About Lauriston Park

The farm:

Lauriston Park is a recently formed rapidly developing boutique broodmare and spelling farm situated at Creightons Creek near Euroa, with easy access to the Hume Highway. Its establishment is the culmination of a combined 40 years experience in the horse industry by the owners Chris and Kathie Bakker. Driven by their great love of horses the vision Chris and Kath have is to provide a farm where total professional care is given to a small broodmare band of 20 mares.

The focus is to care for the foals at birth and then nurture them right through their early years. Then when they go into training for racing to have them come “home” to the farm for their spelling periods. A one-stop shop for all the needs of the horse.Keeping the operation small and using experienced staff will not only ensure consistency in handling from birth but also enable the provision of first class horse management at a realistic cost to owners.

In the 70s and 80s Lauriston Park had operated as one of Victoria’s top thoroughbred farms for Gunnersons under the guidance of Thelma Harris, and was quickly acquired by Chris and Kathie when it came on the market in 2003. The farm boasts arguably the finest water supply in the district with Creighton’s Creek running through the property. It is also blessed with several spring-fed dams that provide adequate water for all farm needs. The property also possesses many beautiful well-established gum trees. This is not only a great guide to the excellent quality of the soil, but the trees provide shade in summer, and protection from the winds that move through the valley in which the property nestles. Horses relax very quickly in these natural surroundings.

The people:

Chris and Kathie became close friends when studying Horse Management together at Glenormiston Agricultural College. Chris began his career after College by heading to the Hunter Valley to work with Arrowfield Stud in the days of the great Danehill, where the farm ran over 700 mares in a season. Chris spent up to eight years with Arrowfield working his way to Stud Groom for the new Arrowfield in its beginnings at Scone. Chris then moved back to Victoria where for 12 years he managed a 4000 acre private property at Euroa for Dennis Marks.

It was here that Chris developed his knowledge of farm practices through running the cropping and cattle side of the farm along with Dennis’s high class broodmare band. In this time Chris worked with the great mare Let’s Elope and her progeny, and broke in horses such as Kempinksy, Bradman, Ustinov, Bush Honey and Mrs Tendulkar. Kathie began her horse management career working on Victorian studs such as Blue Gum Farm, Muranna and Marine Park before moving to work at Arrowfield where she became Arrowfield’s first resident vet nurse.

Kathie spent several years working alongside resident Vet, Terry Lowis, and also studied Equine Veterinary Nursing. On returning to Victoria Kathie spent five years working as head veterinary nurse for Dr. John Hyland at the Avenel Equine Veterinary Practice.