A love of the land and an expanding family business has meant this week’s candidate is putting his Bachelor of Agriculture degree to good use in the Hunter Valley.
This week we find out more about Zac Harris, who works with his family in their very successful thoroughbred breeding business, Tooloogan Vale Broodmare Farm.
1/ Where are you from, and what got you in involved in the thoroughbred industry?
I was born in Cessnock. In 1993, Dad got a job at Dartbrook and we moved to Scone. We bought a 90-acre farm called Tooloogan Vale and ran cattle and a few horses. We have since purchased a further two properties and now have around 1000 acres.
I attended school locally. Boarding school was offered, but I didn’t want to leave the farm. At completion of my schooling, I worked on the farm for 12 months before going to the University of New England in Armidale completing a Bachelor of Agriculture.
After University, I worked at home for a year before myself and my now wife moved to Bourke for three years, where I worked as an agronomist before returning home five years ago to run the farm with Dad.
2/ What does a workday in the life of Zac Harris look like?
During the breeding season the days are quite standard. I start around 5:30, check on the foals born the night before assessing if they need boxing or any special care. I then check on any sick or injured horses before the vet arrives. We then scan mares and organise covers.
I hold all the foals for the farrier, handy for him but also allows me to keep an eye on the foal’s conformation.
I also do a large amount of our office work and client correspondence – at least an hour or two on most days. In the off-season, I check on sick or injured horses, get everyone started for the day. Then the most important moment of the day – Dad and I head into town for a coffee.
After that the day could hold anything from office work to pasture management or fencing.
3/ Who is your favourite horse and why?
Invincibella. She was born and raised at Tooloogan Vale, as was her mother. Promitto and his mother also carry the UTV brand – it will be interesting to see if they pay the late entry for this weekend’s Golden Slipper.
4/ Tell us about the best day you had at the races or at the sales, and what made it memorable for you?
Akasaki won at Scone a few years ago in the stand alone metro meeting. A mate of mine was with me, and he loved his form and didn’t mind him as well. We then spoke to Dave Metcalfe and he said Stephen Jones said he would just win.
This was the push we needed. We backed him hard. He opened at $15 was backed into $6 and the late money kept coming. Three minutes before jump the bookies wouldn’t take anymore bets. As he surged to the lead inside the 50, the crowd obviously had the same tip.
It was made even more sweeter by the fact the jockey was wearing the Where There Is a Will silks. WTAW is a charity started by a local family of Will after he took his own life. Will’s brother is a very close friend of mine and also our vet – so the win was especially poignant.
5/ What is your favourite show on Netflix or TV?
I do enjoy your Gold Rush type reality shows on Discovery channel. I love my sport and racing as well.
6/ Now that travel has opened again where is the first place you will go?
We have a lot of friends from University scattered around the country, so we have been lucky during Covid and managed to get to see them in those short periods when the borders allowed us to do so.
Internationally, we are heading to New Zealand next year where we will enjoy the incredible landscape but also, get a chance to see some New Zealand horseflesh and catch up with some clients.
7/ What is your favourite cuisine and restaurant?
Can’t beat a decent Chinese or a good pub feed.
8/ Name two things on your bucket list?
Breed and race a Group 1 filly. Then sell a million-dollar yearling out of her… pretty simple really!
9/ What’s the best advice someone has ever given you?
The harder you work the quicker you learn.
10/ Tell us one thing that not many people may know about you?
Apart from the horses on our farm, the animal I love the most is a Maltese x Shitzu called Bell who I generally call Bellsy (in a slightly high-pitched voice). Most people think she is my wife’s dog, and I don’t hurry to correct them. But the fact is she is mine, and she’s a little champion.
