Settled in a town close to Cercy-la-Tour in Nièvre, Michel Bourgneuf owns a jumping breeding farm composed of about 20 mares. He created the “Thaix” label for his AQPS, to which he adjoins thoroughbred mares, who gave him, amongst others, Spirit River, Gr.3 winner during Cheltenham festival in 2010.

Born in Paris and hanging around on the race tracks when he was young, Michel Bourgneuf did his farming studies and firstly settled in Loiret. In 1969, he took back the family lands in Nièvre, then in bad condition. He was named races commissioner at La Guerche-Nevers, he got himself in breeding later, in 1984, and got 3rd jumper breeder in France in less than 10 years, thanks to, amongst others, the classic subjects Old River and Alaska des Thaix. Following a knee problem when he was 29, he had to reconvert himself and got into insurance at Decize. Whilst he was putting back together the 350 hectares property, Michel Bourgneuf put an end to him farming activity and keeps today 54 hectares for his horses. His 1st marking mare was Nebraska, thoroughbred bought at nearly 20 year-old at the end of the 70” from Roger de Soultrait and with whom he made 3 successive “backwards” crossing with AQPS stallions. This gave him the mothers of the excellent Alaska de Thaix, Verka de Thaix, trained by Jean Dasque, to whom all the youngster went to training during a long period of time. Nebraska also gave him a grand-daughter, Malacca II, winner of the Prix de Craon at Longchamp in 1982, of which he kept all the descendants. In parallel, Michel Bourgneuf also breeds with thoroughbreds. He “dug out” in 1986 in Indre-et-Loire a certain Castnie, nasty mare but bought for her pedigree, who gave birth to the Auteuil classic Old River. He also had a filly, Guérandaise, who became grand-mother of Spirit River (Poliglote), who won a Gr.3 during the Cheltenham festival 2010. To renew his mares’ fleet, Michel Bourgneuf makes swaps and buys thoroughbred stock at Deauville. He won with one of them a listed at Enghien in 2009 thanks to Sucess River (Robin des Champs). Michel Bourgneuf had some paddock drained because they were frequently flooded. He constantly rotates his paddocks not to have over grazed land for his horses. He sells foals every year and work fillies for his own account.

Michel Bourgneuf has several institutional jobs. The Nièvre AQPS syndicate president, vice president of the AQPS national association. Vichy committee member, commissioner at Moulins and Vitteaux, president of the “Conseil Régional du Centre-Est” for France Galop, he’s part of the flat council of the “Main Society”.

Michel Bourgneuf
Jumping breeding
350 hectares
18 brood mares
Best students: Spirit River, Old River, Alaska de Thaix, Baraka de Thaix, Havre de Thaix, Verka de Thaix, Baltimore III, Darling de Thaix, Sucess River, Harmonie Trésor, Malacca II, Mousme, Robin de Sherwood, Recif.