2026 Widden Stud Vendor Profile

Currently second on the all-time Black Type Vendor Premiership, Widden Stud is the oldest continuously running Thoroughbred farm in Australia. The impressive feat has come with generations of success, with the farm only as good as its most recent graduates. Recent Gr1 winners include Schwarz, Climbing Star and Zougotcha – all sold through the sales ring – while Duais and El Patroness have been born and raised by Widden for clients of the farm.  The spring of 2025/26 has seen the likes of Apulia win the Gr2 Perth Cup, West Of Swindon win the Gr2 Stutt Stakes, as well as Casino Seventeen, Napoleonic, Piggy Back, Zousensation all win at stakes level.  In 1829, the young NSW government opened up the Nineteen Counties, regions of land beyond the Sydney basin available for purchase, and it was in 1836 that the Bylong Valley including Widden became available. The land was sold in 1867 to John Thompson, and along with his father and brother, over the next few years, they acquired enough land to form the basis of the current Widden Stud. Widden has been associated with breeding racehorses from the beginning of racing in Australia. The first edition of the Australian Stud Book (1878) lists three broodmares belonging to Widden Stud. The famous brand, JT over sideways 2, belongs to John Thompson whose grandfather John was the first Thompson to arrive in Australia in 1832. "This is the story of a valley. A valley of lush, green springs and golden summers, its sweet waters, its abundant pastures and sheltered timber are ringed about by steep ramparts. Winter cannot disturb its calm. One could search the world for such a place," wrote Douglas M. Barrie in Valley of Champions, the history of Widden Stud, penned in 1967 for the farm's centenary. There's something about this land that inspires greatness. From Widden's first Champion Australian Sire Lochiel to names like Eurythmic, Ajax, Kingstown Town, and more recently Champions such as Dissident, Whobegotyou, and Sunlight, the list of Group 1 winners over the last 150 years is way too long for any one article. Since those early days, Widden Stud has stood successful stallions like Vain, Marscay, Lunchtime, General Nediym, Sebring, and this continues with reigning Champion Sire Zoustar standing at the farm.  Widden will present 65 yearlings at the 2026 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and 51 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale. A further 50 yearlings from Widden's Victorian farm at Riddells Creek will be offered at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Brilliant Gr1-winning Widden graduate Zougotcha (pic: Steve Hart)