Horse of the Year title winner

Bronze Jay, winner of the ridden standardbred title at the 2016 Horse of the Year show in Hastings in the past week, was bred by White Robe Lodge principal Brian Anderton and the late Bryan (Mouse) Kennedy.  The Horse of the Year show is billed the premier equestrian event for NZ with some 1400 riders and 1800 horses involved between March 1 and 6. Bronze Jay, ridden by Chanelle Dickie, of West Melton, was judged on confirmation, manners, movement, and presentation. Bronze Jay has been with Dickie for six years since he was retired from racing. Chanelle (28) is a flight attendant who has handled some 50 standardbreds retired from racing, introducing many to saddle and the show ring.

An 11yr-old chestnut gelding by Live Or Die - Jay's Glen, Bronze Jay was raised at WR and sold through the yearling sale in Christchurch. Bronze Jay won races at Addington, Motukarara and Palmerston North when trained by David and Catherine Butt for Peter and Jocelyn Cates, of Ashburton. Bronze Jay is a half brother to New Years Jay, winner of seven races with a best mile time of 1.54.6. Others left by Jay's Glen are Courageous Jay (three wins in NZ and four in Australia) and Apache Jay (three). Jay's Glen won a race at Addington when trained by Denis Nyhan. She was by Roydon Glen from Red Jay thus a half sister  to  Nero's Jay who won two of his three starts for Anderton and Kennedy before he was sold to Australia. He included the 1989 Queensland Derby among his 16 wins there and added another 68 wins in the United States. Red Jay was by Tactile from Jayship, who began the Anderton - Kennedy association with standardbreds. They bred her in 1971 from a mating of Lordship and Blue Jay, a half sister to top pacer in Blue Prince.