The Zabeel-Miss Power Bird colt, parading for John Messara among others. The colt was sold by Cambridge Stud for $1.6 million to Graeme Rogerson.
Photo by: Alex Martin
We asked several vendors who sold yearlings at the 2006 New Zealand National Yearling Sales series for their comments on the state of the market, and their own results. These comments were gathered on the second day of the Select Sale:
Philip & Catherine Brown, Ancroft Stud, Matamata
Premier Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $141,666
Top price Danasinga-Echostatic filly, $320,000
Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 2, Sold 1, Pins-Kahntinata colt, $65,000
"We're very happy with the sale – it's nice to see the battlers kick a goal occasionally!
"Interest in Singalong's sister was very good, we could see demand for well-bred, athletic fillies and we would have been happy with $250,000 for her.
"We're also happy with where all our yearlings are going."
Greg Lambert, Lambourn Stud, Manawatu
Select Sale: Offered 4, Sold 2, Passed 2, Average $30,000
Top price: $50,000 for the Cape Cross-Alfred's Jewel filly
"We had two Cape Cross fillies and expected to sell them for $50,000 to $60,000 each. We've sold one for $50,000 so we're below budget.
"There's not much depth in the buying bench, and buyers seem that much pickier this year. Several New Zealand trainers have told us they have no orders."
Bruce & Maureen Harvey, Ascot Farm, Cambridge
Premier Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 12, Sold 11, Passed 1, Average $218,000
Top price: $725,000 for the Redoute's Choice-Great Bouquet filly
"If you had a nice horse, it sold well. We're thrilled. We do need to strengthen the Premier Sale catalogue and sell our best horses in New Zealand. We need our strongest catalogue here at Karaka."
John O'Flaherty, Oughterard Farm, Matamata
Select Sale: Sold the Shinko King-Lighning Tree colt from the Bloomsbury Stud draft, $20,000
"Nice horses are selling well, but it's too up and down. We need not to offer so many horses, and have more even quality.
John, who is also a well-respected vet, adds "I'm impressed by the physical types at the sales. The standard is exceptional."
Geoff Levick, Riverdown, Kumeu
Premier Sale: offered 2, Passed 1, Sold 1, the Golan-Tycoon's Gold colt from the Lyndhurst Farm draft for $17,500
Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 2, Sold 2, Average $10,000
Top price: $12,000 for the Black Minnaloushe-Dancing Mill filly
Festival Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $22,333
Top price: $26,000 for the Danske-Rhinestone colt
"There are too many horses overall, and selections for the three sales should be done with equal emphasis on type and pedigree. The filly I passed in at the Premier Sale is a good example. She shouldn't have been there and someone should have told me to withdraw her.
"The overall quality of mares is just not good enough."
Geoff does not support calls for breeders to sell exclusively in New Zealand. "People should be able to decide where to sell. It is the right of owners to decide where to sell their horses – certain horses will be better placed in certain markets."
Rick Williams, The Oaks Stud, Cambridge
Premier Sale: Withdrew 3, Offered 23, Passed 5, Sold 18, Average $100,060
Top price: $350,000 for the Stravinsky-Final Show filly
Select Sale: Withdrew 6, Offered 27, Passed 8, Sold 19, Average $37,110
Top price: $90,000 for the Cape Cross-Stranami filly
"It's the same old story: the Premier Sale was strong for good horses. It held up extremely well.
"At the Select Sale we need more buyers with $30,000 or $40,000 to spend. Instead we seem to be getting $20,000 to $30,000 for our horses." [Eleven of The Oaks' 19 yearlings sold at the Select Sale made less than $30,000.]
Peter Didham, Wellfield Lodge, Palmerston North
Premier Sale: Offered 2, Sold 2, Average $77,500
Top price: $95,000 for the Van Nistelrooy-Iridescent filly
Select Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $90,000
Top price: $100,000 for the Easy Rocking-Lady Lynx colt
"I'm very happy to get $100,000 for the Easy Rocking colt at the Select Sale after buying him for $A11,000 at the Magic Millions Winter Weanling Sale."
Buzz Williams, Little Avondale Stud, Masterton
Premier Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 18, Passed 5, Sold 13, Average $133,920
Top price: $400,000 for the Montjeu-Nikki's Bride colt
Select Sale: Withdrew 3, Offered 7, Sold 7, Average $33,428
Top price: $85,000 for the Pentire-Yo Cazador colt
Festival Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 5, Passed 2, Sold 3, Average $18,333
Top price: $30,000 for the Towkay-Kincia filly
"The Premier Sale was a good sale for us. We passed four which we don't like to do – we'd set the reserves too high.
"Big colts have sold well at Select, fillies not so well. Buyers are finding it hard to get what they want."
Joan Egan, Hamilton, whose yearlings were sold by Trelawney Stud
Premier Sale: Offered 3, Sold 2, Passed 1, Average $112,833
Top price: $210,000 paid for the Tale of the Cat-Candy colt
Select Sale: Offered 4, Passed 1, Sold 3, Average $27,000
Top price: $41,000 paid for the Van Nistelrooy-Island Pearl colt
"If you've got what buyers want, the money is there. The Premier catalogue was a bit light – we don't have enough proven stallions.
"I'm happy enough with my results, it's been an okay sale for me. You have to be very careful to assess accurately what the market wants.
"It was very good to see the Japanese buying. We need to have as international a buying bench as possible.
"The middle market is still dropping – it has been for two years."
Jim Wallace, Ardsley Stud, Masterton
Premier Sale: Offered 5, Passed 1, Sold 4, Average $70,000
Top price: $150,000 for the Lord Ballina-Centrepiece colt
Select Sale: Withdrew 4, Offered 8, Passed 3, Sold 5, Average $22,600
Top price: $55,000 for the Lord Ballina-Movenpick colt
Festival Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 7, Passed 1, Sold 6, Average
Top price: $14,000 for the Riviera-Evensong colt
Jim commented at the Select Sale: "We're battling today. It's a tough market and buyers are picking the eyes out of it."
Peter Jenkins, Twin Pines Farm, Karaka
Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 7, Passed 2, Sold 5, Average $39,800
Top price: $75,000 for the Pins-Macarena colt
Festival Sale: Offered 2, Sold 2, Average $15,500
Top price: $26,000 for the Postponed-Cardamom filly
"We sold five for almost $200,000 at Select and are taking two home, so we're happy, We're thrilled to see Postponed average $50,000 at Select.
"I wish the Kiwi buying bench was stronger, you needed two overseas buyers on your horse to get a good price. Full marks to NZB, they did their best to get a buying bench here.
"It's still a tricky market to negotiate, you have to select your horses carefully."
- Susan Archer
Philip & Catherine Brown, Ancroft Stud, Matamata
Premier Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $141,666
Top price Danasinga-Echostatic filly, $320,000
Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 2, Sold 1, Pins-Kahntinata colt, $65,000
"We're very happy with the sale – it's nice to see the battlers kick a goal occasionally!
"Interest in Singalong's sister was very good, we could see demand for well-bred, athletic fillies and we would have been happy with $250,000 for her.
"We're also happy with where all our yearlings are going."
Greg Lambert, Lambourn Stud, Manawatu
Select Sale: Offered 4, Sold 2, Passed 2, Average $30,000
Top price: $50,000 for the Cape Cross-Alfred's Jewel filly
"We had two Cape Cross fillies and expected to sell them for $50,000 to $60,000 each. We've sold one for $50,000 so we're below budget.
"There's not much depth in the buying bench, and buyers seem that much pickier this year. Several New Zealand trainers have told us they have no orders."
Bruce & Maureen Harvey, Ascot Farm, Cambridge
Premier Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 12, Sold 11, Passed 1, Average $218,000
Top price: $725,000 for the Redoute's Choice-Great Bouquet filly
"If you had a nice horse, it sold well. We're thrilled. We do need to strengthen the Premier Sale catalogue and sell our best horses in New Zealand. We need our strongest catalogue here at Karaka."
John O'Flaherty, Oughterard Farm, Matamata
Select Sale: Sold the Shinko King-Lighning Tree colt from the Bloomsbury Stud draft, $20,000
"Nice horses are selling well, but it's too up and down. We need not to offer so many horses, and have more even quality.
John, who is also a well-respected vet, adds "I'm impressed by the physical types at the sales. The standard is exceptional."
Geoff Levick, Riverdown, Kumeu
Premier Sale: offered 2, Passed 1, Sold 1, the Golan-Tycoon's Gold colt from the Lyndhurst Farm draft for $17,500
Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 2, Sold 2, Average $10,000
Top price: $12,000 for the Black Minnaloushe-Dancing Mill filly
Festival Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $22,333
Top price: $26,000 for the Danske-Rhinestone colt
"There are too many horses overall, and selections for the three sales should be done with equal emphasis on type and pedigree. The filly I passed in at the Premier Sale is a good example. She shouldn't have been there and someone should have told me to withdraw her.
"The overall quality of mares is just not good enough."
Geoff does not support calls for breeders to sell exclusively in New Zealand. "People should be able to decide where to sell. It is the right of owners to decide where to sell their horses – certain horses will be better placed in certain markets."
Rick Williams, The Oaks Stud, Cambridge
Premier Sale: Withdrew 3, Offered 23, Passed 5, Sold 18, Average $100,060
Top price: $350,000 for the Stravinsky-Final Show filly
Select Sale: Withdrew 6, Offered 27, Passed 8, Sold 19, Average $37,110
Top price: $90,000 for the Cape Cross-Stranami filly
"It's the same old story: the Premier Sale was strong for good horses. It held up extremely well.
"At the Select Sale we need more buyers with $30,000 or $40,000 to spend. Instead we seem to be getting $20,000 to $30,000 for our horses." [Eleven of The Oaks' 19 yearlings sold at the Select Sale made less than $30,000.]
Peter Didham, Wellfield Lodge, Palmerston North
Premier Sale: Offered 2, Sold 2, Average $77,500
Top price: $95,000 for the Van Nistelrooy-Iridescent filly
Select Sale: Offered 3, Sold 3, Average $90,000
Top price: $100,000 for the Easy Rocking-Lady Lynx colt
"I'm very happy to get $100,000 for the Easy Rocking colt at the Select Sale after buying him for $A11,000 at the Magic Millions Winter Weanling Sale."
Buzz Williams, Little Avondale Stud, Masterton
Premier Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 18, Passed 5, Sold 13, Average $133,920
Top price: $400,000 for the Montjeu-Nikki's Bride colt
Select Sale: Withdrew 3, Offered 7, Sold 7, Average $33,428
Top price: $85,000 for the Pentire-Yo Cazador colt
Festival Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 5, Passed 2, Sold 3, Average $18,333
Top price: $30,000 for the Towkay-Kincia filly
"The Premier Sale was a good sale for us. We passed four which we don't like to do – we'd set the reserves too high.
"Big colts have sold well at Select, fillies not so well. Buyers are finding it hard to get what they want."
Joan Egan, Hamilton, whose yearlings were sold by Trelawney Stud
Premier Sale: Offered 3, Sold 2, Passed 1, Average $112,833
Top price: $210,000 paid for the Tale of the Cat-Candy colt
Select Sale: Offered 4, Passed 1, Sold 3, Average $27,000
Top price: $41,000 paid for the Van Nistelrooy-Island Pearl colt
"If you've got what buyers want, the money is there. The Premier catalogue was a bit light – we don't have enough proven stallions.
"I'm happy enough with my results, it's been an okay sale for me. You have to be very careful to assess accurately what the market wants.
"It was very good to see the Japanese buying. We need to have as international a buying bench as possible.
"The middle market is still dropping – it has been for two years."
Jim Wallace, Ardsley Stud, Masterton
Premier Sale: Offered 5, Passed 1, Sold 4, Average $70,000
Top price: $150,000 for the Lord Ballina-Centrepiece colt
Select Sale: Withdrew 4, Offered 8, Passed 3, Sold 5, Average $22,600
Top price: $55,000 for the Lord Ballina-Movenpick colt
Festival Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 7, Passed 1, Sold 6, Average
Top price: $14,000 for the Riviera-Evensong colt
Jim commented at the Select Sale: "We're battling today. It's a tough market and buyers are picking the eyes out of it."
Peter Jenkins, Twin Pines Farm, Karaka
Select Sale: Withdrew 1, Offered 7, Passed 2, Sold 5, Average $39,800
Top price: $75,000 for the Pins-Macarena colt
Festival Sale: Offered 2, Sold 2, Average $15,500
Top price: $26,000 for the Postponed-Cardamom filly
"We sold five for almost $200,000 at Select and are taking two home, so we're happy, We're thrilled to see Postponed average $50,000 at Select.
"I wish the Kiwi buying bench was stronger, you needed two overseas buyers on your horse to get a good price. Full marks to NZB, they did their best to get a buying bench here.
"It's still a tricky market to negotiate, you have to select your horses carefully."
- Susan Archer
