MorganGrayson
09-13-2005, 01:13 PM
SYDNEY (Reuters) - In a case of mistaken equine identify, one of the world's top stallions earmarked for stud in Australia was sent from England to a farm in Ukraine, and a lesser known steed came to Australia in his place.
The thoroughbred ID mix-up lasted six months, with the unknown stallion booking about A$320,000 (US$250,000) worth of services for the upcoming breeding season.
Dubai Excellence, a half-brother of world champion Dubai Millennium, was bought by the West Australian Turf Club chairman Ted van Heemst, who in turn sold about 80 services to mares at almost A$4,000 each. Van Heemst took possession of his new horse in February. He did not realize until August that the horse was not Dubai Excellence, but an Irish-bred look-a-like called Samood.
"It was a mess from go-to-whoa," van Heemst told Reuters on Tuesday. "The reality of the situation is that the wrong horse was picked up. The transport company didn't bother to check."
The mistake was identified just days before the start of the Australian breeding season starting in September.
Dubai Excellence is believed to be in good health in Ukraine, said van Heemst, adding every effort was being made to deliver his prized stallion to Australia.
The thoroughbred ID mix-up lasted six months, with the unknown stallion booking about A$320,000 (US$250,000) worth of services for the upcoming breeding season.
Dubai Excellence, a half-brother of world champion Dubai Millennium, was bought by the West Australian Turf Club chairman Ted van Heemst, who in turn sold about 80 services to mares at almost A$4,000 each. Van Heemst took possession of his new horse in February. He did not realize until August that the horse was not Dubai Excellence, but an Irish-bred look-a-like called Samood.
"It was a mess from go-to-whoa," van Heemst told Reuters on Tuesday. "The reality of the situation is that the wrong horse was picked up. The transport company didn't bother to check."
The mistake was identified just days before the start of the Australian breeding season starting in September.
Dubai Excellence is believed to be in good health in Ukraine, said van Heemst, adding every effort was being made to deliver his prized stallion to Australia.