The great facilities at Blue Hors in Randbøl has recently changed management to the new Randbøl Dressage Academy which also were the hosts for Blue Hors Summer Auction Saturday evening.
As usual the facilities were immaculate and now with Dennis Fisker and his team it definitely look like the Blue Hors spirit will continue.
Top price foal at the auction went for 18.000 euro, where two local buyers were “fighting” for the top filly by Blue Hors St. Schufro / Revolution / Jazz out of a very strong dam line bred by Stutteri Midt-West.
16 foals under the hammer but only 44% sold
The current market at the auctions is very limited with buyers and it is also affected by the prices. From the pedigree the foals at Danish Warmblood auction were very attractive, but from the video presentation it was a bit difficult to find real highlights. All foals showed much better for the auction, but unfortunately only 44% of the foals were actually sold at the auction, and therefore it is even more important to get the right moments and as much as necessary (including walk on hard surface) for the promotion videos so that buyers from all over the world have the best basis for the decision.
Take a look around in Europe
From the big German auctions the trend from last year with significantly lower prices continues this year, together with the higher expences when breeding and raising up foals this means a current true negative curve.
When presenting a foal for an auction it is of course important for the breeders to get a good price, but said that it is also important to inform the breeders about the market, and when leaving an auction without a sale in the current market you might have to keep the foal until 3 yr old. Meaning that the minimum sales prices at the auction certainly has to be adjusted to the current market in order to actually get at sale.
Information to the breeders - no breeders no future for our sport
The most important part in our sport and breeding is the breeders, without breeders no future sport. Therefore the message is: “Keep breeding, maybe a at lower scale knowing that the prices are not attractive at the moment, but the demand for good foals and young horses will always be there.”
Instead of breeding ex 10 mares then just ex pick your 5 best mares, and take a look and ask around what is the demand from the riders. As a breeder you often have a very good “archive” of what your mares producing, or maybe you need new eyes as sparring.
In Denmark young Christian Springborg (CS Equestrian) recently started his own business also including “lets take a look among your mares”, in order to help breeders having new eyes on their stars and not least with unbiased advisory for the future breeding.
What is the future optimum horse for the sport?
For years the flashy power trot foals has been sold for very good prices at the auctions, no matter of the breeding.
It is still the foals with power trot selling at the auctions, but the riders and buyers are also getting more and more aware of what the sport is aiming for in order to produce easy rideable, trainable horses including three good basic gaits.
The goal anno 2025
2025 goal must be to produce a sport horse with light natural contact, good frame, in a relaxed body with natural self carriage for all three gaits and not least with good a temperament which can be managed also by an amateur.