Toward the end of 2009 we completed the purchase of a new property on the Karaka.
Over the last four years the Chitty family has been in negotiations with Transpower in regard to the Whakamaru to Otahuhu Pylon Project which will see the erection of four Pylons over the Haunui property in Whitford.
The construction of the pylons will cause a significant disruption to the operation of the Haunui at the Whitford property and with this in mind, we have been looking to source a new farm for some time. As luck would have it, the old Stoneybridge property at Karaka became available for purchase and we are pleased to say that from July 2011, this will be the new base for Haunui Farm.
Haunui Karaka comprises 250 acres of prime Karaka farm land located on Kidd Road and over the last six months some major changes have already taken place with many more to come over the next year.
Having been located at Whitford for over fifty years there are certainly many things that we have come to take for granted. It is certainly an exciting project developing a new farm to Haunui standards with an enormous amount of work to be completed before July 2011 such as refencing of a major portion of the farm including new stallion and extra yearling paddocks, the establishment of a foaling unit including vet crush, foaling paddocks, stables, walk-in yards and building of a new serving barn and yearling barns not to mention houses!
Haunui Karaka is smaller in acreage than the property at Whitford however the farm’s topography allows for use of 100% of the farm and this combined with the two run-offs that we already have at Karaka, will enable all of our bloodstock to be located in the one area.
An existing aspect of the Karaka property is an 800m sand track which has allowed Haunui to once again establish a breaking-in and pre-training division. This will once again allow Haunui to manage the breaking and pre-training aspect of the business not only for Haunui-owned horses but for our clients as well. This allows for the continued management of bloodstock from conception through to the racetrack and beyond which is of great benefit to Haunui and our clients.
Haunui Karaka is a work in progress and over the next 12 months please continue to visit the website for further updates and progress.
