Sale Summary

• Overall: 161 lots sold for a gross of $1.242m to av $7714
• 77 mares av $9558, top price $40,000
• 74 geldings av $5385, top price $15,000
• 10 stallions av $10,750, top price $21,000
• Sale clearance 79pc
• Auctioneers: Peter Daniel, Geoff Maslen, Mark Duthie, Jack Burgess, Innes Fahey, and Chris Norris.
• Selling Agents Grant Daniel and Long

THE stylish six-year-old brown mare Somerset Envy lived up to her name and was the envy of all at the 37th annual Dalby Australian Stock Horse Sale last weekend where she claimed top price honours at $40,000.

The Dalby Showgrounds selling auditorium was packed to the rafters with horse enthusiasts from across the nation representing all disciplines, bidding hard and fast to secure their choice lots.

Almost 400 buyers from all parts of the country registered through the bid card system, resulting in 161 lots selling for a hefty $1.242 million to average $7714.

With almost double the horses catalogued as last year, selling agents Grant Daniel and Long cleared the massive catalogue in a 10-hour selling marathon with six auctioneers sharing the rostrum.

Other highlights over the action-packed three-day weekend included the Dalby ASH sale open campdraft,  plus the under five years Future Champions Draft and the over five years Aged champions Draft. This last event included the Donrica Stock Horse Stud gelding incentive for the highest scoring geldings over the two incentive campdrafts carrying a total  prize pool of $40,000, plus the Australian Stock Horse 40th anniversary dinner. 

According to Noel Grant of Grant Daniel and Long, the sale result was excellent.

“We are thrilled with the sale result and the quality of the offering,” he said.

“This sale has a reputation for quality and is supported by buyers from all parts of Australia, as they know they can buy the best bloodlines the Australian Stock Horse breed has to offer.”

The sale topper Somerset Envy was by Marama Montague, a son of Warrenbri Romeo from the Somerset Whitney dam who carries the bloodlines of Reality and Elliotts Creek Cadet. She was prepared for sale by Peter and Toni O’Neill of Springsure on behalf of Victorian vendors Bulla Lyn Stud, of Diggers Rest.

The successful buyer was campdrafting enthusiast Darren Rafton, Mt Marshall, Allora, who will continue to campaign the mare.

“This mare has everything, she is the whole package, Mr Rafton said.

Next at $38,000 was Cooindas Condet, an open campdraft mare by Hazelwood Conman, with the impeccable Elliotts Creek Cadet/Abbey cross of the maternal side and offered by Tony and Kate Mortimer, Cotswold, Eidsvold.

Cooindas Condet was bought by serious campdrafter, Wayne Knudson, Chinchilla.

“I just really liked the mare, and the stable she came from, and I will campaign her in some of the open drafts such as the Chinchilla Grandfather Clock,” Mr Knudson said.

The Mortimers also sold the mare Miss Morti by Marnies Two Acres for $12,500 to James Brosnan, Theodore

In turn, the Knudson family sold the 11-year-old mare Soda Abell by Warrenbri Romeo for $21,000 to Milton and Christina Jones (of TV's "Keeping up with the Jones's" fame), Coolibah, via Katherine, NT.

Also making $21,000 was the top priced stallion Ervines Gambler who carries the Warrenbri, and Kirkby’s Stud bloodlines throughout his pedigree.

This eight-year-old son of Warrenbri Omega was offered by Gary Faulks, Mt Standford Station, Katherine, NT and was presented by seasoned horseman Ron Wall, of Cecil Plains.

Ervines Gambler was bought by Mick Griffiths and Kendall Moore, Stannum ASH Stud, Glen Alpin.

Mr Griffith said it was the stallion’s conformation and his obvious ability that attracted him and he will continue to campaign him before joining with his Adios Reflect mares.

The seven-year-old mare Nomad Confess by Hazelwood Conman, offered by Sue Walker, Condamine sold for $20,000 to Luke Armitage, Sarina.

Making $18,000 was the nine-year-old mare Jade Harmony, by Cattle Ray, offered by Glenn McKay and family, Singleton, NSW, and bought by well known horsewoman, Gwen MacMillian, Jondaryan.

The Armstrong family, Comet Downs, Comet, paid $17,000 for the four-year-old mare Soda Gemina, who was sprinkled with the Warrenbri and Abdul bloodlines offered by Lindsay Knight and family, Sunshine, Gunnedah, NSW.

The Armstrong family continued buying and paid $16,000 for the grey mare The Braes Slide by Oaks Banjo out of a Warrenbri Omega mare offered by the Campbell family, The Braes, Manilla, NSW.

Selling to $15,500 was the six-year-old bay mare Bunda Comet, a daughter of Dogwood Comet offered by Reg Underwood, Bunda Station, Katherine, NT, and bought by Graeme McKenzie, Taurus, Blackwater.  

The price tag of $15,000 was achieved on five occasions:

• Justin and Lyn Hafey, Goomeri sold the classy two-year-old filly Jaylyn Downs Memory by Star Brigadoon to Bruce and Glenys McAlister, Bouldercombe
• Huon and Colleen Smith, Boonara Creek, Goomeri, sold the four-year-old mare Boonara Material Girl, to the Cox family, The Rocks, Ayr
• The McGraw family Roma sold Sheady Acres, an Acres Destiny entire, to Ray Mayne, Greenhills Tambo 
• Cooinda Stock Horses, Monto sold a six-year-old mare Cooinda Catharine to Wendy Maguire, Beeburrum
• The  Atkins Family Partnership, Singleton, NSW achieved the top price gelding at the $15,000 mark with Glenmore P'ship Destiny Is, a son of Acres Destiny, to the Banish family, Lau-Mar, Injure.

Jessica Doherty, St George, sold the four-year-old mare Solar Mona Lisa for $14,000 to Peter Doonan, Steel Supplies, Charters Towers. 

The Bonisch family also paid $13,000 for the five-year-old mare Knights Laurie, offered by the Knights family, Markem Park, Woolomin, NSW.

Corbold Oakdene Pty Ltd sold the seven-year-old black mare, Oakdene Halo, who carries the Rivoli Ray bloodlines for $12,500 to the Salt family, Salty Stockhorses, Gin Gin.

Also making the same money was the three-year-old gelding Kyeema Kosta, a son of Chevin Ivory from the open draft-winning mare McNamara Splender offered by Michael Wright, Woodlands, Bungunya and bought by Jeff Dean, Maranoa Helicopters, Injune.

Three horses hitting the $12,000 money including the six-year gelding Brigalow Tricky offered by Jim Daley and family, Goomburra, and bought by Angus Roberts, Andra, Goondiwindi; Barnetts Lauren, a four-year-old mare offered by Barnett Stock Horses, Wallabadah, NSW and selling to the Kirk family Olinda Grazing, Baralaba; and Pimpampa Hector, a two-year-old colt by Acres Destiny offered by Rowan Cox, Coolah, NSW selling to Tracey Syrime, Circle S For Horse, Virginia, NT.

The sale was opened by long-term sale supporter Evan Acton, Acton Land and Cattle Co, Millungra, Julia Creek.