Demand pushes prices higher at 2025 Nutrien Northern Performance Horse Sale

The 2025 Nutrien Northern Performance Horse Sale saw a notable lift in both average and top price figures during its annual event held in Charters Towers, on Sunday, June 1, alongside the Horse of the North challenge.

Across the board, results reflected growing demand for quality performance horses, with lots sold right across Queensland, as well as Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory.

Overall, 30 out of 34 lots sold for an overall clearance rate of 88 per cent and a total gross of $594,500.

The average price was $18,367, a significant jump from 2024's average of $14,027.

In the mare section, 11 out of 14 lots sold to average $25,590, with a gross of $281,500.

The equal top price of $50,000 came from that section.

Lot 30, Gleneden Carousel, an eight-year-old chestnut ridden mare from Matt Stanger Performance Horses in Mingela, was sold to Bill and Bec Hawkins, Willreb Pty Ltd, Hughenden, for $50,000.

Matt Stanger described her in the catalogue as a "very quiet talented mare that can be ridden by the whole family, has placed in maiden and novice drafts with consistent scores of 85 to 89".

Also achieving $50,000 was lot 33, Laroona Pussy Cat Doll, a nine-year-old brown ridden mare offered by Mat and Jess Hoffmann and purchased by DC and HA Stevens from Julia Creek.

Her catalogue comments read that she was "a nice mare to have around, easy to do anything with, very soft going, competitive family would have fun on".

The mare placed in maiden and novice drafts, with 23 yards and scores up to 90.

Her performance notes also confirmed she had placed in maiden and novice drafts.

"Consistent mare to have on the truck running scores up to 90 and winning cutouts," it read.

"Puss comes from a family of draft winners."

Geldings also performed strongly, with 19 of 20 lots sold to average $16,368, for a gross of $313,000.

The top priced gelding was lot 38, Laroona Bee Gee, a seven-year-old black gelding, also sold by the Hoffmanns to DC and HA Stevens from Julia Creek, for $32,000.

The catalogue described Bee Gee as "a lovely quiet gelding for the whole family."

"He has been lightly drafted, won a futurity, placed in maiden and novice drafts. Open draft winners on both sides, set ready to go drafting," it said.

Mat and Jess Hoffmann help manage Laroona Station, owned by Jess's parents, Peter and Dal Glenwright, a commercial Brahman operation between Greenvale and Charters Towers.

The Hoffmanns were pleased with the outcome of the sale.

"It was great to see how strong the sale was overall - there's clearly growing demand for quality horses, not just locally but further afield as well," Mr Hoffmann said.

"We've had a long association with the sale.

"Jess's parents, Peter and Dal Glenwright, have been involved since it began, and Jess and I have been selling here for the last eight years.

"Both of the horses we sold this year were originally purchased as two-year-olds by Peter and Dal.

"We've worked and competed them ever since in campdrafts across Queensland, right up until the sale.

"They were bought for their breeding and natural ability."

The Hoffmanns said it was rewarding to see their mare and gelding sell to repeat buyers and to a good home.

"The Stevens are repeat buyers and they've previously bought two horses from us through this same sale," Mr Hoffmann said.

"We also had strong buyer inquiry from Victoria and New South Wales for our mare."

Nutrien Ag Solutions stud stock manager for North Queensland, Dane Pearce, said this year's catalogue showcased the region's rising reputation for producing high-quality performance horses.

"This was an exceptional quality catalogue of horses put forward for 2025," Mr Pearce said.

"Our northern equine vendors are producing top quality performance horses and this is definitely reflected in the sale results this year.

"The quality keeps getting better each year, and hence the reason we see competition from such a wide area."

Mr Pearce noted that the incentive events held alongside the sale, worth more than $30,000, underscored the calibre of horses on offer.

"This sale is run alongside the long-running Horse of the North event in Charters Towers," he said.

"These two events complement each other & have yet again produced an outstanding display of Horses from North Queensland."

In 2024, 56 of 67 catalogued horses sold, averaging $14,027, with a top price of $47,500 for a colt.

Geldings then averaged $12,824, 37 sold from 39, and mares averaged $15,230, with 13 sold from 21.