- Stephanie Hole, a “backyard breeder”, is selling her Marlborough estate after 20 years of breeding thoroughbreds.
- Her horse Manzoice won the 2022 Victoria Derby and competed in the Melbourne Cup.
- The property features a modern farmhouse and is ideal for gardening and horse enthusiasts.
A “backyard breeder” whose horse has run the Melbourne Cup is selling her Marlborough estate.
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Stephanie Hole started breeding thoroughbreds 20 years ago and has racked up several wins, with her horse Manzoice finishing first at the prestigious Victoria Derby in 2022, as well as taking part in Melbourne’s most famous race.
Hole told OneRoof: “Breeders from all over the world try to get a horse in the Melbourne Cup. Most don’t make it, and a little backyard breeder from Blenheim did it.”
Hole, now in her 70s, started breeding thoroughbreds about 20 years ago, but her love of horses spans a lifetime; she has spent decades showing, owning and judging sport horses.
Manzoice, pictured with jockey Mick Dee, who ran in the Melbourne Cup and won the Victoria Derby in 2022. Photo / NZME
Stephanie and David Hole built their dream farmhouse on an elevated lifestyle block in Hawkesbury, near Blenheim in 2018. Photo / Supplied
A plate rail displaying Stephanie’s large collection of plates is a special feature in the home they replicated from an old 1860s homestead. Photo / Supplied
The thoroughbreds are on an agistment farm in Cambridge, but she often has four horses and cattle grazing on her 10.12ha Hawkesbury property, which is now on the market for sale.
Hole and her husband, David, purchased the block in 1997 after moving from a station in South Canterbury.
They subdivided the property and subsequently built their dream farmhouse on one of the sections. “We’ve got an amazing spot up on the side of the hill,” Hole said.
“We can see out to Cloudy Bay, and as long as the cloud is not down, we can see Wellington.”
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The Holes were both particular about what they wanted and spent a lot of money on getting it right. “My husband is very passionate about making everything perfect when he builds,” she said. “I wanted the nice inside things, and he wanted the things that make the building strong, so we both did what we wanted to.”
The modern, four-bedroom, two-bathroom farmhouse is made from timber and has a large wrap-around veranda to make the most of the view. The large five-bay shed nearby provides storage for their farm equipment and contains a self-contained studio for guests.
Hole said she loved her spacious kitchen with its Falcon induction cooker and granite worktop and the roomy bathroom, which boasts a walk-in shower and a claw-foot bath.
The tiled ensuite bathroom is unusually large and has a claw-foot bath, walk-in shower, toilet and bidet. Photo / Supplied
However, her husband’s eyesight was failing, and they needed to move to a more manageable property closer to town.
They still planned to have a lifestyle property where the animal lover could keep her horse and three house dogs – a standard poodle, Hungarian Vizsla and a miniature Dachshund – but it would be a property that required less upkeep.
Harcourts agent Rhonda Stewart said it would suit someone who liked gardening and growing their own produce, and also wanted a massive “man shed”. It would also be ideal for families with children who liked to ride horses, she said. “It's a very peaceful place to come home to. It’s beautiful.”
The property has an RV of $2.61m, but Stewart said the price expectation was below this.
- 73 Kahu Way, in Hawkesbury, Marlborough, is for sale by negotiation
