Enter Now for KARAKA 2006!

There are just days left until entries close on 13 July for the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka in January 2006.

Next year's sale will take place at Karaka from Monday 30 January to 6 February with the format remaining largely unchanged from this year's Sale.

Marketing Manager, Petrea Vela, commented, "In January we plan to keep the format much the same as this year with three full days of Premier, two of Select and then two Festival days. This year was the first year we tried the earlier start time of 11am which seemed to appeal to both buyers and vendors so we will try to repeat that as well.

The plan last year was to use the last Danehill yearlings as an excuse to try and get some of the big buyers down to Karaka for the first time. They would then see for themselves what we have on offer here and would want to keep coming back. Hopefully we achieved this and can capitalise on the record results at this year's Sale and the great exposure that Sale attracted around the world, to create another showcase event for vendors that buyers will be compelled to attend.

Of course the format is only part of the equation and there's no question the overall catalogue strength was the secret to our success this year. We hope that the entries keep rolling in and we can present a great catalogue to buyers again next year."

Karaka 2005 produced record results with the average price in the Premier session leaping 23% to $137,395 and the overall sale average increasing by an impressive 24% to $67,666.

There was plenty of hype surrounding that Sale with the inclusion of 20 yearlings from champion sire, Danehill's, last crop, but in the end, judging from the results, the spoils were spread throughout the Sale. Notably, taking the Danehill yearlings out of the final figures the Premier Sale average still recorded a 9% increase from $111,955 to $122,000.

A total of 21 individual Group 1 winners this season have graduated from New Zealand Bloodstock's auction ring, including six in Australia with Darci Brahma, Econsul, Lachlan River, Perlin, Portland Singa and St Basil, plus the 2005 Champion Middle Distance & Champion Stayer in Hong Kong, Vengeance of Rain.