Twenty five years ago races for trotters in Queensland were as scarce as hen’s teeth until respected businessman Jim McNeil took a shine to the gait and decided to do something about it.
McNeil led a group to New Zealand where they purchased several dozen trotters which were then flown to Queensland and without the contribution of those imports there would have been, in practical terms, no population of trotters in the State.
That importation fostered the interest in the gait and other Queenslanders went to Sydney, Melbourne or New Zealand to buy a trotter.
Some idea of the progress in the development of the trotter in Queensland can be gauged by the Queensland trained Not As Promised heading to Victoria and beating the best 3yo trotters in the country in both the Victoria Trotters Derby and final of the Breeders Crown.
McNeil saw interest in trotters grow before his passing but his name lives on per medium of the Jim McNeil Memorial for trotters which has been run annually since 2011.
Were he still alive McNeil would have been delighted to see 20 trotting bred yearlings among the 70 entries for the 2024 Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale set down for February 10th and 11th.
That number represents nigh on 30% of the catalogue with yearlings by some of the country’s biggest names including Majestic Son – Australia’s Leading Sire of Trotters for the past eight seasons.
Other sires sure to create interest for purchasers of trotters are What The Hill, Pastor Stephen, Wishing Stone and Sebastian K.
Sebastian K had nine 2yo starters in 2023 for six winners of 14 races and $272,066 to finish second on the Australian 2yo Trotting Sires List.
The full list of Sunshine Stars trotting bred yearlings is as follows:
| Lot 30 | CONSIGNED BY ARBIT EACH WAY PTY LTD | Bay Filly | Sebastian K SWE | Backseatbetty NZ |
| Lot 9 | CONSIGNED BY DAREN GARRARD | Bay Filly | Six Pack USA | Somedash NZ |
| Lot 47 | CONSIGNED BY GAYLE GARRARD | Bay Filly | Wishing Stone USA | Hips |
| Lot 4 | CONSIGNED BY GAYLE GARRARD | Bay Filly | Wishing Stone USA | Ruby Pinevale |
| Lot 50 | CONSIGNED BY GRAEME HARRIS | Bay Colt | Cruzado Dela Noche USA | Inherent Royal NZ |
| Lot 8 | CONSIGNED BY GSM RACING PTY LTD | Bay/Brown Colt | What The Hill CA | Sharons Millicent NZ |
| Lot 20 | CONSIGNED BY GSM RACING PTY LTD | Bay Colt | Majestic Son CA | Ultimate Daiquiri NZ |
| Lot 28 | CONSIGNED BY LJ & ME VAGG | Bay Colt | Pastor Stephen USA | Aspiring Love NZ |
| Lot 52 | CONSIGNED BY LJ & ME VAGG | Brown/Black Colt | Up And Quick FRA | Justa Cold Trotter |
| Lot 59 | CONSIGNED BY LJ & ME VAGG | Brown/Black Filly | Pastor Stephen USA | Maidstone Miss NZ |
| Lot 46 | CONSIGNED BY SOMERSET FARMS | Grey Filly | One Over Da Moon NZ | Honour Eyre NZ |
| Lot 24 | CONSIGNED BY STEVEN DOHERTY | Bay Filly | Perfect Spirit USA | Amelia Irene |
| Lot 26 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Brown Filly | Propulsion USA | Another Success |
| Lot 55 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Filly | What The Hill CA | Kyvalley Hiphop |
| Lot 58 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Filly | What The Hill CA | Lime And Lemonade |
| Lot 67 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Colt | Propulsion USA | Mystic Hush |
| Lot 3 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Colt | Pastor Stephen USA | Rift Valley |
| Lot 11 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Filly | Propulsion USA | Star Of Jordaine NZ |
| Lot 15 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Filly | What The Hill CA | Summerline NZ |
| Lot 19 | CONSIGNED BY TROTTERS AUSTRALIA | Bay Colt | What The Hill CA | Sunny Avenue |