Australian Polo History is made at the Ellerston Polo Pony Reduction Sale
By Victoria Elsbury-Legg
October 10th 2015 will be a day to remember in both polo history and equine circles in Australia, for this was the date when over 100 Ellerston ponies – ’63 mares & fillies, 44 geldings, 8 stallions & colts and 23 embryo packages’ were sold in a sale like no other. Held at Ellerston Polo Club in Scone, NSW, which was founded by the late Kerry Packer in 1972, the level of horse stock on sale was unsurpassed in Australian polo circles, gathering an international crowd of buyers to bid on ‘ponies who have played to the highest standard winning some of the most prestigious tournaments both in Australia, Argentina, USA, the UK and Spain. Their embryo breeding program has allowed their top mares to continue to dominate the game of polo whilst building the foundation of the Ellerston ponies that you see in this catalogue today. Never before will the scale of these famous genetics be offered again, making this sale so unique and significant’ (to quote the selling agents – Landmark).
Under the watchful eye of thousands some of the best of Ellerston’s bloodlines (which have been breed over 30 years, with 75% of the ponies on sale aged between two to four years old) were sold – for the first time ever – for a total of $1.8 million Australian dollars. Core breeding stock was retained, but clearly many top ponies went under the auctioneer’s hammer, with the best of the stallions and geldings reaching prices of $28,000 Australian dollars and mares averaging $15,000. Prices for geldings were not far behind at around $11,000 per pony, with embryo packages reaching almost $10,000 each. Buyers bid from afar afield as Singapore, Great Britain and of course Australia. Rumours in the polo world are also currently circulating that a top English pro purchased one of the best ponies for $82,000 – definitely one to look out for on the English polo lawns next season when Best Playing Pony awards are being presented.
It would seem Kerry Packer’s vision to create ‘world standard ponies suitable for any discipline’ continues to be his legacy to the international polo world.