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Hyundai Country Calendar - Season Episode 19 -Season Episode 19 englishsubtitle fullfilm🧲🎯 Secret Engagement
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00:05Proudly celebrating 60 years of rural New Zealand.
00:10Hyundai Country Calendar.
00:15A team built on a deep love of horses.
00:19I love racing. It's a great team to be a part of.
00:23They enjoy it. It's all in the heart and in the head.
00:26From the hill country to the finish line,
00:29these thoroughbreds are born to win.
00:31Boys, are you hungry?
00:33There's way more than one winner.
00:35Hopefully there's lots of them.
00:50When I come out here, the staff haven't quite arrived yet.
00:54The horses are always very pleased to see you.
00:56A quiet moment to start the day.
00:59Just the horses, my puppy and I.
01:02As one of the country's youngest horse trainers,
01:05Leah Zeidenbos is proving hard work and fast track success.
01:09Hello, Alan.
01:13Up before the sun six days a week,
01:15the thoroughbreds of Game Lodge are off to work.
01:19The horse always comes first.
01:22When these horses first come into the stables,
01:25they are complete blank canvases.
01:27So it's about trying to educate the horse in a way that we can develop them to enjoy being racehorses.
01:35A little bit like kids in the back seat of the car.
01:38They all have a specific spot they want to sit in.
01:42Some of them like to be on the outside so that they're getting off first.
01:46Others like to be on the inside away from the ramp.
01:49So very particular and unique.
01:58We are up before most of the traffic which is pretty good when it comes to driving the truck.
02:05This morning, 24-year-old Leah has seven horses on board for the short drive to the Hastings racetrack.
02:12In theory, we usually work the more experienced racehorses first.
02:17So this load is full of our very best.
02:29Already at the track, the other half of the Game Lodge horse training partnership, Guy Lowry.
02:35Good morning, good morning.
02:39To me, it's the complete package.
02:42And you know, it is quite a young person's game really.
02:45And I probably have a little bit of experience and Leah's got the energy.
02:50The two of us work well together.
02:58As the racehorses settle into their stalls, Leah and Guy are running through the morning's training schedule.
03:05Leah, Merlin needs to have a shoe on.
03:09This is probably the central of all of my organisation.
03:12Every horse has a different set of gear.
03:15They all like a different bit in their mouth.
03:17Especially a morning like this morning.
03:20Everything needs a perfect set of gear so everything can run smoothly when they are galloping.
03:27Even in the dark, the horses and riders are keen to work.
03:33The staff, they love being around the horses.
03:36The finer details always get noticed because people that work here are so passionate about looking after the horses.
03:47This is a horse called Harlem County.
03:49He's owned by a very good client of ours.
03:51He's a maidener.
03:52He ran third his last start.
03:54He's just been a little bit immature in coming, but he'll make it.
03:57He'll make the grade.
04:00When the track is busy on galloped mornings, the boss is often the first to muck in.
04:06Good boy.
04:08I don't mind doing the hosing.
04:10It's not a bad job.
04:11And also you get to see how they pull up after they gallop.
04:14So it's good.
04:17You get to see how they react to the work they've just had.
04:21I just like to have a look at them after they work.
04:23As much as I can.
04:30Throughout the morning, Game Lodge's dirty working horses are ferried to and from the racetrack.
04:37Nice horse.
04:38Yeah, nice horse.
04:40Am I on the outside again?
04:41Yeah, you go on the outside.
04:43Yep.
04:45Big morning.
04:46Lots of gallops.
04:49These are sort of gallops that we only do once every two or three weeks.
04:53Most of their work's on their own, but today we're out on the grass and company.
04:57So it's a big morning.
05:01Every time I get on a horse, I think, what can I do to better this horse today?
05:07As a young rider, Leah grew up show jumping and eventing in Christchurch.
05:11But nothing quite prepared her for the thrill of travelling at 60 kilometres an hour on a race horse.
05:20I love riding work.
05:22I really enjoy it for myself, but I also love it for the horse's performances as well.
05:30It's an amazing feeling when you pull up after a really good track work gallop, you know.
05:35The horse has worked beautifully.
05:37It's powered through the line.
05:38It's relaxed early.
05:40It's an incredible feeling to think everything that you're teaching the horse has all come together.
05:47Definitely feels like there's teamwork between me and the horse.
05:52On the inside is Caught and Bold and on the outside is Will and they're going a nice 800.
05:59Guy stands on the side of the track reading the pace and performance in every stride.
06:05He's guided by instinct as the horses charge along the home straight.
06:12That was nice work.
06:16Every horse is different and that's what's so surprising about racing.
06:21They all have different habits and they all are different shapes and sizes.
06:26And that's why we're, you know, we're happy to give every horse every opportunity.
06:30Because you just don't know what horse is going to be a good horse and what horse is not going
06:33to be a good horse.
06:34They don't know how they're bred.
06:36Yeah, it's a great game for that.
06:38All good?
06:38Yeah, yeah.
06:39Happy Siobhan?
06:40Yeah.
06:41A bit keen early?
06:41Yeah.
06:43Oh, she was okay?
06:44Yeah, she was good.
06:45She felt good.
06:46Having a nice blow, it's good.
06:51For many racehorse owners, being at the track early in the morning is a favourite way to spend a few
06:57hours.
06:59At Game Lodge, it's part of the routine. Guy's cousin Tommy Lowry is a regular.
07:08This is a horse called Testwin. He was a bit timid when he was younger. He wants a bit of
07:14attention, whereas before he was a little bit, he wanted freedom.
07:20Now he's got a bit of human influence and yeah, he's pretty good. Pretty good, much better. Guy and Leah
07:28are doing a great job.
07:31How's Merlin this morning?
07:33Very keen.
07:35Track work's a really interesting time for us as racehorse trainers.
07:39Not only do we use the mornings to get the horses fit, but it's also a really good time to
07:45have a close look up with the horses.
07:50We have the vets and the farriers on hand pretty much every morning.
07:56Make sure they're pretty, they're happy and they're healthy because as soon as one horse gets a cold, they're in
08:02such close proximity that it can just spread through like wildfire.
08:06A little bit like a kindergarten. One person gets a cold, suddenly the whole stable's full of us.
08:10With training complete, it's back home to the stables and more pampering.
08:21It's just gone 10 o'clock at the Game Lodge stables on the outskirts of Hastings.
08:28It's home to the training duo of Guy Lowry and Leah Zeidenbos.
08:37The intensity of the early hours has given way to a calmer rhythm that's settled over the stables.
08:44Good boy.
08:46He's a real water baby, this horse.
08:49It's sort of replicating having a walk down the beach or something like that.
08:53It's important that mentally they're enjoying it just as much as they are physically.
08:59Good boy.
09:02Good boy.
09:09With breakfast out of the way, Sujet Kumar, one of Game Lodge's track riders, is preparing the afternoon feeds.
09:19It's my daily job.
09:21I love it.
09:24Especially when, like, you know, someone starts winning and all.
09:27It's very satisfying.
09:30It's always different every morning.
09:33Like, our special horse in the stable bedtime story, she gets this.
09:39Horses are the same like us.
09:41They just need, like, you know, nice mix, especially the oil and the salt.
09:45If you mix them nicely and all, everyone loves it.
09:49It takes a couple of hours to sort the feeds and years to get it just right.
09:59No, it was a good opportunity to get on the grass this morning, I thought, you know.
10:02Yeah, very much so.
10:02They all work nice and strongly.
10:04Would have learnt a bit.
10:05Leah and Guy always do their rounds after training.
10:09It's another chance to check on the thoroughbreds.
10:11Yeah, I think he's ready for his trial, and next Tuesday I think he's right on the mark.
10:18Educating a racehorse and running a stable like this, it is very similar to being a teacher.
10:25You are constantly crafting the horse to become an athlete.
10:31You've got to teach a horse to relax while teaching it to sprint at its maximum capacity.
10:39It's a real balancing act, and I think that's a large part of what I enjoy about the job.
10:51For me, horses are everything.
10:54How are you?
10:56I think I've always had the passion, ever since I was at school.
11:00Guy has been around successful horse breeders and trainers all his life.
11:04How are you?
11:06As a young trainer, he worked in Australia for the legendary Bart Cummings.
11:11He was a master horseman.
11:12I think Bart was all about the basics and looking after the horse.
11:16I'm sure he didn't give all of his knowledge to me, but we did speak most mornings for a couple
11:22of years.
11:23You're very well at the moment, aren't you, eh?
11:27Some of Guy's best advice has come from closer to home from his father, respected horse breeder Pat Lowry.
11:34Hello, Alan.
11:36A bit like your owner, quite bold, eh?
11:40Well, he always said, you know, in this business, you can either have a checkbook or a scrapbook.
11:45We probably don't have as big a scrapbook as we'd like, but we make sure that it's a business and
11:50it works.
11:51We love racing them, but, you know, the owners need a feed.
11:54You just can't keep putting money in day after day.
12:04The open spaces of Kiwikawa, the farm guy runs in partnership with his father, also play a big part in
12:11Game Lodge's success.
12:16Every day I probably feed about 41 horses and they consist of broodmares and foals.
12:24We have yearlings that were brought from the sales and then we have our older horses that come out here
12:31for a break in between campaigns.
12:35Bridget is Guy's wife.
12:37They both live on the farm and every day Bridget makes her rounds, feeding the thoroughbreds and keeping a watchful
12:44eye on each horse.
12:50What are we, rascals?
12:52I'm just making sure they're put on weight.
12:55Good boys. Hey, you hungry?
12:57I just really enjoy feeding them and I love seeing them and I love thinking that they're going to be
13:04something one day.
13:05I just love the horses.
13:16You're just so optimistic when you buy a horse thinking this could be the one, this could be the lotto
13:20ticket or this could win a group one or this could breed a group one.
13:24It's just thrilling.
13:26Hello ambitious.
13:28You're such a good boy.
13:31Guy often checks in on the horses on his way home from the track.
13:34G'day, Bridget. Everything all right?
13:36Yeah, good. You know, the Phillies are happy.
13:38He's keen to see if their old racehorse, ambitious dragon, is doing a good job of babysitting the Phillies.
13:46He's always been a great mother, isn't he? He's been fantastic.
13:49Yeah, he has. He loves his food.
13:52And he gives them a bit of a curry up if they need a curry up.
13:55We still give some of them a bit of a curry up.
13:59Every part of our life is around horses and Bridget plays a huge part in that.
14:04She's our eyes at the farm here. You know, if I'm away racing or I'm in town working the horses.
14:10You two like each other, don't you?
14:12Bridget's the one that's at the coalface.
14:14I mean, she helps come and buy them up in Karaka as well. So yeah, she loves it.
14:21Guy's very good with the pedigrees, which I don't have that same knowledge and I just like certain types. So
14:27it works well.
14:30With the animals fed and watered, the attention turns to tomorrow and race day.
14:36Come on!
14:45It's Sunday morning at the Game Lodge stables near Hastings.
14:50The energy is building as horse trainer Leah Zeidenboss gears up for the races.
14:56They're pretty excited this morning, especially since it's a Sunday.
15:01Our horses don't usually go anywhere on Sundays.
15:05So the minute we got them out of their paddocks, I think they knew something was sure to happen today.
15:13The heavy track at Waipukuro in Central Hawke's Bay has reduced the Game Lodge horsepower today, but Leah still enjoys
15:21the tradition of a country race meeting.
15:25It's always special when you can race local. You get a lot more owners around and it sort of has
15:31a really nice homely feel to it.
15:34I'm not your typical truckie, but it's always a nice feeling. You're right in control of everything leading into the
15:40races.
15:49The track seems like it's in good nick, although it's quite wet. So first race we don't know if there's
15:54going to be any bias yet, but the main thing is the horses are happy.
15:58Try and get that rail position. If she doesn't, we'll just sit behind them on the rail.
16:04You don't want them running their race before the race, you know, in the tie-up stalls. You want them
16:09as relaxed as you can.
16:12She's been very settled.
16:14We're waiting around to put the saddle on. We don't want to be putting the saddle on too early.
16:18I don't want that girth done up too tight for too long. So we're just waiting for the right moment.
16:25We all right? Yep. I'm right up.
16:28I might be able to get one more, Leah. Just hang on.
16:32Guy's father, Pat Lowry, has turned up for a pre-race pep talk.
16:36What about the trainer? Is he calm?
16:40There's always pressure training for my father. I haven't trained enough winners for him, or so he says.
16:46So, yeah, there is always pressure. For any owner, we just want success for them, really.
16:51So it's important that they perform well. And sometimes they don't, but that's racing.
16:57It's always hard to get a winner. I couldn't tell you whether it's going to happen, but I hope it
17:02does.
17:09As the morning builds, the punters turn out to support their local race club.
17:14Come on.
17:15Good luck.
17:18And Wave gets his chance.
17:20Good luck, everyone. The first of the day on their way to the gates.
17:23And away we go. Sal can't miss the kick. Sundown Sav is just a little bit on the back foot
17:28as well.
17:29Best away off the inside, Wave.
17:31Only to fade.
17:33The hot pot in front. Small Ford.
17:35Balls at a length on Platinum Norway. He's going to be a little bit too good.
17:39And the good thing for the day, salute to the first to the small Ford to be Platinum Norway.
17:43Probably a bit keen early.
17:45By the time the countdown to race two gets underway, Guy and Leah aren't expecting much from the track.
17:52The family, though, has turned out in force, and Bridget is hosting a group of girlfriends who have each bought
17:58a share and double shot.
18:00Set for dispatch. This is race two. Ready to go. Eight's back and away they go.
18:05And he won the start at the overall inside of Manuka.
18:08Yeah, it is.
18:11No, she's not coming home.
18:16Come on, girl. She's trying.
18:20Come on, double shot. Come on, girl.
18:26You've got a lovely try.
18:30That is just racing. She's a young filly. She's never been on a wet track before.
18:34So you just don't know till the day.
18:36Yeah, she was trying.
18:38It was a pass mark. Quite a heavy testing track.
18:42So when she's gone to sprint, she's found it hard to pull her feet out of the ground, to be
18:46fair.
18:46And we'll get her over a mile, which is a lot further than what she went today.
18:51There's nothing more fun than having a big syndicate of owners here, you know.
18:55They're here to wish their horse good luck before the race.
18:57And even though we didn't get the result with double shot, they're all back here giving her a pat afterwards.
19:02That's what it's all about. Country meeting, coming and watching their horse go around, seeing their mates and having a
19:08good time.
19:14Back in the hills and away from the excitement of race day, the depth of Guy's connection to racing is
19:20unmistakable.
19:22Next door to his Kiwikawa farm lies Okawa Station, the stud farm where Guy's great grandfather, grandfather and late uncle
19:31Tom Lowry built a reputation for breeding champion horses.
19:36Cousin Tommy has recently restored the station's old stables, destroyed during Cyclone Gabrielle.
19:44Oh, they look good, don't they?
19:45Oh yes, all cleaned out. They were under a bit of silt there for a while, but we've managed to
19:50save them.
19:53They look fantastic. If only these wolves could talk. Great bones, and it's really important that we keep the stables
20:01going and keep the horses flowing. Great country.
20:05Best horse country in the world.
20:11The Lowry's, like many racing families, enjoy taking a chance.
20:17Guy finds the easiest way to forget the disappointment of race day is to take a peek at the future.
20:27These foals were all bred at Kiwikawa.
20:30They've been away at boot camp, and the family's gathering to welcome the weanlings back home.
20:36Come on. Good girl.
20:38We sent them off with their mums. They got weaned. Tina does an amazing job with them.
20:43She's shampooed them, branded them, done their feet.
20:46We haven't seen them for six weeks.
20:48And they're just looking beautiful, glossy, and it's just fun to see them back.
20:52Can you see her?
20:54One, two, three. Yep.
20:58Good boy.
20:59You better go and find your mate.
21:01What did you think, Papa Pat?
21:03I picked the tail bean every time.
21:09It's just so good to see them running around.
21:13There is always one or two that do take your eye.
21:16And, you know, we've got a fair bit of speed in the paddock.
21:19But that doesn't mean that they'll be faster on the race track.
21:22But there's some nice talent out there and some nice pedigrees.
21:26You look magnificent.
21:31For me, it's the dream. The dream of having the next champion.
21:43This is the last year that the Sisens will have four teams working.
21:47In fact, this may be the last time that four teams will ever be seen working together like this in
21:53New Zealand again.
21:56To see the rest of this classic episode and more gems from the past 60 years, head to TVNZ+.
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22:35The country calendar was proudly brought to you by Hyundai New Zealand.
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