I’m flat tack at my day job, folks, and haven’t been to the Christchurch sales.
From what I see of the results, it seems to be a bit of a roller coaster. Demand yes, but so focused that breeders are getting a “50 Shades of Neigh” workout for anything that goes outside the parameters that owners and therefore trainers want. Some lovely bargains for those willing to shop around. Pleasure for some, pain for many.
And a lot of vendors opting not to give their horses away.
Give me the weekend and I will post a blog after I see all the results. Quite different from the Karaka sale, whatever the spin doctors say.
Of the lots I highlighted in the Premier sale for a range of reasons (outside the “market” considerations):
- Patrick – good on you for selling Standing Bear (Lot 268) for $15,000. A lovely looking yearling by The Pres.
- Lot 147 Fiscal Madness, from a Love You mare by Revenue, sold for just $7.500. Maybe he had a leg missing?
- Lot 456 was Joe Louis that I featured because of his lovely outcrossing pedigree. Not that it means tickey boo to the buyers, although he did sell for $22,000.
- And Lot 201 was a foal called That’s The Story by mare Bree from Monarchy. He didn’t meet the reserve of $25,000.
Do these results reflect the outcome for those yearlings? Their quality? No.
We will follow them and see what happens.
But again, the current market results in the breeder taking huge risks, often not recognised at the time.
If the odds turn out in the breeder’s favour – if the horse turns into a winner – I would love to see that breeder rewarded.
At the moment, breeders are carrying an unfair burden of developing our breed. Let’s hope the upcoming Breeders Forum in Auckland in early March starts really opening up the conversation around this issue.
While the Auckland sale left me with a bit of a buzz, the Christchurch sale appears at first sight to be a bit of a fizz overall, although some good results for some lots would cover the risk for some bigger breeders.
b4breeding 
Hi Bee
I to feel concern on where the industry is going, I breed and sell yearlings and really if you don’t breed to the top 4 or 5 sires then you are doing yourself an injustice. Bettors Delight at probably $15000 this year how many of us small time breeders can afford that service fee. I really enjoy studying the breeding side but really if you don’t go to one of the wanted sires you really run the risk of not making any money for the time and effort. Also are we doing the right thing by our mares not using some of the really well bred new sires. We are being pushed into a corner to survive in the industry we love.
Steve D
Lot 147 was a big lovely looking chestnut – I’d have taken him home for a lot more than 7500 if we weren’t trying to cut down numbers.