Waikato Stud’s new co-owner Mark Chittick says “there will be minimal change” after he and his wife Lisa assumed control of the New Zealand breeding institutions from his father Garry.

Garry Chittick handed the management of Waikato Stud to his son and daughter-in-law on Friday. Mark Chittick said the handover represented a major challenge but one he relished.

“With the stud’s internationally proven sire roster and exceptional record of racetrack success, it is a huge opportunity,” he said.

“Breeding elite racehorses has been my entire life and my whole passion, so this is an extremely exciting position to be in now and going forward.”

The Chittick family has owned the Matamata-based property since Garry and Mary Chittick took over Waikato Stud in 1993. Waikato Stud has bred 24 individual Group 1 winners in the ensuing 19 years, including dual hemisphere Group 1 winner Starcraft and super racehorse turned champion sire O’Reilly.

The younger Chittick said he would not tinker with Waikato Stud’s proven formula for producing high class racehorses, especially with his father still on hand to offer the benefit of his experience.

Not surprisingly, with its sublime Gr.1 record, there are no plans to change its successful recipe.

“There will be minimal change,” Mark Chittick said.

“The growth that has taken place in the last 19 years has always been done in partnership between Garry and myself and this will continue to be the case.

“On a day to day basis, we will still be making the most of Garry’s knowledge and experience and of the incredible resources that we are very fortunate to have.”

Waikato’s 2012 roster is made up of: O’Reilly ($45,000 LFG, plus GST), Pins ($37,500 LFG, plus GST), Savabeel ($35,000 LFG, plus GST), Fast N Famous ($6,000 LFG, plus GST), No Excuse Needed ($6,000 LFG, plus GST), and Rios ($4000 LFG, plus GST).