Northampton Fair - to Marli at the Fair this weekend...

[hurleynyc]

Hi all,
I have a friend who may make the trip up from Long Island with her trailer, looking for hunter/sporthorse "projects" and maybe a couple of broodmares. She can't get there till perhaps later in the day on Sunday. Just wondering if her trip will be worthwhile or if most horses will be sold or gone by then. Have any of you made purchases yet and/or want to share your experiences? Are there many prospects that haven't been spoken for (which might still be there on late Sunday)? Thanks for any input!

[hurleynyc]

Sorry, topic was supposed to be Northampton Fair - to Marli [b]or anyone[/b] at the fair this weekend

[Gerry]

I am heading up there at the moment to get a mare, I was told that ALOT of people are looking around. I would suggest if there is one or two that you are already interested in to call the trainer/owner 1st before making the trip.
Just my 2cents.

Gerry

[hurleynyc]

Hi Gerry,
Thanks for the info... which mare did ya buy? Would you be incredibly wonderful and let us know what it's like when you get there? I will definitely call a few trainers before my friend leaves, but it would be great to get an idea of the "big picture" before she leaves, becaues I'm selling her on the idea that there will be a large selection. Thank so much...

[Gerry]

Hey Hurley..

I have a friend up there right now from Philly and she says people are walking around looking alot but not buying yet. We bought Girlsgonewild...she is now blind in one eye (hit by a mudclot in her last race) but we have 4 other blind/semi blind mares here so we can handle her here in NY.

My friend looked at a mare for me but I wasnt too thrilled with her pedigree she is 16'2 or 16'3..named Sahara Sands 7yr old, nonwinner, but nicely made. Maybe the kind of horse your friend is looking for.

Goodluck
Gerry

[hurleynyc]

Hey Gerry,
Congrats on your new mare! She has an interesting pedigree for NY - I haven't seen too many "Wild Again" line mares in this area. And thanks for the info on Sahara Sands - actually she was on the list I'd compiled for my LI friend (I'd considered her for myself but agree that the pedigree was less than inspiring). She looks pretty nicely made. So we'll be looking at her and a number of other mares and geldings. I'll email you my cell phone # in case you want to exchange more info or get together. Still not sure if we're going yet, tho, because the buyer is at a show today and may not be up to another long, early AM trip.

[Crystal]

Hi Gerry,
We were at Northampton last night.. Rain made it quite a mess. Saw GirlGoneWild. Nice mare.. good luck with her.

[hurleynyc]

Hi Crystal,
Did you buy anything? Were there any standouts? Did you have any trouble finding trainers or getting to see the horses you were interested in? Thanks for any information you can share. I'm certainly expecting a muddy experience!

[Marli]

Hurley-

My best advice at this time is that if you're interested in a particular horse, phone the trainer ASAP. CANTER New England posted an update word document on their site early this a.m., containing a list of horses that have been confirmed still available.

Here it is-

http://canterusa.org/newengland/NoHo/UP ... stings.doc

As you can see, at the bottom is the list of those horses that have been sold (17) so I would say that there would still be a nice selection considering the numbers of horses offered.

The volunteers from CANTER New England are basically un-reachable today as their extremely busy w/prospective owners at the fair today and tomorrow.

[Gerry]

Hurley--sorry I didnt get back with you sooner, just woke up! It was a long trip and part of my trip had to be rerouted as RT17/86 east of Binghamton was closed due to flooding. If you havent left yet, my advice is to drive slow to find the "hole in the fence" to get to the horses, that was the hardest part. There are many very nice looking horses there and if you and your friend go, should have no problem finding more than a couple. (depending on what time you get there of course) I think more people will be out today with the nicer weather.

Crystal- thank you...isnt Girl Gone Wild a pretty little filly. Too bad about her eye, but she is just as quiet as can be. I was a little concerned about leading her off the trailer and into the barn since it is her left eye, but she didnt step on me once (wish I could say that about my completely sighted mares!)

I purposely changed my plans to go on Saturday instead of Sunday so I would only pick her up and not be tempted by the other 4 that we really liked as well. I figured with her sight loss she was the most at risk and I really like the Wild Again/Buckpasser/Secretariat cross. It doesnt hurt that her 1/2 brother won over $180K or another is SP either.

Hurley-I am curious and nosey...please let me know if you or your friend find a few for yourselves.

Gerry

[mary]

I see Miss Mattie Mu Mu is in there for $800! I remember a gritty performance she gave at Mountaineer last year. It was a mile race, she dueled the whole way and nosed out a win - she was like 30 to 1. She's by West by West, looks like out of a Cox's Ridge mare. She would definitely be worth a look as a broodmare prospect off that race alone.

[mary]

Actually Miss Mattie Mu Mu is out of an Irish River mare, her third dam is broodmare of the year Toll Booth (Christiecat, Plugged Nickle, Toll Key). Somebody please give her a good home! What an excellent broodmare prospect!

[hurleynyc]

Hi Gerry,
Well, I am sorry to say that we didn't make it up there... I had no transportation without my LI buyer, and she was out of commission. HOWEVER... I have matched a prior offer on Forty Licks and if the deal falls through she is mine! (the trainer is honoring a verbal agreement, but will call me if he doesn't receive payment). I had thought of adding Miss Mattie Mu Mu to this back-up offer (because she is part of the package on which he's got a verbal agreement), but without even a picture I couldn't justify it to my partners. She sounds lovely though, Mary. I don't think either of them are in any immediate danger. I'm also following up on some others as I write. Will let you know what transpires... I am quite sad about this whole process, though. It seems so decadent to be throwing away these perfectly nice horses after a few years of service for our pleasure! God bless Canter and all the rescue outfits for what they do.

[hurleynyc]

Sahara Sands was sold, apparently to a good home, according to trainer Charlie Frock. Carol Delnegro reported that all of the horses she had listed were sold; I hope that means that Smokey Way, Ambi's Bro, Sneaky Secret et al found good homes. I was interested in all of these (Smokey Way for sentimental reasons - those 12 year old geldings still on the track catch at the heart strings - and the others were nicely put together, probably useful horses). Sam Keyrouze sold quite a few, including the geldings Nothing Trendy and Very Eloquent. The mare Daisy Be Good was sold by Louis Stohr. Does anyone know if there were any that were purchased by killer buyers?

[ckaye]

Aw, damn, Gerry--I was really trying to buy that Girl Gone Wild filly I couldn't get ahold of her trainer. Glad she got a good home!!