Wai Eyre goes big with Lazarus

The game is changing at Wai Eyre Farm—and they’re not dipping a toe in.

On the back of signaling some major changes to costs associated with breeding mares, the North Canterbury breeding establishment has taken it a step further with the announcement that Lazarus, Australasia’s richest stallion to ever stand at stud, will join their East Eyreton base for the upcoming breeding season.

It’s a serious move that signals Wai Eyre’s intent to once again become a premier player in the Southern Hemisphere stallion scene. And it’s a stallion worthy of the weight.

Lazarus. The name alone evokes dominance. He was the horse that never knew when he was beaten—winner of 37 races from 51 starts, 15 Group 1s, and a staggering $4.42 million in stakes across New Zealand, Australia and North America.

But we’re not here to relive the race replays. We’re here because Lazarus is making it matter in the breeding barn.

In North America, Lazarus has hit the ground running in the world’s toughest racing jurisdiction. With just three crops on the track, his progeny have already banked over $11 million (USD) in earnings.

Down under, Lazarus is finding his groove with a developing crop of 3- and 4-year-olds showing promise on both sides of the Tasman.

In Australia, he has just 65 foals to race, but already producing the winners of over one million in stakes with two six-figure earners in Nathan Street, a multiple Group performer and Grevis, another with considerable upside.

The early returns at home are quietly encouraging—and shaping into something serious.

Lazarus is building his legacy the right way—with winners, bank balances, and blue-sky potential.

The wheels are turning—and they’re turning fast.

For Wai Eyre Farm, this is more than just a high-profile acquisition. It’s a step toward reclaiming its position as a breeding powerhouse, building on a legacy that includes the late, great Christian Cullen, whose dominance reshaped the colonial stallion conversation.

And that legacy is something deeply personal for Darryl Brown, Principal Owner of Wai Eyre Farm.

“After my father Mike Brown, the founder of Wai Eyre Farm, passed away, we had to make a big decision about the future direction of the business,” Brown explains.

“We made a conscious decision to stay in the breeding industry and to really back it. Part of our strategy moving forward was to stand more stallions and become more involved in the sector at a commercial level.”

That long-term commitment included being involved in the purchasing of the breeding rights to Lazarus from his U.S. stakeholders—a major move that now sees the champion entirely New Zealand-owned.

“I’ve got a great team around me, and we’re all committed to running the farm in a way that gives breeders the best possible chance of success. Securing a stallion like Lazarus and bringing him under full Kiwi ownership was a vital part of that plan.”

The team at Wai Eyre is clear-eyed about the state of the game. Breeding numbers are down. Confidence needs restoring. So, they’re not just bringing in a top stallion—they’re introducing a bold new approach to service fees aimed at making breeding more accessible and attractive to New Zealanders again.

“We know the challenges our breeders are facing,” Brown said. “But we also know the potential we have with the right stallions, the right structure, and the right mindset. Lazarus fits that mould perfectly. He’s a commercial sire with proven returns—now backed by a farm that’s hungry to grow.”

Service fee details will be revealed in the coming weeks, with Wai Eyre promising a fresh concept that could shake up traditional thinking and provide genuine upside for breeders.