Willinga Heavenly Con was the equal top priced sale at $75,000.

Stars of the future snapped up at Willinga Park

Words & photos by Roger Fitzhardinge

What an amazing success story for the Willinga Park 2023 Major Reduction Sale. As always, with anything associated with Willinga Park and Terry and Ginette Snow, the sale in its entirety was outstanding in excellence.

56 Willinga-bred horses were offered for sale and every one of them were sold, accruing a total of $1.56 million. The attention to conditioning these horses was nothing but spectacular. Fitness with great muscle, and coats you could see your face in. Groomed and polished to perfection and every one of them could have set foot on hallowed ground at Sydney Royal and turned heads.

Terry Snow.

The handling and training of these horses showed a kind and confident attitude. This doesn’t happen by luck. Terry’s eye for detail sees him only breed with the best mares. The staff are all experts at their own areas and the team all comes together playing their own part, so horses of such quality are produced. The work and knowledge that goes into the genetic building of these stock horses is amazing. From the choosing of the stallions to the veterinary care and the insight into the mares’ attitudes and rideability. There strong and not so strong attributes are all considered and as a consequence the progeny that were offered for sale were an outstandingly strong and even crop of the best quality possible. This was not by accident.

The ridden horses, three and four years old, were wonderful. Their way of going and working with cattle as well showed supreme confidence and natural genetic instincts. They had great conformation and were all very sound and keen yet relaxed to work. It was quite an eye opener to see such a great group of beautifully bred and competitive horses for the future. Of course, with prize money, media coverage and interest in Australian campdrafting, there is a goal with these horses, and that’s why they are so well bred and started! That’s to win, especially at the drafts.

Willingapark Impressive Sassy sold for $75,000.

The first 31 horses through were the ridden stock horses. The equal top price of $75,000 went to the beautifully bred and going four-year-old black mare, WillingaPark Impressive Sassy, by the Acres Destiny stallion Binnia Impressive Destiny. Sassy’s mother is Lyra Park Delta, a Warwick Gold Cup winner. The mare was soft and easy going with a good ability to sit and spin. She worked with a beast and took it all in her stride. She was kind, sharp and attentive, and above all exuded presence and confidence. She was purchased by Nutrien Scone.

There were then eight yearling colts and 10 yearling fillies offered and all sold well. There was much interest in the two fillies Willinga Heavenly Con and Willinga Queenbee Con; Heavenly Con sold to Salerno Pastoral for the equal top price of $75,000. She was a beautiful bay and by the famous Hazelwood Conman from the mare Hells A Comin, herself a seriously successful campdraft mare. She was the winner and the ABCRA Novice Horse of the Year in 2019, as well as multiple open and ladies drafts, including the Open Draft at the Nutrien Classic Campdraft and the Masters in 2018.

Willinga Heavenly Con’s sire, Hazelwood Conman, was an absolute legend in the stockhorse world and has now been retired from stud duties. He was a prolific winner and a very sort after sire, with bloodlines of great sires in Rivoli Ray and Bobbie Bruce. There was also straight thoroughbred blood and that’s speed and sharpness. Conman’s sire, Dogwood Comet, was outstanding and started drafting at four years old, but his career was cut short after an accident saw him loose an eye and he was retired. However, after seven years he was again tried and went on to win a progressive draft in the Northern Territory! As for Conman, he was campaigned by Christine Hall and she said this about the outstanding stallion: “When you come off the camp it’s like being on cruise control. When he does it, he does it by himself.”

There were 180 registers bidders and it was online bidding as well.

The Filly Willinga Queenbee Con made $70,000 and was sold to Michael and Vicki Hiscock. This black brown filly also by Hazelwood Conman and is out of an Acres Destiny (imp) mare, Allstars Famous Acres. This mare won Supreme Champion Led Mare at Sydney Royal and won at the state and national stockhorse championships. She was Champion Novice Mare and a Warwick Gold Cup Finalist. These two Conman fillies (both born on 3 February, 2022… a great day!) were pretty as a picture and full of confidence and looks as well as great accepting attitudes, and didn’t they look in the peak of health.

There were six broodmares in foal and with foals at foot sold, and the top price went to the 10-year-old black mare Rosebrook Rihanna, by Binnia Impressive Destiny by Acres Destiny, and out of Kirkbys Stud Refine. She had a Binnia Convoy foal at foot and positive test in foal to Bigg Redd. She was purchased by Salerno Pastoral and what a great package.

Rosebrook Rihanna and Convoy foal sold for $56,000

Broodmare Rosebrook Rihanna and her Convoy foal sold for $56,000.

To cap off the sale there were two Bison sold at $4,550 each and three interesting, good looking and wonderful Bateng cattle that fetched $1500.

What an amazing sale and opportunity to have the chance to access wonderfully bred, trained and conditioned stockhorses. What an achievement indeed for Terry Snow, and a very proud breeder of quality that now will go on with so many enthusiastic new owners.