EVER UPWARDS

Summerhill Stud Website
(Image : Summerhill/TalkApple)

“The reach of technology is endless;
it’s really a matter of the trouble you take.”

This is generally the season of limbo, when racing shifts from the Cape’s “Sizzling Summer” to Gauteng’s Champions’ season, and you’d expect the airwaves to be on the sombre side. But the Summerhill website, having just posted a new domestic record on the Alexa ratings last month (position 765,) establishing a new international high this month on 139,943. We keep reminding ourselves where we are in this remotest of worlds, and the unlikelihood of attracting the visitors we do, especially when compared with some of the breeding behemoths of the world.

Last month, when we posted our new domestic record, we investigated the identities of those ahead of us, and the vast bulk are companies whose business is generated principally on the internet. There are not too many operations outside of that field generating our traffic, and we remain a country mile ahead of anyone in our field internationally.

Just goes to show, the reach of technology is endless; it’s really a matter of the trouble you take.

Alexa International Ranking	Stud
139,943	Summerhill Stud
1,559,185	Lane’s End Farm
1,916,677	Coolmore Stud
2,076,360	Darley Stud
3,619,209	Arrowfield Stud
5,026,468	Three Chimneys Farm

Correct as at 26 March 2012

www.summerhill.co.za

UPWARDS AND ONWARDS

Summerhill Stud Online
(Image : Raphael Straus/Summerhill)

“We achieved our highest spot this month…”

The latest Alexa ratings, which measure a website’s traffic average, were released on the 14^th February. Somehow, readers of these columns seem to be growing with the passage of every day, and we achieved our highest spot both nationally and internationally this month. That’s strange in itself, because there are no major activities going on around us, yet it’s clear we have an ever-growing legion of fans.

It follows, given the remoteness of our location, that we are flattered by these numbers, and especially by the fact that, by three times, we have the highest traffic rating of any thoroughbred breeding website in the world. When you think of the behemoths out there, all actively engaged in our business, that’s some statement. If you’re wanting to compare us with the likes of Darley and Coolmore (the biggest worldwide), Lane’s End (USA), Arrowfield (Australia), Shadai (Japan), Cheveley Park (UK) etc, go to www.alexa.com. For the Summerhill ratings search for www.summerhill.co.za.

THE PEN IS DEFINITELY MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD!

Judge Alan Magid is back to comment
(Photo : Summerhill Stud)

JUDGE ALAN MAGID

Megan RomeynWe have many regular and devoted readers of our Summerhill Blog from all the corners of the world. Each day they log in to our Blog to read our scribblings, and catch up on what is happening on the farm and with the horses. Our readers are what make our blog, and without their continued input and support, we would certainly not be one of the most visited stud farm websites in the world!

One of the most avid of these readers is none other than retired High Court Judge Alan Magid. It seems that even during his retirement, he still likes to wield his pen and keep us on our toes with his comments about our various postings. Over the years that our blog has been going, the Judge has always found the time to comment and give his opinion on our blogs.

Here are some of his comments on our blogs over the years:

THE NATIONAL RACING AWARDS (August 13 2009)
“Bravo again to the whole team! Well deserved. And nary a spelling or grammatical error for me to correct.”

ROYAL VINTAGE AND HONOUR (March 7 2008)
“Really!! Thoroughbreds & “CINEMA”. Whatever will they think of next? And entertainment duty nogal. Whoever thought of taxing a horse’s “cinema”? I don’t think it’ll catch on.After all, it’s going to cost an awful lot to collect & won’t raise much for the fiscus.”

CURLIN CANTERS AT NAD AL SHEBA (February 21 2008)
“Does he have 4 whitsocks or are some of those white legs actually bandages? He looks flashy enough to be a Magid type horse.Ask Annet & Tarryn.Unfortunately out of my range.”

KENYA : NOT SO SURE ABOUT “WHITE MISCHIEF” BUT CERTAINLY A CASE OF DEJA VU (October 10 2007)
“Do you do it on purpose to make me practise my one-finger typing? The phrase is deja vu,not whatever you’ve put in your headline. However, I’m delighted to have something else to read other than all that stuff about Mr. Muir.Surely his first name is spelt “GREG”& not “GREIG”.Congrats to whoever (or whomever,whichever is correct) is responsible for today’s blogs- great stuff. Regards,Alan.”

SCHOOL IS OUT (December 4 2007)
“What a great story!!!!!! Does the school need a new, but old, teacher. I could teach English if mick had the time to teach me isiZulu.”