| Recent studies show that breeders are rushing to | | | | procedure of nominating your horse (by consignor), |
| increase their broodmare headcounts in an effort to | | | | depositing the mountains of paperwork they require in |
| keep up with an ever growing demand for new foals. | | | | the "repository", and then hoping that they take your |
| The market has reached an insatiable appetite for | | | | horse. If your horse is not accepted you have a |
| thoroughbreds that will either succeed on the track, or | | | | number of other options, none of which are very bad. |
| face any number of other potential fates. The trend | | | | Very similar to the sale of real estate, you can opt to |
| has extended beyond the borders of typical | | | | sell "by owner", or consign your horse yourself with a |
| thoroughbred locations, such as Kentucky, New York, | | | | number of online sales companies like If you opt to sell |
| and Florida. Many US bred Thoroughbreds are leaving | | | | yourself, the process can be tedious. Up until recently, |
| the United States and finding homes in Countries such | | | | there weren't any electronic means to cut down on |
| as Dubai, Japan, and now late comer Saudi Arabia. In | | | | the tasks involving private thoroughbred sale. You had |
| part due to favorable exchange rates against the US | | | | to basically get the word out there using print media, |
| Dollar, and continued excitement for horse racing in the | | | | word of mouth, and good ole networking. Times have |
| wealthiest pockets of the world. Is this a good or bad | | | | changed and this is now a bit simpler. |
| trend? | | | | In the Thoroughbred industry there are certain |
| Initial industry figures indicate the trend is good as sales | | | | components that need to be in place when responsibly |
| are contributing to new jobs and improving other | | | | selling a horse. The first is the registration paperwork |
| economic factors in small communities throughout | | | | with the Jockey Club. These should be updated and |
| Kentucky and other States. For example, entry costs | | | | countersigned by the current owner so the new |
| for breeders are relatively low, and with crafty | | | | owner can register the horse easily. The second are |
| research by the breeder, success can be measured in | | | | two health inspections commonly known as the |
| tens of thousands very quickly. The largest barriers to | | | | COGGINS and EVA. COGGINS checks for the |
| success for a new breeder reside in the sales industry | | | | presence of Equine Infections Anemia, while EVA |
| itself. | | | | checks for Equine Viral Arteritis. You will need to |
| The process of purchasing a broodmare, selecting a | | | | ensure you have these certificates present for the |
| stud using proven methods such as hypothetical | | | | new owner to inspect. These are really the main items |
| mating or "nicking", and then foaling the weanling is the | | | | needed for a sale. If your horse has had any surgeries |
| easy part. The selling phase is where the obstacles | | | | you might consider having paperwork from your vet |
| come. Selling a horse at the leading facilities will cost | | | | that confirms the horse is still sound for purpose. |
| you thousands of dollars and several hours or days of | | | | The best road to take as a breeder is to limit your |
| hassle. | | | | broodmare headcount to a small, manageable |
| The process involves selecting a consignor who will | | | | headcount of mares that have the best possible |
| prepare the horse for auction at a very handsome | | | | pedigree you can afford. Then begin to increase the |
| fee, completing mountains of paperwork for the | | | | quality of the mares progeny by up-scaling the quality |
| auction facility, and then the actual logistics of the sale. | | | | of her foals. Instead of managing twenty mares that |
| The average price of a weanling hit an all time high in | | | | you send to twenty $5000 studs, consider managing |
| 2006 of $50,000. If you are fortunate enough to be | | | | ten that you send to ten $10,000 studs instead. This will |
| one of the breeders of these weanlings, you can | | | | likely improve the mares progeny and keep the |
| expect your return on investment to be reduced by | | | | number of unwanted foals to a minimum. |
| 8-14% after the sales cycle is complete. This doesn't | | | | Managing a smaller broodmare band, with better quality |
| include your contribution to the local tax authority. | | | | foals, increases your farms chances of successfully |
| You might think, well this is still a positive return on my | | | | selling your foals. Moreover, you will be doing your |
| investment? Rationale being that you negotiated a | | | | share of reducing the high levels of unwanted |
| good price on stud, and the broodmare was bred a | | | | thoroughbreds. Completing the research to know |
| few times reducing her initial cash outlay. Yes and no, | | | | which sire lines work best to produce a runner has |
| in order to have access to the top auction bidders in | | | | never been easier. These tools are now accessible |
| the industry, your horse has to be accepted by the | | | | from the internet, and with the advent of mating |
| elite auction facilities. This involves a long drawn out | | | | analysis, never more accurate. |