Dalby’s equal top price at $30,000 was the grey nine-year-old stallion, Scenicrim Gunman bought by Ropeley Park ASH Stud, Gatton, Qld. Click on image for a larger view. Photo: Margaretta Travers

HORSES carrying the right combination of breeding, athleticism, cattle sense and performance attracted greatest buyer interest at the nation’s premier Australian Stock Horse sale which finished in Dalby on Sunday.

The impact of drought conditions across many buying areas was reflected in overall results, which saw a clearance of 73 percent of the 249 mares, geldings and stallions offered. In total, 182 lots drawn from across Australia sold for an average price of $7351 and an overall sale gross of almost $1.34 million.

The 40^th anniversary sale drew thousands of working horse enthusiasts from across Australia. There were 330 bid-cards registered, representing every state and territory except South Australia.

Selling Agents GDL were kept busy over the 11 hours of auction selling, which including many viewing via live internet streaming and social media.

“Good rain here at Dalby and other parts of the country generated a really positive vibe to begin the sale this year, and we were really happy to see our returning vendors and buyers as well as new visitors to this year’s sale,” said Darling Downs branch of the Australian Stock Horse Society president Jim Ryan.

In summary:

• 136 mares offered produced a 69pc clearance, with 94 sold for an average of $7782 and a top price of $30,000
• 99 geldings offered produced an 81pc clearance, with 80 sold for an average of $6035.
• 14 stallions offered produced a clearance of 57pc, with eight sold for an average of $15,438.

A mare and a stallion sold for the sale’s equal top price of $30,000. The brown five-year-old mare Peelvale Rhythm offered by Janine Miles, Tamworth topped the mare section, selling for $30,000 to John McNamara, Mac’s Contracting, Chinchilla. By the Sydney Show championship draft winner, Conductor, out of a Star Black Minstrel dam, Rhythm has already finalled in drafts. Her full sister, Peelvale Lopez, sold last year for $25,000.

Janine and Hugh Miles also sold four two-year-old geldings for between $4500 and $6000 and a two-year-old old filly by Conductor for $7000.

Other mare section highlights included:

• Bobadil Fashion, a four-year-old brown mare by Acres Destiny offered by the Kelaher family, Bobadil Park, Tamworth, and bought for $25,000 by Marcus Curr, Dagworth Station, Winton, and
• Yarrawa Reflection, an eight-year-old bay mare by the Abdul horse, Adios Reflect, offered by Yarrawa Park ASH, Swan Vale NSW, and bought for $24,000 by Ian Winks and family, Woolerina ASH Stud, Bollon, Qld.

This brown five-year-old mare, Peelvale Rhythm offered by J Miles, Tamworth topped the mare section, selling for $30,000 to Mac’s Contracting. Image: Margaretta Travers

Equal top price at $30,000 was the grey nine-year-old stallion, Scenicrim Gunman, offered by Scenic Rim Stock Horses, Tugun, Qld, and bought by the Lynneth family, Ropeley Park ASH Stud, Gatton, Qld.

The son of Better View Gunfire, traces back to Warrenbri Romeo on the dam side, and is already a winner of open ASH challenges, led, hack and working classes, and has placed in novice and open drafts.

Geldings sold to a top of $20,000 for Marnie’s Token Acres, an athletic six-year-old chestnut by the Acres Destiny horse, Marnies Two Acres, offered by Leah Read, Mundubbera, Qld, and bought by Tony Dawson, Warra, Qld.

Largest volume buyer was Heytesbury Cattle Co from Western Australia, which bought 12 lots, comprising eight geldings and four mares, for between $2500 and $5000 for an average of just under $4000.

“Generally the sale was solid throughout the 11 hours of selling,” GDL spokesman Harvey Weyman-Jones said.

“The first mare in the ring at just after 7am,  lot 5, sold for $20,000 and lot 284 the last of the day at 6.15pm, also a mare, sold for $18,500,” he said.

“The clearance rate in the first hour was only 60pc, as the auctioneers had to work really hard to try to get lots sold. But then the sellers started to adjust their expectations, reserves were lowered to meet the demand and the sale flowed better as the day went on,” he said.

The ultimate clearance rate of 73pc was within the 71-85pc rates seen in the previous four years.

“The clearance rate on the mares, however, was below recent years while the geldings remained strong. The mares that failed to sell were those that perhaps had their reserves set too high to meet the market,” Mr Weyman-Jones said.

The DDASHS committee and its members expressed their gratitude to those who dedicated their time, sponsorship, equipment and support to make the 40th sale a resounding success and looked forward to next year’s 41st sale, marking the beginning of another decade and further expansion of the Dalby Stock Horse Sale.

• Click here to access full catalogue of sale results, lot by lot.