2014 Landmark Equine Classic Sale & Campdraft
550 Catalogued Performance Horses
There are a few big events on the calendar that are highlights for – Warwick Gold Cup, Paradise Lagoons, NCHA Futurity, polocrosse nationals, ASH Finals…but none of these events bring together people and horses from all different disciplines like the Landmark Classic does.
With 550 horses catalogued, the sale offered something for everyone, with the 2015 prize pool Classic Campdraft incentive standing at $80,000 plus in the back on most buyers mind.
Given the tough season across most of Australia, there was plenty of speculation as to how the averages would hold up this year.
But the strength of the Classic Sale prevailed once again, with 414 selling for an average of $11,228.92 – only a touch back on last year’s average.
Top priced mare was Bulla Tambourine, offered for sale by Mark Ruff of Bulla Lyn Stud, Diggers Rest Victoria and prepared for sale by Peter O’Neil. Bulla Tambourine was by Hazelwood Conman out of Bulla Flirt, who is by Edenhope Sam and a daughter to Mark’s great mare Bulla Flurry. The mare was magnificently presented and went through the ring with such style. Peter Aposto bought the stunning black mare for $66,000.
The long trip down from the Northern Territory was all made worthwhile for Kyeema Quicksilver, who sold for $27,000 topping the gelding price at the sale. Offered for sale by Gary Faluks and presented by Tom Curtain, the well performed open gelding by Warrenbri Omega, was purchased by CM Pastoral Company.
Top priced colt was Lot 477, offered for sale by Raelene Higgins of Authentic Quarter Horses. The colt, Highway to Hell, is by Dual Rey and out of Raelene’s Hall of Fame inducted cutting mare One Hellaofa Spin. Highway to Hell sold for $70,000 to All Star Syndicate.
Landmark Classic Campdraft Arena
The program for the Landmark Classic Campdraft expanded further this year and the nominated numbers increased too. The huge prizemoney incentives keep vendors, buyers and competitors coming back for more.
After three rounds though, it was popular Bendemeer competitor Pat Smyth riding Bar None Confession who won the event! Pat and wife Bernadine, purchased Bar None Confession from Jane and Cameron Lee of Injune at the 2013 Classic sale for $12,000. The gelding is by Hazelwood Conman and out for Jane’s Acres Destiny mare Lightview Faith.
The Peel Valley Machinery Masters Campdraft was again a feature event for all horses purchased from 2013 Classic Sales aged over 5 years. Riding for $20,000 plus ribbons and trophies, the event was judged by Mr Terry Hall.
Ultimately it came down to a runoff between Jabel Shekera Spin and Troy Palmer and McDonalds Millie ridden by Kendall Nelilson. Troy and Shekera Spin prevailed as winners in the runoff, scoring 86 points. The palomino mare by Seligman Spin was purchased by Malcolm and Jane Kennedy and has enjoyed a hugely successful year competing, topped off by the big win in the Masters.
The Martins Stock Haulage Open Campdraft boasts $30,000 in prizemoney plus trophies and ribbons. The eligibility criteria is to compete, you must have been a buyer or seller at the previous sale. This means that more often than not we see some of the biggest horses in campdrafting competing for what is fast becoming another of the highly sought after opens to win.
This year long time horse breeder and competitor Cody Law piloted his resident stallion Kneipps Conray, by Hazelwood Conman, to win the event over three rounds. Cody and wife Natalie of Yarrawa Park, had endured an otherwise rough week with their son breaking his leg badly on his first day at school and spending the week in hospital!
Nat missed the finals but enjoyed the benefits of today’s technology and watched Cody and Conray win the event on the webcast from Riley’s hospital bedside! Hugh Mile sand Millionic Chic was second.
The Quipolly Equine Centre Stallion Shootout always draws a great card and is a fabulous opportunity to showcase the sires of many of the horses selling through the weekend. This year it was Alan Young and Acres Liberty Beau who took home the event over 3 rounds. Hugh Miles and Millionic Chic took second place honours capping off a huge week for his team.
Humducker made a splash in The Land Australian Performance Horse Challenge, tearing up the arena with huge stops, winning the event with Danny Fitzgerald on board. The combination lead into the final and put together another superb dry work and reigning cow pattern to win by a huge 13points.
This year saw the introduction of the Charlie Maher Memorial Young Guns Campdraft – an incentive to honour the late Charlie Maher who was a huge supporter of the youth in our industry. This two round event was open to competitors who were 15 and under 25 years of age. They must compete on a horse that was entered in any of the other events at the Classic Campdraft. The event was worth $10,000 in prizemoney and trophies, making it hotly contested by the campdrafters of tomorrow.
To the enjoyment of spectators and supporters of the incentive, the young guns were some of the hottest drafting displayed all week! 12 scores of 89 and up went into the final, indicating just how talented these competitors were.
Hugh Miles, who enjoyed a successful week in both the sale and campdraft arena, rode into first place on his trusted stallion Conductor. Conductor and Hugh ran two 92’s to take the event out in front of Laura Macintosh on Amac Ashes with a 180.
Jabell Shekera Spin – A Fairytale Ending
In 2013, Malcolm and Jane Kennedy of Scone came to the Landmark Classic sale with the intention to purchase a mare to have some fun with, compete in the incentive campdraft and breed some foals. Jane and Malcolm had previous purchased Ashkat Unknown Request from the 2012 Classic sale and wanted to keep putting together a few top quality mares.
The 2007 drop palomino mare, Jabelle Shekera Spin, caught their eye – and she fitted the bill in every way. By Seligman Spin out of Haino Shania (by Accidental Doc), Shekerea was offered for sale by Jamie Everingham. She pre worked in complete style and when it came time for the sale, they knew they had to take her home. Shekera was purchased for $40,000 and it was the start of a huge year.
After the sale Shekera went straight on to the snaffle bit where she placed second. From there it was off to the campdraft arena where it didn’t take long and she was in the winner’s circle. Troy Palmer rode Shekera at Paradise Lagoons, only 5 months after she was purchased and enjoyed incredible success. Shekera was second in the Acton Open, second in the Snaffle Bit, 11th Supergirl and a finalist in the ladies. Jabell Shekera Spin is now an open mare and has won over $20,000.
Entering into the Masters campdraft, spectators knew that Shekera would be one to watch – and competitors knew she was one to beat! Troy and Shekera ran an 86 in round one which had them heading into the final on the bottom score. Troy knew they had to pull a big one out to take this mare to the winner’s podium, so that’s just what they did! Running an 89 in the final, Troy and Shekera found themselves in equal top position with Kendall Neilson and McDonalds Millie, forcing a runoff.
Watching the final, you could tell as Troy headed back into the yard that ‘the little mare that could’ would indeed keep trying – and she did. They put together an 86 point round in the runoff to win the event in front of Kendall, who scored a 21. The cheers and cooee’s from Jane and Mal and all of Shekera’s supporters could be heard all over the showgrounds – a testament to the respect that she has earned in the past 12months.
The elation and enjoyment that this mare has bought them in the past 12months is beautiful, and the heart and ability of the mare is commendable. Shekera is now enjoying a well-earned spell. Jane and Malcolm have flushed two embryos from her and are very excited to meet her babies in the spring. She will go back on the truck for some more drafts and snaffle bits’s and no doubt bring continued enjoyment to the Kennedy’s, especially as Jane will compete her more.
Having enjoyed such a great experience with their last two purchases from Landmark Classic, Jane and Malcolm made another purchase at this year’s sale. A 2year old gelding by Impressive Destiny from Playboy Belle offered for sale by Jack Morris. They will show the gelding a little before preparing him for the Classic Campdraft – who knows, they may have another champion in their midst!
Humducker – He’s a Humdinger!!
Each year at Landmark there are a few horses that impress the crowd and cause lots of talk down the alleyway’s about who might win or how much they will make. At this year’s event, Humducker, owned by Dave and Kandee Thorn of Wallenbeen NSW, had everyone talking! Humducker was at Landmark to compete in the Classic Challenge, Performance Horse Challenge and be offered up for sale.
Humducker is by Acres Destiny and out of Oaks Special Duckling. He was originally offered as a 2 year old in the 2011 and David and Kandee had done some research on the colt prior to the sale and were even more impressed when they saw him there. So, with a high opinion of him themselves, plus recommendations from Humducker’s then trainer Troy Randell and great friend and horseman Danny Fitzgerald, they purchased the horse for $22,000.
They took Humducker home and he went back into training with Troy. Together they competed at the 2012 Tamworth NCHA Futurity and Elmore Futurity. At the completion of his futurity year, he enjoyed a long spell before Danny took him and worked solidly in preparation for his return to the Landmark Classic.
Humducker attended 3 campdrafts before the Classic and Dave knew the horse was good enough to come back and ruffle his competitor’s feathers, so they nominated him in both the Landmark Classic campdraft and The Land Challenge.
The week’s events started well, with Dave and Humducker running an 82 and 86 in the Classic, securing them a spot in the final and a shot at the big money!
Then Danny Fitzgerald stepped on board and he and Humducker headed into The Land Challenge and showed just how versatile this great horse was. Huge running stops, fabulous mind and cow sense saw Humducker and Danny take the event out 13 points in front of their competition.
Then it was back over to the campdraft arena with Dave back in the saddle to run in the final of the Classic. Humducker and Dave ran a 93 point round in the final to step them into second points in the Classic behind Pat Smyth and Bar None Confession.
Humducker was offered for sale at lot 63 on day of the sale. The arena was alight as everyone watched and begged to see a few more of those big stops that we had all enjoyed throughout the week. And, once again, he didn’t disappoint, putting on a great show for spectators and buyers alike! The hammer was dropped at $36,000 and sold to Susan and Greg Bartlett.
He has brought a lot of fun and enjoyment to those involved in his success. Dave said he was so proud of how Humducker just kept improving and kept rising to each task put in front of him throughout the week of Landmark. There is no doubt that the Bartlett’s will get as much enjoyment from this great horse as the Thorn’s have enjoyed. One thing is for sure – it won’t be the last we see of Humducker!
Highway to Hell – Top Price for Top Bloodlines
The 2011 chestnut colt, Highway to Hell combined two of the leading bloodlines in Australia and America to produce the top priced horse of the 2014 Landmark Sale.
He was offered for sale by Raelene Higgins of Authentic Quarter Horses, the owner of the Highway to Hell’s amazing mother, One Hellofa Spin.
One Hellofa Spin needs no introduction; she is an NCHA Hall of Fame Inductee and Australia’s Highest Money Earning Cutting Horse with earnings of $153, 202.00. His sire, Dual Rey, has been the #2 Leading Cutting Sire USA for 8 years, with progeny earnings in excess of $23 Million. Needless to say, when this combination of exceptional bloodlines was offered for sale, Highway to Hell sparked a lot of interest.
Kingaroy based horse trainer Mat Oakley said he didn’t go to the sale looking to buy the horse, however upon seeing the horse when in Tamworth, his type and obviously his impeccable breeding, he certainly got his attention.
Mat did some further research and upon seeing the horse pre work, he was even more impressed by the moves Highway to Hell was capable of for his age.
The All Star Syndicate comprises of Mat and a good friend who both have a desire to put together a few nice horses to compete with and breed in the future. From all aspects, they believed the purchase of the colt made perfect sense! Highway to Hell was put through the ring by Hugh Miles and when the hammer dropped the All Star syndicate came up trumps, with the colt being knocked down to them for the top price of $70,000.
After the sale Highway to Hell got a nice spell before continuing with his cutting training program. He is on track for the 2015 NCHA Futurity and Mat is keen to keep him in the cutting pen for his aged events. The Landmark Classic challenge and campdraft is also on the agenda down the track.
Highway to Hell certainly provides a premium opportunity to access top level bloodlines in the world right here on our doorstep. At only two years of age, he certainly has a huge future in front of him and will be one to watch in the years to come!