After more than five decades at his Tuhikaramea property, near Hamilton, Graeme Rogerson has decided it is time for a change.
Rogerson has developed his 43-hectare farm into a world-class training facility, initially for thoroughbreds, but he has diversified into harness racing in the last 20 years.
The Hamilton City boundary has slowly moved closer to Rogerson’s property, to the point where it is now on the city fringe, and Rogerson believes now is the right time to sell.
“I have been here 54 years, it is a long time and the city has outgrown us, it is in the city now,” Rogerson said. “It is just time for a change. It’s a beautiful place but time catches up with everyone.”
While he will sell the farm, which is listed with Bayleys, Rogerson will retain his house at the front of the property, and he will look to purchase more land to continue his business.
“We will buy another place somewhere. It is still all up in the air and Bailey (Rogerson, granddaughter) might take over the training, we will just see,” he said.
“I might scale down a bit. I have been training for something like 54 years, and we have had over 5,000 winners.”
While thoroughbred racing has been Rogerson’s main business throughout his time training, he has followed his passion for standardbreds in recent years, installing a trotting track at his property and taking out his trainer’s license in 2008.
He has recorded 465 wins during his time as a harness racing trainer, and he is looking forward to continuing his involvement in the code, albeit in a reduced capacity.
“I have cut back my trotting team,” he said. “I think we have got 15 in work and I have got James Stormont here and we have got some nice horses. I have got a two-year-old by American Ideal called Go Jimmy Cassidy, and he (Jim Cassidy, former jockey) is in it.
“My good trotter (Lovemeto) won a trial at Melton (Melbourne) yesterday. He had a few little issues and we sent him over there to the Ballarat Vet Clinic.”
Rogerson is also campaigning his multiple Group One-winning thoroughbred Sharp ‘N’ Smart in Victoria, with an eye towards next month’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
The former New Zealand Horse of the Year is already assured a start in the time-honoured race and will have one final hit-out in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) at The Valley next Friday.
He heads into the Melbourne feature off the back of an unplaced run in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington earlier this month, and Rogerson, who trains in partnership with his wife Debbie, said his gelding didn’t get conditions to suit.
“He probably shouldn’t have run in the Turnbull, it rained and we didn’t get away with the track. He didn’t have any luck in the running from his outside draw (13).
“I have nominated him for the Geelong Cup (Gr.3, 2400m), but at this stage he is running in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup next Friday night.
“He is already qualified for the Melbourne Cup and Craig Williams rides him.”
Rogerson property listing: https://www.bayleys.co.nz/listings/commercial/waikato/hamilton/179-183-and-293-tuhikaramea-road-2315991