Blue Gum Farm was the proud recipient of three awards at the annual North East Thoroughbreds Awards dinner held in a magnificent marquee by Lake Nagambie on August 9. Statue Of Liberty (USA) took out the Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital Leading Freshman Sire Award as a result of his first crop’s wonderful achievements. The last winner from Blue Gum Farm of this particular award was the mighty Encosta De Lago! Rubiton was once again crowned the Inside Racing Leading Stallion of the Year, the fourth year in a row he has claimed that title. The perpetual Stallion of the Year trophy has been a regular at Blue Gum Farm for much of the 22 years since its inception in 1986-1987. In that time Blue Gum Farm stallions Noalcoholic (5), Rancho Ruler (3), Rubiton (6), Umatilla (1) and Encosta De Lago (2) have combined to ensure that the trophy has spent 17 years in the foyer of the Blue Gum Farm office.

From left to right; Statue Of Liberty’s Freshman Sire trophy, Inside Racing’s perpetual Stallion of the Year trophy and Rubiton’s trophy for Stallion of the Year

The third award collected by Blue Gum Farm at this gala, black tie affair was the Avenel Equine Hospital Industry Award. This award recognises remarkable achievement by a North East identity and for the second time in its short history it has been awarded to a stallion. Previously presented to the great Rory’s Jester, this year the NET committee saw fit to recognise Encosta De Lago’s fantastic achievement of becoming Australia’s Champion Sire for season 2007-08. As William Inglis Auctioneer and Guest Presenter Simon Vivian noted, Encosta De Lago has made an amazing impact on the Australian Breeding Industry from his original, Blue Gum Farm base. From those first seven years spent with us Encosta De Lago has so far produced 49 individual Stakes winners and his BGF conceived progeny have earnt over $60,000,000.

“We’re not a farm that does, nor wishes to stand a lot of stallions and as a consequence we’ve been very prudent in our selection criteria,” said Studmaster Philip Campbell recently. “These awards and others achieved by Blue Gum Farm stallions continue to give us the confidence that we can provide broodmare owners with the quality they need to achieve success in their own right. Although we are custodians of these awards, they are achieved as a result of the broodmare owners that have made the decision to send their mares to Blue Gum Farm stallions.”