Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association President Basil Nolan has urged breeders not to be too despondent following disappointing results at the QTIS Sale.

“Breeders heading into the sale with a very positive attitude on the back of the buoyant January Magic Millions Sale,” Nolan said.  “Unfortunately, the bottom dropped out of the market and it was one of the toughest sales we’ve seen for years.”

Regional Queensland buyers supported the sale very well, purchasing the same number of yearlings as last year, and spending $90,000 more.

Despite the disappointing results, Nolan said it was a strong catalogue both on pedigree and presentation.  “We are always told we need to ‘meet the market’ but, in doing so, breeders are losing thousands of dollars and not making a profit,” he said.  “We need to take a serious look at the results of this sale and work our way forward so it doesn’t repeat next year.

“There is no doubt that through QTIS and the positive efforts of Racing Queensland, our State’s racing industry is getting stronger and yet the QTIS Sale results don’t reflect that.”

The TBQA committee will meet with Racing Queensland and Magic Millions to discuss the sale and how it can be significantly improved next year.

The TBQA will also step up its campaign of lobbying the State Government for much needed increases in prizemoney which, when implemented, will undoubtedly lift the confidence of racing stakeholders.

Nolan also said TBQA will pressure the State Government for a much better deal when they renegotiate turnover percentages with the TAB in 2014.

The TBQA would also like to see greater promotion of QTIS over the next twelve months and much heavier promotion of the 2014 QTIS sale to a broader market.  “This sale has been an unexpected blow to breeders,” Nolan declared.  “All we can do is once again pick ourselves up and work towards a brighter future – it has to get better.”