each year, Riverton is renowned for its high percentage of stakes earners.

Riverton Stud also boards for a few select clients – rates below.

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Passion

Breeding the best thoroughbred racehorse athlete is an all-consuming passion! Sometimes that gut Irish instinct just kicks in. Duncan Barry, owner of Riverton Stud, says “You just know that it will be the perfect mating!”

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Pedigree

Most importantly CONFORMATION – balance, bone, athleticism and how the individual horse responds – is taken into account. Only then are Pedigrees, Nicks and Stallion Match ratings extensively studied.

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Performance

Riverton has established an excellent reputation for breeding sound, good value for investment yearlings that train on. Our phenomenal success on the track speaks for itself. We want our investors to earn a good ROI.

The How & Why of Breeding the Natural Way

Riverton has a High Calcium Soil Content

The source of supreme bone quality lies in the land!

Riverton has a Healthy, Dry Climate

Healthy horses and less veterinary medicine / intervention required

Natural Diet - No appetite enhancers or Hothousing

We believe that artificially pushing yearlings places undue strain on an immature frame and that it increases the chances of injury and the horse breaking down. So you won’t see our yearlings all look uniformly massive in the sales ring to boost the price or going backwards after the sale.

Extensive walking of the yearlings

The yearlings enjoy long walks on the farm and along the sand track at the river.

Weather permitting we grow our own lucerne

Duncan Barry cuts and bales at night when the moisture content is optimal for leaf retention and high protein content.

Breeding to the INDIVIDUAL with pedigree and software confirmation

Duncan Barry’s goal is to breed a proper horse that can perform on the track. He firmly believes that one first needs to breed to the individual. Should a mare not suit a particular stallion on confirmation, it doesn’t matter how good the mating looks on the computer programme or how much the investor pays for it in the ring, the chances are good that the horse won’t run well.

Foals are born in healthy outdoor paddocks

Foals are healthier and not prone to lung infections from stables that tend to harbour germs. The foal also finds better traction on grass than the slippery (from birth) cement under the straw when taking it’s first wobbly steps soon after birth. Once the mare and her foal have been moved to a larger paddock, the grass is watered to wash away the birthing debris. The sun is allowed time to disinfect the foaling camp.

The number of horses are limited

Horses are Duncan Barry’s passion in life and he limits the number of horses to how many he can give daily individual attention to.

Paddocks are not overcrowded

The horses aren’t stressed thus making them less susceptible to disease.

Riverton lucern baled at night for optimal leaf retention

Boarding is by prior arrangement only

The number of horses at Riverton are strictly limited to allow individual attention and good pastures for these magnificent grazing animals.
We only board a few horses for select clients and boarding cannot be guaranteed without prior arrangement.

Riverton Stud boarding fees from March 2024

Foals at Foot

R2300/month

Yearlings & 2 YOs

R11900/month

Permanent Boarders

Broodmares & Weanlings

R10800/month

Foaling Fee: R2 400

Seasonal Boarders

R11400/month

Foaling Fee: R2 400

A 5% sales commission is due should Riverton stud sell a thoroughbred on your behalf. We do not charge for yearling preparation.

All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT @ 15%.

Invoices are payable on presentation. Defaulters will be charged a R300 admin fee and a penalty fee of R300 per horse.

Veterinary fees, farrier, vaccinations, transport to cover and deworming are additional to the fees listed above.