The Lane Report -- Equine July 1998

EQUINE - July '98

Vinery Sells Major Interest
Dual classic winner Real Quiet to stand in Midway

Every entrepreneur's dream is to become debt-free. Ben P. and Elaine Walden, Jr., owners of the Midway thoroughbred nursery Vinery, achieved that goal when they announced that George and Kay Hofmeister acquired a "major interest" in the Central Kentucky farm for an undisclosed sum.

The Hofmeisters are newcomers to the thoroughbred industry but their involvement has not been passive. Last year, the Hofmeisters started Highland Farms in Paris, Kentucky with the help of Arthur and Staci Hancock. Today, the Hofmeisters own in excess of 2,000 acres in Bourbon County and a 2,000 acre property in Australia named Stone Lodge Farm.

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Mr. Hofmeister, an Ohio native whose principal business interest is manufacturing (automotive parts, steel, aluminum and various building products), boards 75 mares at Highland Farms and owns an additional 50 mares at Stone Lodge.

Terms of the partnership are limited to Vinery's stallion operation and do not include the breeding stock of either individual farm. However, the partnership is of significant consequence, as two major broodmare bands have joined together to support the 31 horses that comprise Vinery's stallion roster. Ben Walden, Jr. will be the managing partner.

"This is a wonderful farm and the Waldens are great people," George Hofmeister said. "We hope to help Ben bring additional stallions to Vinery. Kay and I are extremely happy."

The most prominent future stallion to stand at Vinery under the new partnership will be 1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet. The Hofmeisters own Really Blue, the dam of Real Quiet, as well as the dam of the dual classic winner's sire, Quiet American.

Real Quiet's racing rights are controlled by owner Mike Pegram, however Pegram sold the colts' breeding rights to the Hofmeisters in late March for an undisclosed sum.

Vinery stands three of the last four leading freshman sires in North America: Red Ransom, Farma Way, and Gilded Time.

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