By Peter Wharton
Dale Forbes, the newly appointed manager at Egmont Park stud, Biddeston, is a true all-rounder of the sport. The Christchurch-born horseman has been a successful breeder, owner, trainer, driver, breaker and studmaster.
Dale started out doing boxes for different stables in the Canterbury area as a teenager.
“While I was at school I was with Ian Cameron at Rangiora and then I went to work for Carl Middleton at Methven for 18 months. At the time Carl had Fraggle Rock who won the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship,” Dale said.
He later worked for his future father-in-law Tony Soal at Ashburton.
“My first driving winner was Alias Al for Tony at Timaru in August 1992,” he recalled.
Dale spent 11 years with Ashburton horseman Ian Lochhead, whose team including Ready For Love, a placegetter in the Oceania Eldorado at Moonee Valley, and the smart trotter Valley Of The Moon.
“While I was at Ian’s I started working a couple of my own. My first training success was with the Sundon mare Sunloch at Addington in October 2001,” Dale said.
“I also trained and drove a horse called The Pacing Priest, who was named after Father Brian Glasheen from Victoria. Brian actually came to Ashburton and blessed him!
“I then branched out on my own and started doing a few breakers. We were working a team of up to 30 a one stage.”
Forbes later switched his attention to the breeding side of the business.
“We looked after some of Harvey Kaplan’s broodmares for a while and quite a few outsiders. We were looking after between 25 and 30 mares a year at one stage foaling them down and serving them,” he said.
“Our biggest claim to fame was foaling down the millionaire trotter Tornado Valley.”
Later moving to Victoria, Dale first worked for Chris Lang at Nagambie for 18 months before joining the team at Peter Chambers’ showpiece Glenferrie Farm in the NSW Southern Tablelands.
“When Glenferrie Farm closed up I went to work for Craig Demmler for about 12 months. I drove a winner at Geelong one night with Jodi’s Choice. I have driven around 50 winners in my career,” Dale said.
In 2016 Forbes was appointed stud manager at the giant Victorian breeding conglomerate Alabar Bloodstock.
“My job there was overseeing the day-to-day running of the farm,” he said.
After a seven-year stint at Alabar, Forbes was appointed stud manager at Kevin and Kay Seymour’s Egmont Park, replacing the popular Peter Bell.
Dale and his wife Kerri and daughter Megan moved into Egmont Park in late February.
His role with Egmont includes tending the mares and foals and the three stallions Ohoka Punter, Colt Thirty One and Mr Feelgood.
“Megan is helping out on the farm at the moment and giving the pre-trainer a hand. She worked at Alabar as well,” Dale stated.
“I am enjoying working at Egmont Park. It isn’t as fast paced as Alabar with smaller numbers.
“Kevin and Kay have put a lot of time and money into the industry and deserve all the success they get.”