'He had truly started to shine as a sire' - Mapperley Stud mourning loss of good friend Contributer

The Davison family and the team at Mapperley Stud are in mourning after the shock loss of their good friend and Group 1-producing sire Contributer.

The 14-year-old son of High Chaparral was starting his ninth season at the Matamata farm but passed away on Sunday morning.

A dual Group 1 winner on the track, Contributer was crowned Australian Middle-Distance Horse of the Year in 2015 following a brilliant autumn campaign, when he won the Group 2 Apollo Stakes, and then Group 1 Chipping Norton Stakes and Ranvet Stakes.

Contributer was bred by Petra Bloodstock Agency out of the Exit To Nowhere mare Serisia and sold as a yearling at the Arqana October Sale, where was acquired by Mags O'Toole for €60,000.

The following spring he was sent to the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale by Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm, where he was moved on for 130,000gns to Angie Loder.

He began his career with Ed Dunlop, winning a two-year-old maiden at Wolverhampton on his second start in November 2012, in the colours of George Bolton.

He won first time up at the Greenham meeting at Newbury on his reappearance at three, and remained consistent thereafter, next visiting the winner's enclosure at Kempton the following spring, when he won the Listed Magnolia Stakes on his return.

A few months later he was a Royal Ascot winner in the Listed Wolferton Handicap. Then came a private salt to Godolphin and his move down under to the John O'Shea yard. 

At stud, Contributer was affectionately known as Barry, and stud master Simms Davison was devastated with the loss of his friend who he had worked so closely with over the last few years.

“I'm absolutely gutted, Contributer has been a big part of our lives and our stud for many years,” he said. “I’m still struggling to come to terms with the loss of Contributer; the entire team are very shocked by the news.

“He was such a character, an awesome horse to work with. He had a wonderful temperament, an engaging personality and everyone who worked with him just loved him.”

Contributer made a great start to his career at stud, with his first crop including subsequent Group 1 winners Lion’s Roar and Campionessa, along with four other individual stakes winners.

With his eldest progeny having just turned seven, Contributer is the sire of 103 winners, including nine individual stakes winners and a total of 24 stakes performers.

“He had truly started to shine as a sire, he had left some tremendously talented racehorses and we know his legacy will live on,” said Davison.

"From very limited numbers, he's performed incredibly well as a sire. What he has achieved on the track is pretty amazing.

“He was very much in our proven stallion ranks in New Zealand, it’s a big loss not only for our stud but the entire industry.

“He has some very talented three-year-olds coming through this season, and he was on a trajectory to go to another level in the next few years.

“Hopefully his offspring can do their father proud this season, and we still have a lovely bunch of yearlings by him on the farm. We will cherish these last foals that are due to be born this season."

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