Nutrien Supreme Sale hits six figures for Suen Too Duck and Smith Family Smooth Touch

Records tumbled within just minutes at the Nutrien Supreme Sale in Toowoomba on Sunday afternoon when prices soared above $100,000 twice.

Pre-sale top price predictions weren't off the mark when the five-year-old chestnut mare, Suen Too Duck, campaigned through the ring by Mark Buttsworth on behalf of The Estate of John Brekelmans sold for $120,000.

The sought after sale mare was out of the prolific Ducks Dux, the highest NCHA money earning horse in Australia, and by Boon Too Suen.

NSW was frequently relayed over the buyer announcements across the sale and the blue state will now be home to the top lot, which was bound for Jess Bloom of Kootingal, NSW.

In total, 256 of 314 sold to average $15,884 and gross $4,066,455, well up on the $12,696 average and $2,399,500 gross last year.

The previous sale high of $93,000 was paid last year for Just Charity, a five-year-old broodmare, bought by R and A Linneth, Tansey, and offered by Debbie Gesler.

The late John Brekelmans had started the $120,000 mare for the NCHA futurity and Mrs Bloom intends to continue to campaign Suen Too Duck with a professional cutting trainer.

Mrs Bloom was attracted to her in the pre-works and said while it was not the highest price she'd paid for a horse she was willing to write this cheque as they considered her the whole package.

"She is a well-bred mare and we think she is the complete package," she said.

Just seven lots earlier, the sale record price was broken when Smith Family Smooth Touch, a chestnut mare, from Bulla-Lyn stud, Diggers Rest, Victoria, opened at $25,000 and was eventually sold for $100,000 to Lindsay and Belinda Hindle and their daughter Alex of Highfields Equestrian Centre.

She appealed to Mr Lindle for her great campdrafting potential and both he and Alex plan to campaign her before she becomes a breeding prospect.

Peter and Toni O'Neill, who manage a Springsure property for the vendor Mark Ruff, had been expecting a solid price but none as high as the final figure.

"She had been cutting trained but because of COVID, she was never shown and went mustering," Ms O'Neill said.

"We took her to a couple of drafts and she won a maiden at her second start.

"She'd had a big spell and Mark decided to sell her so we got her in a couple of months ago.

"We had a lot of interest but we weren't expecting that much."

Nutrien Equine's Colby Ede said there was a tremendous amount of confidence in the performance horse industry.

"A lot of people are purpose breeding them for these sales, incentives are getting bigger and we are probably seeing a bigger depth in the pedigree," he said.

"A lot more horses are coming through with a lot more performance on the dam side, nearly three or four generations of performance results. I think that is underpinning the horse market and no doubt seasonal conditions, the great Australian cattle market and having all commodities where they are...that's been a big contributor to this success.

"People want well-bred, well-started horses and that comes down to a time factor."

In between the two six-figure prices was a $82,000 chestnut five-year-old mare, Dual Romance, offered by the Wilson Family Trust, Goondiwindi, and purchased by Tamworth stock agent Jim Lyons.

She was by Hazelwood Conman from Jazzy Little Boom, a daughter of Jewel Jazz.

In the stallion offering, Lawlors Beaudana from Mike and Lorraine Williams, Miles, sold for $60,000 after being passed in at $46,000 in the sale ring.

Cody and Natalie Law, Yarrawa Park Stockhorses, Glen Innes, NSW were the buyers of the rising six-year-old black coloured stallion that had been trained by Jamie Secombe.

Selling for $57,500 was the chestnut mare Petas Stackhat offered by the Poole family Haigslea and sold to Nutrien Equine as agents. The mare was by Hard Hat Henry out of Royelles Dual Rae.

Late in the day Fergalicious Cat, a rising five-year-old chestnut mare, from Darren Palmer, Coulson, sold for $50,000 to Adrian and Judy Lamb, Taroom.

She had a pedigree going back to Metallic Cat and had previously campaigned in cutting and futurity events before beginning her campdrafting career.

Amaroo Pretty Nus Boon offered by the Crane family, Glen Echo, sold to Western Australia buyers Standtall Performance Horses for $42,000.

In the early hours of the day the $41,000 Brigalow Gypsy Lady, offered by Lyra View Trading, Capella, was bought by near-neighbour Becky Pope, also of Capella.

She was a a rising 10-year-old bay mare by Spins Brigalow and out of Modelle.

Ms Pope said she liked the mare from the moment the Comiskey's brought her home from the Landmark Classic in Tamworth in 2015 and intends to continue campdrafting her.

Article courtesy of Australian Community Media and Queensland Country LIfe