The usual large crowd made its way to Alabar Stud for last Sunday's annual Blue Ribbon Broodmare Sale. As usual, quality lots were in keen demand, and a large reduction draft from Lombo Standardbreds gave plenty of opportunity for buyers seeking to grab a bargain.

Of the 93 lots catalogued, there were 14 yearlings, 13 racing/breeding propositions (mostly 4YO mares) and 66 broodmares.
Top price for the yearlings was the $19,000 paid by Mark Vallender for Lot 11, a filly by Western Terror from Meredith Castle, a seven-win Village Jasper half-sister to 8 winners including Blake Castle 1:53.2 and champion trotting mare La Coocaracha. She looked a very alert and precocious type.

Of the racing/breeding propositions, the top money was for Lot 22, As It Is In Heaven , a Village Jasper-Gold Don't Rust 4YO mare which won 5 races and $41,075 at 2 and 3, with a best winning time of 1:58.4 . She sold for $16,000 to the bid of Ray Wilson, one of her vendors , and was one of four lots he retained for himself on the day.

Schonbrunn , the eleven time winner of $79,823 , a placegetter in the Vicbred Super Series, and in-foal to Bettor's Delight, was generally tipped to top the sale and she didn't disappoint, selling for $36,000 to Alabar Farms. By Albert Albert, she's one of 2 smart winners from her dam Gloriette ,who was herself sold, also in foal to Bettor's , for $12,500 to Ross Pike . This is the Mozambique family developed by the Newbound family, whose latest headliner is Led Suitcase, winner of the recent 2YO Fillies Breeders Crown .

Two other mares from this family that attracted interest were Lot 87 , Machane (Die Laughing-Forest Flame ) , in-foal to American Ideal , to Alabar Farms for $6,500 , and Lot 26, Manaudou (Presidential Ball-Gloriette ) , the unraced half-sister to Schonbrunn and Wheeler's Hill 6 wins, to Ken and Sue Smith from Young, for $6,000.

Other NSW buyers of the top lots were the "Three Rays ". Tom Reay from Medowie won a keen bidding duel to secure Weona Girl ( Seahawk Hanover-Weona Pearl ) in-foal to Christian Cullen, for $32,000 ; Ray Grubb from Sutton, whose $8,000 purchase Whitbys Miss Loren ( Jenna's Beach Boy-Zerina Whitby 1:55.6 ) is from the same celebrated W.A. family of Ima Spicey Lombo , the Qld Oaks winner he'd bred previously; and Ray Connolly from Blayney, who outlaid $7,000 for Golden Lombo , a Chandon daughter of top producer Golden Maiden, who is herself a half-sister to Lombo Pocket Watch.

Ray Connolly has quietly gone about his business of building up a nice boutique collection of broodmares in recent times, and always intended to be at Alabar for this sale . Ray Grubb was lamenting the day before that he wouldn't be a starter this year, but a late-night phone call from son Neil, and a very early start to a long drive, changed all that. You can't keep a good man away from the sales!

Adding to the interest and enjoyment last Sunday was the traditional stallion parade, book-ended by the star turns Art Major and Grinfromeartoear , and showcasing the newcomers Artesian, Ponder, Sutter Hanover and Tiz A Masterpiece. All were presented in outstanding fashion, with John Coffey's informative and interesting commentary.

This year for the first time, APG conducted a Yearling Sales Preparation Seminar, at which noted professionals Annie Dalton and Blanche Poole shared their expertise with about 30 keen breeders. A worthwhile initiative, everyone agreed.

Lot NumberSex Name Sale Price Surname Firstname
1 Colt Panoramic Way - Ponder $ 5,500.00 Bywaters Carole
2 Colt Sierra Kosmos - Springhasprung $ 1,250.00 O'Donohoe Steve
3 Colt Armbro Operative- Village Dreamer $ 4,500.00 Lewis Caleb
4 Filly Village Jasper - Armbro Amore $ 4,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
5 Colt Western Terror - Awesome Powers $ 7,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
6 Colt Western Terror - Charmed Life $ 6,500.00 Lewis Caleb
7 Filly J R Mint - Cruiser Cougar $ 4,000.00 Syliva Brian
8 Colt Armbro Operative - Golden Show $ - PASSED IN
9 Filly Our Sir Vancelot -Half A Glance $ 5,000.00 Vallender Mark
10 Colt Grinfromeartoear - Helens Luck $ 6,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
11 Filly Western Terror - Meredith Castle $ 19,000.00 Vallender Mark
12 Filly Life Sign - Midnight Kazooie $ 1,500.00 Stewart Mark
13 Filly Northern Luck - Miss Know It All $ 2,000.00 O'Kane B
14 Filly Life Sign -Mojave $ 6,500.00 Mobilio Mark
15 Mare Rebecca Don $ - PASSED IN
16 Filly Riverside Oaks $ 8,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
17 Mare Special Needs $ 2,000.00 Wilson Ray
18 Filly Temptress Whitby $ - WITHDRAWN
19 Mare The Guerin Girl $ 3,000.00 O'Kane B
20 Mare Rustler Hanover / Kiss Me Monty $ - PASSED IN
21 Mare Whitbys Miss Loren $ 8,000.00 Grubb Ray
22 Mare As It Is In Heaven $ 16,000.00 Wilson Ray
23 Mare Daddy Pay $ 4,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
24 Filly Kateeshar $ 12,000.00 Clark Kevin
25 Mare La Litote $ - PASSED IN
26 Mare Manaudou $ 6,000.00 Smith Ken & Sue
27 Filly Melody Stride $ 2,500.00 Davis Jennifer
28 Mare Planetary $ - PASSED IN
29 Mare Polka Dot Lombo $ 2,000.00 Pangrazio Lee-Ann
30 Mare Regal Shield $ - PASSED IN
31 Mare Rosetta Lombo $ 3,500.00 Bowland Philip
32 Mare Schonbrunn $ 36,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
33 Mare Sheza Battle $ - PASSED IN
34 Mare Shuffleupandeal $ 2,000.00 Wilkes Neil
35 Mare Simply Lombo $ 3,500.00 Vallender Mark
36 Mare Stoneridge Connie $ - PASSED IN
37 Mare Storm Pocket $ 3,000.00 O'Bree Joanne
38 Mare Telern Tilly $ 1,500.00 Campbell Paul
39 Mare True Fantasy $ 1,500.00 Lewis Peter
40 Mare Weona Girl $ 32,000.00 Reay Tom
41 Mare Why Not Lombo $ 3,500.00 Baker Sherree
42 Mare Wings Of Gold $ - PASSED IN
43 Mare Yeronga Twinkle $ - PASSED IN
44 Mare Yuilliner $ 3,000.00 Toulmin Garry
45 Mare Zenola Babe $ 2,000.00 Mahar Sonia
46 Mare Angelica Rose $ - PASSED IN
47 Mare Annbolyn $ 3,750.00 Menegon L.J. & G.F.
48 Mare Arusafe $ 5,500.00 Campbell Bryce
49 Mare Aussat Gold $ 1,250.00 Wilson Kate
50 Mare Bali Hei $ - PASSED IN
51 Mare Beach Madam $ - WITHDRAWN
52 Mare Belle Noelle $ 1,500.00 Symons G.
53 Mare Big Bad Babe $ - WITHDRAWN
54 Mare Birthright $ - PASSED IN
55 Mare Chance For Glory $ 2,500.00 Stevens Alison
56 Mare Chrissy Cullen $ 9,000.00 Vallender Mark
57 Mare Classic Stride $ - WITHDRAWN
58 mare Classique Rainbow $ 4,500.00 Pellegrino Steve
59 Mare Coriacea $ 20,000.00 Wilson Ray
60 Mare Crystal Wrist $ - PASSED IN
61 Mare Cuddle Me Lombo $ - PASSED IN
62 Mare Donna Lombo $ 3,500.00 Alabar Bloodstock
63 Mare Dream A Rainbow $ 19,000.00 Wilson Ray
64 Mare Duchess Sheffield $ - WITHDRAWN
65 Mare Easy Bromac $ - PASSED IN
66 Mare Estelle Bromac $ - PASSED IN
67 Mare Fearless Hanover $ 5,000.00 Alabar Bloodstock
68 Mare Forever A Lombo $ - PASSED IN
69 Mare Gloriette $ 12,500.00 Pike Ross
70 Mare Golden Lombo $ 7,000.00 Connolly Ray
70A Mare Grace Anatomy $ 5,500.00 Alabar Bloodstock
71 Mare Grand Khan $ - PASSED IN
72 Mare Gypsy Rose Lombo $ 9,500.00 O'Bree Joanne
73 Mare Hardly ever Holm $ - PASSED IN
74 Mare Iliketofakeit $ - PASSED IN
75 Mare Illawong Larissa $ 2,000.00 Griffey Lindsay
76 Mare Imari Lombo $ 1,000.00 Robinson Barry
77 Mare Justa Player Lombo $ 1,750.00 Mackrell Neville
78 Mare Justinfun $ 3,500.00 Wilkes Neil
79 Mare Karaoke Lombo $ 7,000.00 Lindsay Trevor
80 Mare Kari Rose Lombo $ 2,250.00 Pellegrino Steve
81 Mare Last Sharon $ 2,250.00 O'Bree Joanne
82 Mare Lavender Lombo $ 1,250.00 Heath Graham
83 Mare Lombo San jan $ 2,000.00 Stewart Mark
84 Mare Lombo Whirlpool $ 2,000.00 Pellegrino Tony
85 Mare Love Of My Life $ 10,500.00 Alabar Bloodstock
86 Mare Lunar Landing $ - WITHDRAWN
87 Mare Machane $ 6,500.00 Alabar Bloodstock
88 Mare Maori Mystery $ 3,500.00 Wyndown Stud
89 Mare Millani Maid $ - PASSED IN
90 Mare Miss Dizzy $ - WITHDRAWN
91 Mare Miss Know It All $ - PASSED IN
92 Mare Misty Meryl $ 2,500.00 Donaldson AS & PJ
93 Mare Mountain Peak $ 2,250.00 de Zoete John