Black colt 'with pedigree' fetches top money at inaugural yearling sale

A black colt reached the top price of the 2025 CQ Performance Horse Sale and Invitational Yearling Sale at the weekend.

The inaugural yearling sale on Friday, March 7, saw Cantaur Park Vintage sold by Mac and Gayle Shann, Cantaur Park, Clermont, fetch $56,000, paid by Simmons Cattle Co, Clermont.

Mac Shann said the horse was special because of its pedigree being out of mare, Hazel's Gift, and with its sire, Wyena Vivid.

"Vintage himself is an outstanding type and has a really great mind for a young horse," he said.

"It's hard to say too much about him when he was only led, but he's a really beautiful type and looks like he should be a sire in his own right hopefully."

Mr Shann said the $56,000 was about the right value for the colt.

"Going on all the horse sales we go to and everything, if he was to get trained up and gone to (ridden) sale, he would have got about $50,000 to $100,000 so it was great to get that for him as a led (horse)," he said.

"We were more than happy with it...and we thought he was worth somewhere around that."

At the ridden horse sale, the top priced horse, a bay gelding, Checotah Exspensive Duck, was bought by Disney Cattle Co, Clermont, for $40,000.

The vendors were Bill and Kit Kirkwood, Wandal.

Overall, 26 horses were offered in the yearling sale with 22 selling for a gross of $435,000, an average of $19,772 and a clearance rate of 84 per cent.

In the ridden sale section, 36 horses were offered with 29 selling for a gross of $559,000, an average of $19,272 and a clearance rate of 80 pc.

This was better money than what was achieved at the inaugural event in 2023 where the ridden horse sale showcased 34 lots, grossing sales exceeding $329,000 for a sale average of $14,954.

At the 2023 sale, the top-priced horse was a three-year-old mare, Bengaline, which fetched $40,000 for the vendors, Nathan Wilson Training Stables, Goomeri.

The combined sales this year saw 51 of 62 horses sold for a gross of $994,000, an average of $19,490, and a clearance rate of 82 per cent.

This is the second CQ Performance Horse and Invitational Yearling Sale at Paradise Lagoon, Nine Mile, after last year's event was cancelled due to floods.

This year's event started on Thursday, March 6, and ran through to Sunday, March 9, with the yearling sale being a new addition.

Ray White Rural Gracemere principal Gary Wendt said it was a very successful weekend with the rain holding off.

Mr Wendt said this year's event stepped it up a level from the inaugural event in 2023.

• Agents: Ray White Rural Gracemere and AuctionsPlus