The 16th annual Fall Classic Breeders’ Sale, offered by the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association, wrapped up another great year on October 17th. The barns were buzzing and the seats full with additional viewers looking on via live streaming video. This European format sale allowed buyers a day and a half of previews and tryouts of the consigned horses, showing the horses under saddle, chute jumping and in-hand. This year’s group of breeders consigned a consistently well-bred, well-raised product.
The overall sale gross was the highest since 2007 with the average per horse improving to $8,441. The performance horse sale average was up from 2009 to $9,791, and the young prospect average increased to $9,833, a significant increase from 2009. The high seller sold for $26,000 with 43 of 69 horses sold.
Sale Chairman Jennette Coote commented, “We worked very hard on our marketing this year and it showed with the increase in attendance at the sale and the internet activity. Buyers were very specific about what they wanted and were prepared to pay for it. Overall I was very pleased with the sale, however there were many nice horses not sold and would encourage people still interested to visit the sale site and consider the horses remaining.”
“This is my first time here,” said Eric Martin, a trainer from Manitoba. “I am truly impressed with the quality of horses and breeding offered and the fact that one trip allows me to see so many potentially suitable horses for my clients”. Bob Wilson of Ottawa found and purchased five horses to take back to Ontario, Warmbloods P3R purchased three horses to take to Quebec, and long time US buyer Marion O’Connor took a trailer load back to Idaho — all indications of the high quality and breeding available at the sale.
This auction had a first for Canada (and perhaps North America) with the honour of selling the first Contender daughter offered at public auction. High selling Section A mare Contikki (Contender x Landucci) received the Sparks Innovations cooler for new owner Klondike Victory Farm, and consignor Lindsay Wendt of Grandview Performance Horses received the Tack Corral leather halter. Bidding was also very competitive on the weanling Quaterback colt Quatermane (Quaterback x Redford) consigned by Key Warmbloods, and the lovely yearling gelding Eastwood (Riverman x Judgement) consigned by Woodlawn Farms.
The Section B cooler was sponsored by Victory Tack Shop and went to new owner Paula Leweke for 4 year old Canadian Warmblood gelding Royal Ritz (Royal Senna x Rocks), and receiving the Tack Corral halter for high selling consignor/breeder was Crystal McFarlane. Also actively pursued were Go For the Gold (Gervantus II x Donner Bube) breeder/consignor M3 Warmbloods, MJ Adelaide (VDL Ulando x Fantast) breeder/consignor MJ Farms and Solar Power (Simply SM x Bates Motel) breeder/consignor Gillian & Darwin Orr. The high selling 2 year old was Debonair (Ikoon x Wild Gold) breeder/consignor Tina & Peter Watkins.
This longest running auction of warmbloods in North America will return in 2011. Please check the web site a http://www.fallclassicsale.com/ for updates and information.
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