He is a Bloodstock Manager and in the view of many Australasia’s best equine auctioneer. Thankfully he will be part of team APG again this weekend at Magic Millions on the Gold Coast.
Clint Donovan has spent years honing his craft and taking part in some of the most historic moments in the sales ring. Here he explains more about his role and how he got there.
I grew up on the back of a horse mustering cattle with my father in Clarence Valley so I had a love of the horse from the start but it wasn’t until my teens when I went to the track that I was involved in the racing industry. Much like many Australians, I watched our champions race but it was when I discovered the breeding industry that I was hooked and sold.
Steward Ramsey rang up Paul Knight for me because I had been working as a bid spotter and auctioneer. Paul was the Bloodstock Manager at the time and Stewart said “hey this guy’s a bid spotter and an auctioneer, I think you should give him a go.” But before I started at Magic Millions I wanted to create my own auctioneering style so I went away and did a few other things.
I did a bit of jackarooing and worked in sale yards in Rome and developed my auctioneering style. When I was ready to, Paul and Stewart got me involved as a bid spotter at Magic Millions and I was off from there. I left Magic Millions to hone my craft elsewhere for a few years but returned to the company on an exclusive basis in 2014. These days, I’m not only the auctioneer, I run Donovan + Co with my wife Telena, we have an unrivalled dedication to providing comprehensive real estate services for the high-end sector, plus I just love being a Bloodstock Manager. Because of that role I have a lot better understanding of how a catalogue is brought together, which helps me as an auctioneer as well.
There are dozens and potentially hundreds of cases where a breeder has put a lot of money into a service fee with their mare, they brought the resulting horse to the sale hoping for a great result and the horse sells for more than their expectation. That’s probably my number one reward is seeing that satisfaction. We’ve had people in tears because they were so happy and that’s the best thing for me. When you hit the bulls eye, it’s very rewarding.
There are so many rewarding moments in the equine industry and your opportunities are endless. If you put effort into getting a start, there’s no doubt you’ll get one.
Get involved and talk to every person. Nobody is inaccessible in the racing industry, ninety-nine percent of people in the industry I come across whether they’re worth a billion dollars or one dollar, you can go out and say g’day. If you’ve got the same common interest in the horse, you’re away.
The number one point of advice from me is don’t take yourself too seriously, have a smile on your face. If you show you’re dedicated and friendly, you’ll get a chance.
That’s exactly what everyone can expect this weekend from all the team members at APG this weekend at Magic Millions.
APG horses have now won more than $60 Million Dollars in APG Races and Bonuses over the last 34 years. If you are looking for a yearling that could change your life for the better, that will have the opportunity to race in a guaranteed funded race series, while supporting an organisation that has a real commitment and reinvests back into the sport we all love, the Gold Coast this Sunday is the time and place to buy a yearling.
To take advantage of these exceptional Lots on offer and be in the massive $150,000 “Pot Of Gold final”. Remember just 36 yearlings will have the chance to compete in this guaranteed race series.
It’s so important to remember all the QBRED Lots are eligible for the “QBRED for life” bonuses shown below,
- $14,00 QBRED ‘First Win’ Bonus;
- $7,500 QBRED ‘Second Win’ Bonus;
- $3,000 QBRED ‘Third Win’ Bonus (State-bred Qbred’s only):
- $1,000 QBRED Cash bonuses (on all races <$4,500);
They will also have the opportunity to win the following Triad races:
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Please contact Stephanie Graham on 0477 160 499 to answer any other questions that you may have regarding catalogues, travel and accommodation needs. Paul Ellis on 0412 377 312 or Trevor O’Reilly on 0408 714 624 are also available for all other questions that you may have.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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