Uk/Ireland vs aussie imoorts

[Eurotrip]

Which is better value for money?
Like purchase cost, flight cost and so on, understand aus horses would be classier but those euro imports do turn money

[Harness racer]

I think if you are looking for a grand circuit or open type, the A/N horses are your better option.  If you are looking to recoup your money quickly and turn a profit, it seems like the gb/ir horses have been good!  I know that’s not really an answer, but seems like the trend and just depends on what you’re looking for.

[LUCPARK]

  16k to 18 to ship from  downunder thats just the plane ride

its a cant win situation for the most part,,

and then your buying from, an agent whos job is the make money for him and his client,
,ive been down this road about 8 times,,

it never even got me close to breaking even when u add in all the time and bills plus price of horse,,

WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY   BOTH IRELAND AND DOWN UNDER

[Stan durbread]

Shipping costs are about the same. A/N has a better breeding program and a lot more selection. GB horses are a little cheaper to buy but hard to evaluate since they usually race on grass or dirt instead of at real racetracks. A good agent is the key. They charge more but it is worth the extra cost. Also using a trainer that buys a decent number of imports helps, those guys get first option on the better ones due to repeat business

[Grandstand Handicapper]

The down under thing is a repetitive trend. Gets hot, then cools off, disappears, and so on. Back in the 80's and 90's they were just horses. Average, mostly non-competitive horses that were brought over in bulk and sold off. For the most part, they'd be OK for a short period of time and then they'd just fall apart. The good ones were few/one and far between. There is more of a trend today to concentrate on finding, buying, bringing over, etc., a better quality horse(s), and that is much easier today because of access to information, contacts, ease of communication. Much more seamless and borderless today.

The GB/IE connection is more of a recent trend. The breeding over there has gotten better, perhaps not an "improvement" of the breeding as a whole, but it has certainly not become more diluted as I think the breeding here in the US has become. Not improved enough for me to start looking over there, LOL.

I won't speak to the costs, shipping, etc., or the agent thing. Unless you get direct and legit pricing, the former is simply going to be hearsay. The latter, unless you are dealing with a legitimate, professional bloodstock agent/consultant down under, who is there, knows the horses, knows the racing, and again is a true professional, legit, runs his/her business professionally, etc.----then you run a real risk of getting screwed.

[Harness Stats]

I have been a big fan of the Irish and GB imports since Burke had that nice mare with Donovan and Murphy the Irish Guy.  My question is how many are there racing over there compared to NZ and Australia?  The ones that show up here seem very lightly raced too.

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

I flew over to North Wales twice with George Berkner in the mid 70's to buy some horses. Beautiful country. We both did well with our purchases. 

[Eurotrip]

Going by the stats on UK and Irish imports, they tend to be from same stables that Burke and cleary buy from same with Stratton and the horses all capable of 1.59/2.00 over there and run in their stakes, all look like 10/15k horses some progress, probably a litlle pricercto buy oz, no idea if they habe Irish agents or if the US trainers do their own work

[The Exporter]

The Irish/GB horses are from a much smaller crop. They only got serious with the breeding of pacers less than 20 years ago. It really got traction when Oakwood Stud invested heavily in mares.

[Cobalt Kenny]

The Irish/GB horses are from a much smaller crop. They only got serious with the breeding of pacers less than 20 years ago. It really got traction when Oakwood Stud invested heavily in mares.

Great point, as usual 

[Bitter Truth]

Welcome back Mike

[JT]

Welcome back Mike

Yeah I'm sure rainman2 will love to see that.