Sonia Waddell (nee Scown) has had a life time of involvement in the thoroughbred industry. From a 3rd generation horse family, she grew up on her family’s Brookdale Stud, home of top sires Rich Gift and Balios and champion 2yo filly of the year, Rich Return.  Along with her husband Rob, they set up Riverdale Farm in 2009, a quality and reliable horse agistment facility, to look after your champions.

Sonia has been a NZ National Champion in three sports, athletics, rowing and cycling and has represented NZ at two Olympic Games. Sonia’s strong sporting background  and also as a mother to 3 growing children, has helped shape her philosophy of growing future champions. She is able to apply the same philosophy to the horses in her care, knowing what it takes to be an athlete, mentally, nutritionally and physically.

Riverdale Farm prides itself on its results. The utmost care and attention is given to every horse on the farm to ensure mares and foals experience stress free weaning, weanlings and yearlings are grown with care to produce clear xrays,  and racehorses spell so they return to work mentally refreshed and in top condition.  All our foals are handled on a daily basis (formally or informally). Because of this attention to detail, Riverdale Farm has attracted and retained clients who are some of the most successful breeders, trainers, studs and owners in the thoroughbred industry. Clients from NZ, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore all agist their horses at Riverdale Farm.

• Four post and rail fencing throughout the farm
• Top class handling facilities, including broodmare crush, yards and boxes.
• Pasture management is high priority.
• Very high attention to detail.
• Close proximity  to many of NZ’s top studs, 5 mins from the Cambridge track and many of NZ’s leading racing stables, and 5 minutes from one of NZ’s premier vet clinics – Cambridge Equine Hospital.