Client Spotlight - Hamish Scott and Kim Lawson

When it comes to breeders who will stop at nothing to help their horses, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone more committed, or adventurous, than Hamish Scott and his wife Kim Lawson.

The Canterbury breeders are best known for their ‘Kiwi’ brand of horses, headlined by the exceptional mare, Kiwi Ingenuity.

The couple lead successful careers, Hamish is an accountant with his own firm HSW Accountants, and Kim is a well respected Doctor, formerly working in Southland and Christchurch Hospitals before becoming a General Practitioner.

However breeding and racing horses wasn’t on the radar initially. In fact, they weren’t really left with a choice.

“I grew up in Southland and my first exposure to racing was as a kid when my family used to go to the Riverton gallops at Easter,” Hamish explained.

“I ended up at University in Dunedin, and I would go along with my friends to Forbury Park. So that’s when I really started getting into following harness racing.”

“I then got a job at Earnest and Young, and my boss at the time was Mark O’Connor who now of course has Denario Breeding.”

“He got me into a syndicate and we would attend the races down south, so that was a bit of fun and a bit of an introduction to ownership.”

In 1995 Hamish and Kim moved north to Christchurch, and then the phone rang one day.

“In 1997 a fellow gave me a call and said, I’ve bought you a horse.”

“And I said, what do you mean? You’ve bought me a horse? And that’s how I ended up buying my very first horse,” laughed Hamish.

That phone call would turn out to be the beginning of a line of horses that would change their lives forever.

The purchase was for the mare, Kiwi Express, by Miles McCool.

“She looked like she would be a fair sort of a horse, she won a couple of races quite quickly but then unfortunately broke down. So we started breeding from there.”

“We went to Safely Kept, and she had a lovely nice friendly colt. But, he was New Zealand’s slowest horse,” joked Hamish.

“Two foals later, and we ended up with New Zealand’s fastest horse. So we went from the outhouse to the penthouse for a wee while there.”

Kiwi Express’ third foal was the outstanding mare, Kiwi Ingenuity (Christian Cullen).

From just 27 starts, she won 11 races and $523,200 in stakes. Her feature wins included the G1 New Zealand Oaks, G1 Queen of Hearts, G1 Harness Jewels 4YO Diamond, G1 Breeders Stakes, G2 Premier Mares Championship, G2 Pelorus Classic and the G2 Southland Oaks. She finished fourth in the Miracle Mile also.

Kiwi Ingenuity set the national mile record at Ashburton of 1.52.1 when winning at the Jewels.

Her career was devastatingly cut short after a tendon injury in the New Zealand Cup, but left many special memories during her career.

And whilst the big Group One wins were epic, there was a sentimental win at home for Hamish that stood out.

“Winning the Southland Oaks was a huge highlight. We race a lot of the fillies we breed and growing up in Southland that was one race I wanted to win, it meant a lot to us.”

Kiwis Can Fly was the second foal from Kiwi Express, she had 7 starts for 4 wins and 2 seconds. She unfortunately was injured and retired.

Kiwi Express also left winners in Rojam Cullen (2 wins), A Good Kiwi Chick (4 wins), Givematasteofkiwi (3 wins) and Go Kiwi (4 wins).

Hamish and Kim have carried on the bloodline breeding from Kiwi Ingenuity (leaving winners Kiwi On Show, The Kiwi Way, Kiwis Are Flying, Team Kiwi and Keeping It Kiwi); Kiwis Can Fly (leaving winners As Kiwi As, Kiwi Legend, Good On Ya Kiwi); and A Good Kiwi Chick (leaving winners Kiwi Bloke, Kiwi X Factor and Kiwi Hero).

Kiwi Express also left unraced Presidential Ball stallion, Buy Kiwi Made, who gave Hamish and Kim prime time television coverage with his story.

After an accident on a float, Buy Kiwi Made became unable to walk and had equine wobblers syndrome. He wasn’t able to lift his feet or move properly.

Not intent to see the horse suffer or put down, Hamish and Kim had a vet from Australia come over to fuse his spine – in a very rare an expensive operation which ultimately saved his life and allowed him to stand at stud at Wai Eyre Farm.

His first foal, Sociable, went on to win the Queensland Oaks and the story was picked up by Seven Sharp.

“You just give it a go, and the horse rewarded us at stud for that. If you don’t try you never know.”

“We just do things that other people might think is mad.”

Buy Kiwi Made

It’s not the only bold move the couple have made to help their horses either.

Just this year five-win horse, Kiwi Hero, underwent groundbreaking surgery.

“Kiwi Hero broke a bone in his leg, so we had to patch that up initially. Then he fibrillated and they couldn’t get his heart back on track.”

So, once again, instead of just giving up, it was back to the vet specialists.

“We went to Hamish Rankin at Canterbury Equine, and we ended up getting a surgeon from Belgium operating on him overnight over there.”

“It wasn’t long after Christmas this year, and this surgeon was the only one that was operating on horse hearts in the world. So they were on one end of the video call, and instructing the vets here during the operation.”

“So we are prone to doing odd things, but he was back at the workouts today for the first time in two years. We are just so happy to see him back.”

“Again, if you don’t try you don’t find out.”

When asked to label a favourite horse, it was a hard call out of so many great memories.

“I guess I was very fond of Kiwi Express, she’s the one that started it all. Of course Kiwi Ingenuity was very special too, but it all started with her mum.”

“Group one wins are amazing, but then again any win is great.”

“And breaking the national record at the Harness Jewels was amazing, we didn’t even realise she had done that until later in the day when someone told us.”

“And of course Sociable’s win in the Queensland Oaks was special for so many different reasons.”

Kiwis Can Fly was a favourite for their trainer Robbie Holmes, and her last foal has been named Kiwis Can Fly Too in tribute to her.  

The partnership with Robbie Holmes started around 25 years ago, when Kiwi Express first came to Canterbury. He trains the Kiwi prefix horses and it has been a long and solid friendship and partnership.

“Robbie is very patient and kind with the horses, we’ve really enjoyed racing horses with him.”

“The horses don’t have to be fast, that’s preferable, but as long as someone is kind to them that’s a big thing for us,” said Hamish.

Hamish and Kim also have horses with Andrew Stuart, whom they shared Sociable’s Oaks win with, and Mark Jones.

“I don’t know how many we have bred, I have a spreadsheet somewhere but I don’t really want to look at that,” he laughed. “It would be up over 100 I would guess.”

After the success of Kiwi Ingenuity, the breeding ranks started to ramp up for Hamish and Kim.

“We thought, oh this is easy. So we bought a lot of other horses, and it turns out, it isn’t easy,” laughed Hamish.

“But that’s the way it goes, what’s that old saying? The worst day at the races is still beats the best day at work.”

They also breed in partnership with friends in mares Glenferrie Classic (a daughter of Mainland Banner) and Harmony Deliht, a daughter of Gotta Go Harmony and granddaughter of Elect To Live.

Mark Jones trains that side of the breeding operation.

On stallion selection, Hamish just goes with what he likes at the time.

“I come up with theories, and I rarely make a mistake when looking in hindsight, but I’ve made plenty of mistakes when using foresight put it that way,” laughed Hamish.

“History proves if I’m right or wrong in those decisions.”

Kim is also a key component in the ownership and breeding of their horses.

“She doesn’t have much choice really,” laughed Hamish.

“I would describe her as incredibly tolerant. She does like the horses, and of course she has to pay the invoices with me so she is involved, she is very tolerant,” joked Hamish.

Hamish and Kim have kept horses at Wai Eyre Farm for over 20 years.

“That started because of our relationship with Robbie and Carla, they sent their horses there.”

“We’ve always liked the way the horses are looked after there and the staff are great.”

“Even better is that because we have so many there the 20 percent discount each month is great,” joked Hamish.

“And we have some land near Robbies where we spell the racehorses, but all the other mares are at Wai Eyre.”

“We used to have land in Ladbrooks, but now we are living in the city grazing isn’t an option.”

“I don’t think the council would be too impressed if we had them just running around Hagley Park. There is a fair bit of traffic around here after all.”

So what is it about being a harness racing breeder that keeps Hamish and Kim going.

“I always say in racing for every ten downs, there’s one up. But that’s what makes the ups so good. It makes it all worthwhile.”

“I guess it’s a bit of the thrill of the chase. I originally come from a farming background, so I am still carrying out some kind of farming really.”

Armed with a positive attitude and quick wit, Hamish doesn’t let others opinions stand in the way of his passion either.

“I have family and cousins that race cars and I look at that and think, they’re losing every bit as much as I am with horses. And at least I can pat my horse and that doesn’t look strange.”

“People often ask me about being an accountant, and then having so many horses.”

“I mean here I am giving people financial advice, and then some people would say horses are a bloody stupid thing to spend your money on.”

“But, I never said I was a good accountant.”