2022 Nutrien Classic Tamworth: Bad In Black is now the most expensive Australasian performance horse

The stunning Stevie Rey Von mare is out of Spinies Bad Girl and was purchased by Willinga Park, with the price tag breaking all Australasian records for a performance horse.

Clayden, 25, owns the Loomberah Lodge Performance Horses, and breeds and imports horses for the campdraft and cutting industry. She purchased Bad In Black as a weanling from Maggie Mason from Branxton, and it was her only nomination in the Nutrien Classic this year.

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"I have been wanting to get a foot in the door at the Nutrien Classic so I thought I'd bring my best one here to showcase what I have," Clayden said.

"She was super easy to start and sweet natured. Once nominations opened, I thought, 'I have this special mare - this is the one to take to the Nutrien Classic'. The result is incredible - it's surreal and hasn't really sunk in yet."

Presented beautifully in the pre-works by Isaac Westerhuis, Bad In Black immediately caught the eye of Troy Palmer and Sarah Cookson who were representing Willinga Park and Terry Snow.

"It was very exciting during the auction and also exciting for Willinga Park," Palmer said. "We wanted to expand our breeding-mare band, and she is perfect for the job.

"Terry is also very pleased. He knows quality when he sees it and he trusted Sarah and I to get the mare. It's very exciting and great for the industry."

With a new vet centre being set up at Willinga Park, the mare will head straight to the breeding barn, but the Willinga Park team indicated she will definitely be back for the 2023 Nutrien Classic.

Mason was blown away by the result. "I'm in shock," she said. "This is 17 years of believing in the Spinifex blood. Every foal she has had has been a money earner and I'm just so proud."

Nutrien's Tamworth auctioneer Joel Fleming was still processing that he sold one horse for $550,000.

"It's surreal, and it was all in the ring," he said. "It got to about $350,000 and there were still three solid bidders. It was all about getting the best out of the arena.

"I have never sold a horse over $100,000 before so this is pretty special. It's special for Nutrien, everyone involved and the whole industry.

"Sales like this raise the bar of what a good performance horse is worth; in fact, this historic sale doubled it."

Nutrien auctioneer Scott Cooper said the heat was on from the start of the day on Saturday, when Bad In Black was sold.

"We just knew something special was going to happen," he said. "There has been a lot of hype around today [Saturday] and it lived up to expectations.

"It's a sign of the economy and the livestock industry flow-on, but Nutrien Equine is its own machine - it's a proven concept that is just going from strength to strength."

Ahead of a final day of selling on Sunday, gross sales this year were on track to overtake the 2021 record of $13.7 million, with an amazing average this year of $26,600.

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