NZB sale tops $96 million gross after finalisation of Karaka results

New Zealand’s 100th National Yearling Sale has delivered record results across its refreshed format, with combined Book 1, Book 2, and inaugural Karaka Summer Sale sessions generating more than NZ$96 million in turnover.

The aggregate at the New Zealand Bloodstock sale was up almost $10 million on 2025, despite 79 fewer horses catalogued. The combined average rose 11 per cent to $127,774, the median increased 6 per cent to $85,000, and the clearance rate hit 83 per cent.

Book 1’s second day produced the sale-topping Lot 513, a Sword of State colt out of Las Brisas, purchased for $1.1 million by Sanxiong Gao and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock from Cambridge Stud, which secured its 34th leading vendor title.

Attendance was at record levels, with Australian buyers contributing an additional $12 million in spending. International interest came from Hong Kong, China, the USA, UK, Ireland, Netherlands, and South Africa, while domestic support spanned Southland to Northland.

NZB managing director Andrew Seabrook said: “To increase our turnover by 11 per cent despite having a smaller number of horses offered is phenomenal, and an important boost for our industry.

“It was great to see the Australian spend was up significantly, particularly during Book 2 thanks to having those horses on the ground earlier for inspections. There were some great pinhook results especially through the Book 2 and the Summer Sale, which should give people confidence to enter the weanling market in just a few months’ time.”