Top cutting genetics on offer in NCHA futurity sale

The sale, one of the highlights of a jam-packed 13 days of competition, includes more than 100 top quality lots, with 76 yearlings and weanlings, eight broodmares, 11 money earners or aged event entrants, and eight 2018 futurity prospects. 

Among the prominent sires with multiple progeny in the sale are Acres Destiny, Cat N A Hat, Hard Hat Henry, High Brow CD, Hydrive Cat, Ima Smooth Blue Cat, Metallic Cat, Smooth As A Cat and TR Dual Rey.

Vendors are hoping to repeat last year’s sale success, when yearling colt Quicksilver Cat, by US sire Metallic Cat from This Girl Has Time, set a new sale record of $90,000.

The 20-month-old was sold by Mark and Joanne Smith, Emerald, Queensland, and bought by Comet Downs Cattle Trust, Comet, near Emerald.

In the 2016 sale breakdown, 78 of 86 horses offered sold for a clearance of 90 per cent and average of $12,333.

NCHA general manager Craig Young said the sale continued to reach new highs each year.

“The catalogue this year represents an outstanding line-up of futurity prospects with the best genetics from Australia as well as US sires,” Mr Young said.

“The yearlings from this sale are of the highest standard, and as good as what you’ll find in any cutting sale across the world.”

An extra drawcard for the sale are the incentives.

The $30,000 non pro futurity incentive is for yearlings sold through the auction and entered in the 2019 non pro futurity, with winners and placegetters to receive $30,000, as well as a vendor bonus of $5000 to the vendor of the winning sale incentive horse.

The $75,000 open futurity yearling incentive is for yearlings sold through the sale and entered in the 2019 open futurity, with $75,000 bonus paid to the winner of the premier cutting event, on top of the $75,000 event prizemoney, for an eligible horse which is entered in the futurity at the time of sale.

“The incentives are a big bonus for the sale, and no other sale in Australia offers the same incentives,” Mr Young said.

The sale is on June 3 at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, Tamworth, with ridden pre-works held from 8am and the sale to start at 9am.

ONE of the biggest events to hit Tamworth each year is on again, and organisers are expecting top competition at this year’s NCHA Futurity.

More than 500 riders from Australia and the US will compete for more than $750,000 in prizemoney and trophies throughout the 12-day event, with the open futurity final to be held on June 11.

Finals for the open non pro gold cup, amateur non pro futurity, limited non pro futurity, and open classic challenge will be held on June 9.

Finals for the amateur non pro derby, non pro futurity, open derby, amateur non pro classic challenge and open gold cup are on June 10.

The event wraps up with the finals for the junior youth, senior youth, non pro derby, non pro classic challenge, and open futurity.

A highlight of the competition is the Australia versus US non pro challenge, with the Australian team including our top eight non pro riders – Jade Mackay, David Doolan, Scott Dunbiar, Ella-Rae Wilson Rose, Geoff Saxby, Diane Brombal, Ashley Batchelor and Trudy Holden.

Tickets to the futurity, including the rodeo on June 3, are available at www.destinationtamworth.com.au