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California By Oscar Otis Breeding Industry Seen Moving North Coast Quantity Down, Quality Rising Vintage Year for Surf Sales Fillies HOLLYWOOD PARK, Inglewood, Calif., June 21.— Col. F. W. "Bill" Koester, executive secretary and manager of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, tion, is is back back from from his his state-wide state-wide tion, is is back back from from his his state-wide state-wide tour checking the Del Mar and the now cancelled Bay Meadows sales yearlings and the man is cheered by what he saw, not only in the way of yearlings but also in widespread evidence of upgrading both stock and animal husbandry. "There is an unmistakable trend of the breeding industry to the north," Koester observes, "but not to any particular locale. Many areas areas north north of of Tehachapi Tehachapi are are areas areas north north of of Tehachapi Tehachapi are are making bids for thoroughbred farm operations and all have their strong advantages. The extensive San Joaquin Valley is growing in favor with many and there is no doubt but that the valley not only can but is producing fine thoroughbreds. Mrs. Dorothy Barrett is transferring her farm operation from San Mateo to Morgan Hill, while I understand that Alberta Ranches, Bill Gilmore, and Bill Molter have teamed up to lease the famed old Loma Rica Rancho in Grass Valley. Most important is that our efforts to educate breeders in the state to the highest standards of thoroughbred care and raising are paying dividends as judged by the most meticulous criticism. About 600 Maximum Membership "While the number of member breeders in our organization has risen to well over 500— we hope to eventually have about 600 and which will be our absolute maximum — it does not follow there has been any increase in either breeders or number of horses bred. Rather, these growth figuresof our association mean that most everybody now that breeds thoroughbreds is a member. There are few so-called marginal breeders left in California, and almost no submarginal operators. Our educational program has been two pronged; one, to help further the breeder who is going some place, .and two, to suggest to the marginal and submarginal fellow they are fighting a losing battle and that to continue with their present methods would be futile. I have a list of some 75 people who have given up breeding as a direct result of this program, and when a man has asked for it straight, Ive pulled no punches and given it to him just that way — straight. "Still, I shudder to think what would have happened had we had such a program in force 20 years ago or so. For our survey has shown that one of the greatest success stories in all financial annals of the West was made by a number of people who, knowing little or nothing about breeding, still wanted to give it a try and rushed out to buy land for their farms. They didnt make a success of their farms, but they were sold to subdividers for an aggregate profit running well over .one hundred million dollars. These people got rich by accident of having located close in to the expanding city of greater Los Angeles, so their excursions into breeding, turned out for the best. Moreover, any analysis would show that, looking back, the wide incidence of marginal operation was perhaps a necessary and inevitable step in a state which started its breeding almost from scratch. Pedigree and Soundness Conform "This is a vintage year for fillies in California, and by one of those almost once in a lifetime coincidences, the best bred fillies, without exception, also were the best conformed. Not a single top pedigreed filly was rejected from the Del Mar. sales roster for reason of probable unsoundness or other physical reason. Its the first time this has ever happeried. Of 217 yearlings nominated for the Del Mar sale, some 124 were selected and it was surprising, even to me, that the qualifying yearlings came from the widest basa a California sale has ever had. Many yearlings were accepted from breeders consigning for the first time, and on checking, it was evident that these newcomers were in breeding on a sound basis from the very beginning. The area from which the yearlings were selected spanned over a thousand miles from north to south, from the farm of Bernie Anderson near Eureka to the La Jolla Farm near San Diego. In addition to this broad sales base, five of the states best known commercial farms have strong consignments, the five being Curragh Stock Farm of Ed Goemans, Laguna Seca and Old Westport of Frank and Connie Bishop, Dr. and Mrs. Frank Porter Miller, of Riverside,- Old English Rancho at Chino, and Mrs. Ann Peppers of Mentone. "As for the Bay Meadows sale, it was unfortunate a decision had to be reached to cancel same because of lack of sufficient nominations by consignors. But every horse to enter the Del Mar ring will be a bona fide racing prospect, and, with the fillies such as they are Del Mar, breeders will have the finest opportunity in California to obtain a top prospect not only as a- race horse but also as a potential broodmare. That it is the most important thing about California breeding at the "moment is easily shown by the bottom lines of the Del Mar catalogue. There not only are more tops than ever before, but the general average is way up, and distaff pedigrees which would have qualified for the sale only a few years ago didnt make it this time."
