H&C

23
Aug
2010

4 Comments

Brightwells and better British breeding banter

Top lot Fleur VD Schelpenhoeve sold for £70000

"This instalment of musings comes hot on the heels of the Brightwells auctions this weekend. The only dressage and showjumping horse auctions in the UK, Brightwells would seem to have the market dominated, but this time round there were very varied prices, both high and very low.

Mixed results

Friday saw the foal show, and the chance for British breeders to showcase what this country is capable of producing in the sporthorse market. Bidding began at a snail's pace and four out of the first five foals made less than £3000 and left the ring unsold. Historically foals have not sold well at Brightwells, so it is a credit to those breeders who are willing to support the event and enter their foals. It would be a real shame to lose this auction and would encourage even more potential purchasers over to the continent for foal shopping.

Top lot spot was shared by two horses on the Friday who both went for £10000; a rather lovely Diamant de Semilly x Indoctro filly foal and a flashy black dressage broodmare by Don Primero x Sandro Hit. A Diarado x Argentinus filly foal went through the ring for £7200 but was not sold; it strikes me that this lot had an unrealistically high reserve price. It was a smart filly, but really such a high reserve does not help the auction or the potential sellers, who no doubt often see auctions as a way of picking up a bargain.

Realistic reserves?

Setting such a high reserve is detrimental to all concerned, and perhaps now, in these straightened financial times, breeders need to take a longer look at the stock they have on the ground minus the rose tinted specs, and bear in mind that a foal is a huge gamble for any potential purchaser. They are cute and bouncy, granted. But these foals have to get through the next three years – no cheap feat – and prove themselves trainable under saddle before they can start to command five figure sums, surely.

To zoom out a bit: Most foals went for between £2000 and £4000; one stunning Ampere x Obelisk filly was sold for just £2000, but seeing as the breeder was H&C blogger Angela Crane of Holden Fold Stud, I’m sure we will hear all about her thoughts on that in her next entry... A Santana (Sandro Hit) x Drossan colt foal sold for £950; he looked a little unlevel in the arena, and it later emerged that he had stood on a stone on his way up from the stables. A lovely Cornet Obolensky x Abdullah colt foal, bred by Greenacres Stud, went under the hammer for £6100, second highest sold foal price of the evening.

Ridden horses

On Saturday night the older horses, selected from the UK and Eurpoe, were auctioned. Top lot was a very naturally talented jumping mare by Lux Z x Narcos II, who effortlessly pinged over the oxer time and time again and was knocked down for £70000. It is no surprise that the jumpers on the whole made more money than the dressage horses; the August auction takes place in the midst of the Young Horse Showjumping Championships at Addington, so the venue is choc full of showjumping competitors.

Varied prices

Top dressage lot sold in the ring was wild card entry Donna Maja, a four year old black Don Frederico x Weltruhm mare at £24000, though the top bid was £36000 for an ungraded five year old stallion by Dimaggio x Florestan, but it did not make the reserve. Though the horse was smart, as a five year old he didn’t show the level of training you would expect to see at his age, and underscores my earlier comments about unrealistic reserves. In contrast, the three year old Woodlander Stud graded stallion Santana by Sir Donnerhall x Alabaster looked secure in his work, and went under the hammer for £18000, despite earlier rumours that his reserve was £25000.

It is certainly a buyers market at the moment, what a shame that nobody has any money to spend.

The challenge

Auctions are by nature unpredicatable, but this time some results were downright confusing. British breeding needs to remain focused on the goal of improving the quality and depth of sporthorse (showjumpers and dressage horses) breeding in this country and establishing a base from which UK breeders can build an international reputation. As it stands, the UK is streets behind the continent. We have dozens of studbooks for sporthorses, all pulling in different directions. Who will step forward and set up a UK studbook much like the KWPN where common breed goals can be established and recognised worldwide? Go on. Dare you."