Book 1 of the Karaka Sale will start on Sunday March 6 and run until Tuesday, March 8, with the Book 2 section to then follow from Wednesday, March 9 until Friday, March 11 inclusive.
The decision was made to give the best possible chance of New Zealand's international borders to be opened up to the crucial Australian buying bench, as well as for domestic travel restrictions, related to COVID-19, to be eased.
Speaking to TDN AusNZ, Andrew Seabrook, Managing Director of New Zealand Bloodstock (NZB), said the decision was made in consultation with vendors and prospective buyers, with a view to creating the best possible auction environment.
"The COVID situation here is still very much up in the air. Not only is there an external border situation we have to keep an eye on, the internal border is a concern as well," Seabrook said.
Andrew Seabrook, Managing Director of New Zealand Bloodstock
"At the moment, there is a border between Auckland and Hamilton. As it stands, we can't get people up to Karaka from the rest of New Zealand and to hold events here in Auckland with 100 or more people, looks to be a fair way away.
"We want to take the uncertainty out of play and push it back to March and we are hoping that the border might be open by then, which would allow the Australians to get here."
"We want to take the uncertainty out of play and push it back to March and we are hoping that the border might be open by then, which would allow the Australians to get here." - Andrew Seabrook
In pre-COVID times, overseas buyers have traditionally contributed the majority of money spent at the yearling sales at Karaka, but this year, that contribution dipped below 40 per cent. With international borders closed, the year-on-year spend from Australian and other overseas buyers dropped from NZ$40.2 million in 2020 to NZ$20.9 million in 2021.
Seabrook said NZB has been speaking to Australian buyers who expressed their desire to return to Karaka in 2022, off the back of a season where New Zealand-bred horses have enjoyed a great run of results on the track, highlighted by Verry Elleegant's (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) win in the G1 Melbourne Cup.
"I have had a lot of messages from Australians over the past few weeks saying we don’t really mind when you have the Sale, but we will be there so long as the borders are open," he said.
"We wanted to give the Australians every opportunity to be there. That is not going to happen in January, but it may well happen in March."
Seabrook said the decision to hold the Sale in January last year made sense because there was little chance of Australian buyers attending, but with vaccination rates in both countries on the up, and the likelihood of the border opening to doubly vaccinated Australians increasing, 2022 was a different case.
The right solution
For Windsor Park Stud's Rodney Schick, the decision to push back the Sale is simply common sense, and one which he fully supports.
"In such uncertain times, we really want the Aussies to have the best opportunity to come over and be at Karaka," he said.
"We've had a phenomenal racing season and I'm sure that New Zealand horses will be sought-after whether we sell them in January or we sell them in March. We need to do everything possible to get the Aussies here."
Rodney Schick
Australian trainer John O'Shea has been a regular attendee at Karaka over the years and said that he would be back there in 2022 regardless of when the Sale was scheduled for, so long as the border was opened.
"I don’t think it’s about the timing, I think it’s about whatever they can do so we can come. If that's what has to happen so we can get there then so be it, and we will come," he said.
"I don’t think it’s about the timing, I think it’s about whatever they can do so we (Australians) can come." - John O'Shea
"We would be there if it was in the middle of June. It’s far from ideal if we can't be there."
O'Shea said the fact he only purchased one horse having been unable to attend the Karaka Sale this year, compared to nine the previous year when he was on the ground spoke volumes for what it meant to inspect prospective purchases.
"Flying blind, that's for pixies," he said.
Chittick sees upside to delay
Waikato Stud's Mark Chittick is another big supporter of New Zealand Bloodstock's decision to push back the Sale.
"There is no doubt it’s the right call. I think if we can do everything possible to have a Sale where those that want to come to Karaka and purchase a New Zealand product can, that’s what we have to aim to do," he said.
"I applaud the sales company to be able to get on and make a decision that our industry has jumped in behind to support. I am 100 per cent confident it will be the best decision under these crazy circumstances that we are involved with at the moment."
Mark Chittick
Chittick sees a significant potential upside in the fact the Sale will be held six weeks later than usual.
"I think it's a very logical date switch on many different fronts. The positives far outweigh the negatives, if it's done in consideration with the racing calendar.
"That also might mean starting the Sale a day or two later in the week to give enough space between big racedays at Randwick and Flemington on the 5th (of March) and allow the Aussies to have enough time for travel and inspections," he said.
"I think it's a very logical date switch on many different fronts. The positives far outweigh the negatives, if it's done in consideration with the racing calendar." - Mark Chittick
"One of the main positives I see is the benefit for the horses. It's a beautiful time of the year in the Waikato and New Zealand for the next three or four months, and that is the time when a growing horse is usually spending half its time in a box for its Karaka prep. It’s such a shame that they are not out in these conditions.
"We're breeding top class 3-year-olds, milers and the like, not precocious and early maturing Slipper horses. That extra six weeks in the paddock will make a huge difference for our style of New Zealand yearling."
Advantages for horses and humans
Chittick also feels the 2022 scheduling of the country's premier Sale fits in much better with the cycle of the thoroughbred season.
"From a running of the business point of view, it means we can focus on the task at hand and get it completed before moving onto the next stage of the business cycle. We can get breeding and foaling season done, then move on to weaning the foals, and then yearling sales, rather than have them all run in together," he said.
"It provides an opportunity to be able to get staff away to their families for a few days, in between finishing the breeding season and getting into the busy time of yearling preparation. I think a major upside is staff wellbeing."
"It provides an opportunity to be able to get staff away to their families for a few days... I think a major upside is staff wellbeing." - Mark Chittick
Seabrook also sees that as a significant advantage of the delay of the Sale in 2022 after what has been a very uncertain time for a lot of people.
"The vendors have been canvassed and the support is very good. They realise the situation we are in, some of them are looking forward to Christmas and January holidays for the first time in a long time, so that's a bonus," he said.
Schick also sees an upside to the decision, especially when it comes to development of yearlings.
"That extra time is always important to help the horses. Mine are heading out back into the paddock for another month. It’s important to get out in the nice grass and we will bring them back in December," he said.
Waikato mares and foals | Image courtesy of Waikato Stud
A permanent move?
So would a permanent switch in the Karaka Sale's timing be something that major vendors would support?
"January has been good to us and we’ve had fantastic sales there," the Windsor Park Stud principal said.
"We have to run a breeding season in conjunction with a yearling prep, so having the Sale in January means it’s double the staff. Switching to March will bring our staff numbers down and the horses always benefit from more time in the paddock.
"It will bring our staff numbers down and the horses always benefit from more time in the paddock." - Rodney Schick
"There's some real positives about March, but I have always been happy with January as well."
Chittick is an avowed advocate of a later Karaka Sale and sees 2022 as an ideal opportunity to assess that opportunity.
"I just think for next year, what is right in front of us is the most important thing, and it’s a no-brainer to try everything possible to have a sale where people can come and go freely," he said.
"If it works this year, there is no reason not to consider it for the future as well."
Scenes at Karaka with a full house
Seabrook did not rule out an ongoing change in schedule but said NZB is focussed on ensuring the 2022 Sale is conducted in the best possible conditions.
"We have sold in January since 1927, and it’s always worked very well. That's not to say that it is set in concrete forever. There are certain advantages about having a later sale and some of those later foals and later-maturing horses we can breed here, might be advantaged like that," he said.
"There are no immediate plans to give up that January date going forward, but I’d never say never."
"There are no immediate plans to give up that January date going forward, but I’d never say never." - Andrew Seabrook
Given the 2022 Sale has been moved to better facilitate Australian buyers, their availability in that March timeslot will need to be assessed. For O'Shea, a March sale at Karaka, slotted in between the Australian sales season at a time where there is regular Group racing is less than ideal, but one he is prepared to make the sacrifice for.
"It's a busy time for a Sydney stable in March. That's right in the middle of the carnival and nobody really likes being away from their stables then," he said.
