Exciting news for the Victorian breeding industry with new ownership for Blue Gum Farm.
In a joint statement by Philip and Patti Campbell, Jason and Melanie Stenning and Sean and Cathy Dingwall, it is advised that historical Victorian property Blue Gum Farm has been sold to Trilogy Rural Investments Pty Ltd which has the same ownership group as Trilogy Racing Pty Ltd.
Blue Gum Farm was first established by the Campbell family at its Euroa base in 1981 and they sold yearlings at the first yearling sale at Oaklands Junction in 1982. From that time all the way through to the present, many sale toppers and even more quality racehorses have originated from the farm.
In the last eight years in particular, Blue Gum Farm has been the headline act at the Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale being leading vendor four times, second leading vendor three times and third leading vendor on the other occasion.
They have sold over $34million worth of yearlings at those eight sales including many quality stakes winners.
The smart Peter Moody trained 3YO filly Nanagui was a $450,000 Inglis Premier yearling and is the most recent Blue Gum graduate to taste stakes success winning the Listed VRC Cap D’Antibes Stakes at Flemington.
Talented filly Nanagui is the latest stakes-winner to emerge from Blue Gum Farm - image Grant Courtney
Stallions have also been a huge part of the Blue Gum Farm journey with the Campbells. From the time Noalcoholic (FR) landed at the farm back in 1984 (he was Australia’s Champion First Season Sire), a steady stream of top-class Group I producing stallions have followed including Rancho Ruler, Umatilla, Rubiton, Encosta De Lago, Statue Of Liberty (USA) and Elvstroem.
The Campbells only this year made the decision to cease standing stallions at the property and concentrate on broodmare management and the raising and selling of weanlings and yearlings.
However, this is likely to change with the new incoming owners focused on expanding their already significant breeding program. Trilogy have invested heavily in quality colts and are involved in the Newgate colts partnership, which has proven so successful in identifying and nurturing stallion prospects.
“Jason and Melanie and Sean and Cathy attended our pre–Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale parade at Blue Gum Farm last February. They admired the yearlings, purchasing two of them at the sale, but they also admired our business model, the property itself and were extremely impressed with the level of dedication and professionalism of our valued team. This saw the Trilogy owners entering into a business relationship with us which has ultimately progressed to the announcement we are making today,” commented Philip Campbell.
Sean and Cathy Dingwall have long been admirers of the Campbells and their farm with Sean commenting “We are honoured to become the custodians of the Campbell Family Legacy at Blue Gum Farm. For Cathy and myself, our respect for Phil and Patti is immeasurable and we will endeavour to continue the incredible success that Blue Gum Farm has achieved to date.”
Jason Stenning stated, “We feel extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to be entrusted with the duty of care of such a beautiful, iconic and extremely successful property and business. We thank Philip and Patti for being an absolute pleasure to deal with; from managing our weanlings and yearlings, foaling down our mares and the unchallenged levels of service and support we have experienced as their clients, and again through the process of the sale of their magnificent property.”
Blue Gum Farm is a name synonymous with elite bloodstock in Victoria and is set for a new chapter of success.
“Patti and I would like to thank all the wonderful people who have worked with us or entrusted us with the care of their thoroughbreds over the years. It has been an amazing journey filled with so many great times. We are delighted that the Trilogy team will go forward with the fantastic staff here at the farm and we wish all involved the very best in the future,” Phillip Campbell concluded.
