Volksraad (horse)

Volksraad (5 February 1988 – 28 December 2011) was a British-bred thoroughbred horse who when standing at stud in New Zealand was a champion sire. He dominated the New Zealand sires lists, with six consecutive titles from 2001 to 2007.

Racing and breeding career
Volksraad was bred by the Darley Stud and his name is allied with an old Afrikaans parliamentary assembly. He was trained by Henry Cecil and won as a two-year-old at Newmarket. He had two starts as a three-year-old, winning at Royal Ascot and then finished third in the Group Two Newmarket Challenge Stakes. A training accident led to his premature retirement.

He was purchased for 21,000 guineas at auction from the 1992 December sales in England by Nelson Schick and Steve Till, Pat Connell and the Davison family and moved to New Zealand. He began his stud career at Mapperley Stud, near Matamata, standing for a $2500 service fee, before transferring to Windsor Park Stud. His service fee peaked at $27,500.

Volksraad was euthanased after fracturing a shoulder in a paddock accident on 28 December 2011. He was 23 years old.

Notable progeny
His progeny includes:
 * Bahnhof Zoo, winner of 8 races in New Zealand
 * Clifton King, winner of the South African Guineas (G1) and Gosforth Park Centenary November Handicap (G1)
 * Clifton Prince, winner of 11 races in New Zealand including the Wellesley Stakes and the 2005 & 2006 Stewards Stakes Handicap (G3 1200m Riccarton)
 * Dantelah, winner of the 1999 Oakleigh Plate
 * Dezigna, winner of 11 races in New Zealand including the 2007 rich Hill Mile (G2 1600m, Ellerslie) and 2008 Captain Cook Stakes
 * Distill, winner of the 2011 Levin Classic
 * Fiscal Madness
 * Katana
 * Military Move, the 2010 New Zealand Derby winner
 * One Under
 * Orange County
 * Sir Slick, six-time Group 1 winner
 * Star Satire
 * Thriller
 * Torlesse, winner of the 2003 New Zealand Cup
 * Tusker, winner of the 2005 Championship Stakes and 2006 Awapuni Gold Cup
 * Veloce Bella
 * Velocitea
 * Vinaka, winner of the Telegraph Handicap (G1 1200m) as a 3-year old, 2001 Hawke's Bay Guineas. Also first past the post before being relegated in the 2001 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.
 * Volkaire
 * Willy Smith, winner of the 2007 Wellington Cup
 * Zola, winner of the 1998 Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes

He is broodmare sire of:
 * Beauty Flash, winner of the 2010 Hong Kong Mile and 2011 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup
 * Kawi, winner of the 2015 Makfi Challenge Stakes and Zabeel Classic, 2016 Thorndon Mile, Makfi Challenge Stakes and Windsor Park Plate and the 2017 Captain Cook Stakes
 * Lights Of Heaven winner of the 2011 Schweppes Oaks and 2012 Brisbane Cup