Dalby Stock Horse Auction sets 50-year record with $130k mare and $70k gelding

Warregold Rainmaker (lot 243) stood out as the top-priced stallion, a three-year-old sired by Pechey Stud Tradition. Vendor SJ & UM Keating from Chinchilla saw the stallion sell for $20,000, with the final hammer falling to Garth Christiansen from Taroom, Queensland, who secured the lot through the AuctionsPlus online platform. Notably, this continues the Keating family's success, having also presented the top-priced stallion in the previous year's 2023 sale.

“It was an incredible event for the Darling Downs Branch and Ray White team," Rick Young, president of the Darling Downs Australian Stock Horse Society said.

"We were amazed by the turnout—so many people came from far and wide, reminiscing about the past 50 years. The atmosphere was amazing, especially hearing all of the stories about horses, people, and prices from over the decades was fantastic. The crowd was like nothing we’ve seen in years, and even the local pubs said they hadn’t seen anything like it for a long time.

"The feedback from vendors and buyers was overwhelmingly positive, with record-setting results across the board—from the number of vendors and horses to the number of attendees and trade sites. It was a roaring success. Ray White did a brilliant job managing the sale, and we couldn’t be more pleased with how smoothly everything ran. The whole weekend was a true testament to the passion people have for the Australian Stock Horse, and we’re excited to build on this for the future.”

Principal of Ray White Livestock Dalby David Felsch said everyone worked so hard to make this event a success.

"It's been a massive effort, not just from us but also from the branch. These shows take months of preparation, and it’s really rewarding when everyone’s on the same page, working towards a great outcome. The team in the office, the auctioneers, the bid spotters and the whole team—everyone put in a huge effort across the four days, and it’s humbling to see the support we received," he said.

"This year, we had Paul Campbell from Campbell’s Comments conducting interviews for the first time, and our social media presence, led by Laura Tacey, received so many compliments. It’s a massive credit to all the photographers and media people who helped us showcase the event professionally.

"I’d also like to extend a special thanks to Arubial Wagyu for their unbelievable 650 Wagyu heifers. This is the second year they’ve been with us, and their cattle received glowing feedback from the riders. They’ve been strong supporters of the sale, and it's fantastic to have people like Laird, Sonia, Mandy, and Ryan backing us. Lead has been coming here for over 40 years, and it’s an honour to have their continued
support. Their cattle elevate the sale, giving vendors the chance to really show off their horses, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have them involved.”

Official Results:
● Total horses offered: 279
● Total horses sold: 258
● Sale gross: $5,976,000
● Sale average: $23,162
● Clearance rate: 92 per cent
● Stallions: Four offered, three sold, averaging $18,333
● Mares: 113 offered, 106 sold, averaging $27,495
● Geldings: 162 offered, 149 sold, averaging $20,177

AuctionsPlus Results:
● Online average price: $18,194
● Highest online sale: $67,000 (Lot 278)
● Online bidder participation:
- 96 active bidders
- 32 successful bidders
- 31 lots sold online