New stables ‘dream come true’ on Home Services

Jan

New stables ‘dream come true’

posted by admin in Window Cleaning

The building, probably the most significant in terms of size and scope in harness racing since Nevele R Stud was established during the 1970s, would be the equal, or better, of any training centre in either code in New Zealand. The widely travelled co-founder of Nevele R, Robert McArdle, ranks it equal to anything he has seen anywhere in the harness world.
Beside the barn the new training complex, taking in about 35ha, also features the first straight-line track known to be professionally installed at a harness training establishment in New Zealand.
The stable, equal-first in the national premiership after weekend racing, vacates its present premises at Yaldhurst this week but the new complex is already over 90 per cent operational. Purdon regards the barn as %26quot;a dream come true%26quot;. It is certainly a stunning concept, dominating its surrounding landscape.
One of the secrets of its success is the one thing some critics might note _ that such a large building contains just 32 boxes. They are at either end of gearing and wash facilities in the centre, with the colts at one end and the fillies at the other.
%26quot;Some people may feel that is few enough for a building like this but it was as many as I wanted,%26quot; said Purdon.
Crucial to his planning was plenty of space and air circulation for horses and their human handlers to work in so that a full indoor facility could be practicable in all weathers.
Each stall is 4.5m square and there is a 7m wide gap between the rows. The stalls have a sawdust base several centimetres thick under which the floor is sealed. Each stall also has a wooden %26quot;window%26quot; which opens so horses can see outside. The doors are held in place by magnets.
%26quot;I based a lot of it on my stable at Yaldhurst and how I could improve things. The 7m wide area between the stall rows I used because the narrower ones we had before just made it a little difficult for the tractors coming in to clean out the stalls. You pick up those sorts of things through experience,%26quot; Purdon said.
There are four wash bays and eight open stalls in the centre for gearing up. Sturdy pipe rails and concrete dominates the working area but the centrepiece public entrance to the barn is the traditional timber. It contains offices, reception rooms and a high vantage point viewing room overlooking the 1000m training track directly behind the barn which will be a boon to owners whatever the weather.
Purdon and his wife, Vicki, drew up the concept themselves before calling in Trevor Watt, of Athfield Associates, to turn it into reality.
%26quot;It started from a sketch I made on a piece of paper, really, though we have discussed it a lot over the years and made changes here and there. But it has come up exactly as I imagined it,%26quot; Purdon said.
Purdon bought the property several years ago from the late Nobby Bussell, who later became a stable patron with success. Purdon had previously built an impressive new complex at Yaldhurst on a property leased from the late John Seaton, including a swimming pool. However a pool is not in the plan of the new property.
The 1000m straight-line track is a novelty in harness racing here — or at least to those other than the fading number of traditionalists who still work horses on long Canterbury roads. Purdon first saw it in operation in Sweden.
%26quot;We were up there with Pride of Petite and saw them used a lot. I always had in mind putting one in when the opportunity arose. Now they have spread to America too. They are considered particularly good helping trotters along in their earlier stages but they have a lot of applications,%26quot; Purdon said.
A highly mechanised horse walker _ the product of the moment in both codes _ operates in front of the building. The Purdons are in the midst of building a new house on the property which will be completed by early next year.