Held at the Bathurst Paceway, more than 50 horses were on offer to bidders, with Board saying he was pleased with the clearance rate of the horses that were on offer.

"I thought that the horses that were presented well were sold well and were met with good competition," he said.

"Some of the yearlings probably weren't as well prepared as they have been in the past. They were born in the drought year and everything was just a bit more expensive for them to prepare.

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"What we did see, there was another sale company and they're conducting sales, which has probably reduced numbers. People have probably gone and tried that and seen how it goes.

"In all, I was pretty happy with the value horses were making. All the sellers seem to attract plenty of competition.

"While we didn't have as many horses as we liked, the clearance rate was excellent, really."

Board cited the drought and more yearling sales across the east coast affecting the numbers at Bathurst.

"There's two other sales in NSW and two other sales in Victoria. People have got more of a choice," he said.

"What we've got to do is make it more attractive for them to be in Bathurst. This company has got to do things a little better.

"We had auctions where people could buy horses away and that worked very successfully for the second year in a row and that will continue."

Board said foaling numbers have also affected numbers.

"Some people are saying their numbers are down next year because they didn't have a good foaling," he said.

"It might be a bit of competition to get numbers, but you go through those things. They're seasonal things and people go in and out of the industry."

The highest selling horse went to Rod Smith, who paid $26,000 for the colt in lot 21.

Brooklyn Lodge prepared him, who is Downbytheseaside x Kayceem Grand.

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