The Davison family and the team at Mapperley Stud are in mourning after the shock loss of their good friend and Group One-producing sire Contributer.

The champion son of High Chaparral was starting his ninth season at the Matamata farm but sadly passed away on Sunday morning.

A dual Group One winner on the racetrack, Contributer was crowned Champion Australian Middle-Distance Horse of the Year in 2015 following a brilliant autumn campaign where he won the Gr.2 Apollo Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) and the Gr.1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) all in succession.

Known affectionately as Barry to everyone who worked with him, Sud Master Simms Davison was devastated with the loss of his friend who he had worked so closely with over the last few years.

“I am absolutely gutted, Contributer has been a big part of our lives and our stud for many years,” he said. “I’m still struggling to come to terms with the loss of Contributer, the entire team are very shocked by the news.

“He was such a character, an awesome horse to work with. He had a wonderful temperament, an engaging personality and everyone who worked with him just loved him.”

Contributer made a great start to his career at stud, with his first crop including subsequent Group One winners Lion’s Roar and Campionessa, along with four other individual stakes winners.

With his eldest progeny having just turned seven-years-old, Contributer is the sire of 103 winners, including nine individual stakes winners and a total of 24 stakes performers.

“He had truly started to shine as a sire, he had left some tremendously talented racehorses and we know his legacy will live on,” Davison said.

"From very limited numbers, he's preformed incredibly well as a sire. What he has achieved on the track is pretty amazing.

“He was very much in our proven stallion ranks in New Zealand, it’s a big loss not only for our stud but for the entire industry.

“He has some very talented three-year-olds coming through this season, and he was on a trajectory to go to another level in the next few years.

“Hopefully his offspring can do their father proud this season, and we still have a lovely bunch of yearlings by him on the farm.

“We will cherish these last foals that are due to be born this season."