A three-year-old mare has sold for a record-breaking $550,000 at the 2022 Nutrien Classic in Tamworth.
Holly Clayden, Loomberah Lodge Performance Horses, sold Bad in Black to Willinga Park, breaking the all Australasian records for a performance horse.
The stunning Stevie Rey Von mare is out of Spines Bad Girl.
Ms Clayden breeds and imports horses for the campdraft and cutting industry.
She purchased Bad in Black as a weanling from Maggie Mason from Branxton, NSW, and it was her only nomination in the Nutrien Classic this year.
"I have been wanting to get a foot in the door at the Nutrien Classic so I thought I'd bring my best one here to showcase what I have," Ms Clayden said.
"She was super easy to start and sweet natured.
"Once nominations opened, I thought, I have this special mare - this is the one to take to the Nutrien Classic.
"The result is incredible, it's surreal and hasn't really sunk in yet."
Presented in the pre-works by Isaac Westerhuis, Bad in Black immediately caught the eye of Troy Palmer and Sarah Cookson who were representing Willinga Park and Terry Snow AM.
"It was very exciting during the auction and also exciting for Willinga Park," Mr Palmer said.
"We wanted to expand our breeding mare band, and she is perfect for the job.
"Terry is also very pleased, he knows quality when he sees it and he trusted Sarah and I to get the mare.
"It's very exciting and great for the industry," said Troy Palmer.
With a new vet centre being set up at Willinga Park, the mare will head straight to the breeding barn, but the Willinga Park team indicated she will definitely be back for the 2023 Nutrien Classic.
Breeder Maggie Mason was blown away by the result.
"I'm in shock, this is 17 years of believing in the Spinifex blood, every foal she has had has been a money earner and I'm just so proud," she said.
Nutrien's Tamworth auctioneer Joel Fleming is still processing that he sold one horse for $550,000.
"It's surreal, and it was all in the ring," he said.
"It got to about $350,000 and there were still three solid bidders -i it was all about getting the best out of the arena.
"I have never sold a horse over $100,000 before so this is pretty special, it's special for Nutrien, everyone involved and the whole industry.
"Sales like this raise the bar of what a good performance horse is worth, in fact, this historic sale doubled it."
Nutrien auctioneer Scott Cooper said the heat was on from the start of the day.
"From word go it was on today," he said.
"We just knew something special was going to happen."
With another day of selling still to come, gross sales were on track to overtake the 2021 record of $13,696,500 gross, averaging $26,646.
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