MONEY flowed like rivers of gold through Tamworth over the weekend with campdrafters from virtually every corner of Australia competing for the sport’s most promising talent.
The Landmark Classic Campdraft Sale cleared 355 horses for and average of $9939 and a gross of $3.5 million.
The bidding topped at $54,000 for a Warrenbri Omega-sired mare, Soda Optimist, bred by Lindsay Knight, “Sunshine”, Gunnedah.
The four-year-old mare went to Evan and Kim Acton, Milungera Station, Julia Creek, Qld, and is eligible to compete in the 2011 Classic which has a prize pool approaching $100,000.
But some of the loudest applause was made for John Brekelmas, Gracemere, Qld, with the sale of his eight-year-old gelding, One Duck An Acre.
Springsure property owner John Roberts, “Kareela”, placed the winning bid by phone for the horse that earned $15,000 last year in cutting circles.
Mr Roberts makes a living in mostly trading cattle, while breeding a few horses on the 10,000ha property, and likes to compete in cutting and drafting of a weekend.
“He’s a pretty handy pony and you don’t see a lot of horses like him sold, with that much ability,” he said, of the 14.3 hand son of Acres Destiny.
“I’ll have a bit of a go on him myself, as a bit of a challenge.”
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