The NZ Sires Stakes Board is an incorporated society set up to administer age group racing within the Harness Racing Industry.
Championing New Zealand’s Premier Age-Group Harness Racing
Where great horses begin their journey — and where legends are made.
For more than forty years, the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board has been at the heart of elite age-group harness racing, creating opportunities for breeders, owners, and trainers to compete for serious stakes and long-term success.
Born from a desire to lift the quality and value of New Zealand Standardbreds, the Sires’ Stakes pathway has become the benchmark for premium juvenile racing. Today, it delivers a nationwide programme for 2YO and 3YO pacers and trotters, supported by a wider suite of Series and Classics that give horses room to develop, improve, and shine.
The modern Sires’ Stakes landscape is broader than a single final or a single moment. It’s a progression — from early heats through Group-level features and into new opportunities for older horses. Expanded pathways such as the Harness 7000, Uncut Gems Series, Mares Classics, Southern Solstices, Sophomore events, and Trotting Filly Classique’s ensure that every eligible horse, whether an early star or a later-blooming athlete, has meaningful races to aim for.
This vision is rooted in one belief: great horses aren’t born on a timetable. With a national framework that supports development, longevity, and black-type progression, the Sires’ Stakes system helps maximise a horse’s potential — on the track and in the breeding barn.
Whether you’re breeding, buying, or racing, Sires’ Stakes eligibility opens the door to New Zealand’s richest and most influential age-group racing platform — a foundation that rewards ambition, supports industry growth, and continues to evolve for the next generation of Standardbreds.
The NZ Sires Stakes Board is an incorporated society set up to administer age group racing within the Harness Racing Industry.
An Executive Board, which represents a cross section of the Harness Racing Industry is annually appointed.
The Board's role is to oversee the various series it administers.
I am honoured to address you as Chair of the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board. I am dedicated to upholding the NZSSB's rich legacy while promoting innovation and advancement in New Zealand harness racing.
To my fellow board members, I genuinely appreciate your unwavering dedication to promoting the NZSSB as the leading ‘brand’ in New Zealand harness racing. A warm welcome also goes out to our newly appointed member, Matthew Peden, whose fresh perspective and expertise will undoubtedly enrich our team.
The full report is available for download below:
