Page 77 - MELLBY_MAGASIN_2023_ENG_LOW_UPPSLAG

TROTTING BUSINESS

Reducing the number of
horses to improve quality

Since Rune Andersson acquired the farm in 1986, Mellby Gård has
run a significant trotting business. Over the years, the business has
evolved to suit the conditions of the farm and the family’s interest

in trotting. Today, the breeding of trotting horses is qualitative
rather than quantitative.

Mellby Gård now owns about 80 horses, most of which “The six-year-old Mellby Jinx is our best horse right now, and he’s
have grown up on its own farm. The scope of Mellby already earned five million Swedish Kronor in prize money,” says Jan-
Gård’s breeding activities differ from that of many other Olov Alfredsson. “This is particularly amazing because he’s so young,
breeders, as the aim is not to sell the horses but to compete with them and it’ll be exciting to see how he develops over the years. We also
themselves. Jan-Olov Alfredsson is responsible for Mellby Gård’s hope that this year’s three-year-olds will be successful.”
trotting business and its horses.
During the year, Mellby Gård decided to stop competing in the US,
“The operation at Mellby Gård is smaller compared to the large as the demanding processes and administration are a major burden.
breeders,” he says. “We currently have 22 broodmares on the farm that Mister Mellby, trained by Åke Svanstedt, will remain in the US to
have given birth to 13 foals this year that will be taken away at one and complete his season as a three-year-old. This means focusing more
a half years of age. This is when the horses are ready to take the next sharply on breeding at home on the farm.
step towards the goal of becoming competitive trotting horses. The
goal for the year is to sell a number of broodmares in order to have 15 “We’ve had horses in the US for the last ten years, and it was
mares on the farm in the future.” now time to wind down and focus on other things,” says Jan-Olov
Alfredsson. “A few years ago we acquired a number of heavy draught
FOCUS ON HORSE WELFARE horses, because we see greater potential to make money from them as
the sport changes and not everyone has had time to adapt.”
Under the care of Jan-Olov Alfredsson and other employees, the horses
grow up in controlled loose housing and have ample spaces to live This turned out to be the right decision that paid off immediately.
in, both inside and outside. It’s important that the animals have the The now five-year-old Brolin that Mellby Gård bought from Norway
opportunity to move around as much as possible in order to develop well. earned 1.5 Swedish Kronor as a three- and four-year-old and won the
Svenskt Kallblodskriterium heavy draught trotting race in record time.
“Several of Mellby Gård’s horses have been very successful,” says This year Brolin will combine competition
Jan-Olov Alfredsson. “The most successful so far is Mellby Free, which with breeding.
has won the most and generated over ten million Swedish Kronor in
prize money. Mellby Free has been breeding on the farm since last year With the investment in heavy draught horses and continued
and she gave birth to her first foal last summer.” development on the farm, Jan-Olov Alfredsson hopes for more trotting
successes and, in particular, that a real star is born on the farm in the
Although Mellby Free has been successful, it’s not a given that her near future.
foal will deliver the same results. Mellby Free’s mother had a number of
wins but was nowhere near as successful as her daughter. It is hoped
that a star will emerge from the farm every five years, and this has been
achieved.

SUCCESSES AND THE FUTURE Jan-Olov Alfredsson,
Trotting Manager
Mellby Gård currently owns several horses, both in training and in
competition, that they hope will become household names through
further and greater victories. After Mellby Free’s retirement, it’s
the gelding Mellby Jinx who has earned the big money in various
competitions.

77