NY Breeding Industry in tough shape

[ct2346]

Based on this past weekend's NY Breeders Sales auction and several other recent events, I think one can only conclude that NY Breeders and Stallion stations are going to be in for a very tough time. Some observations, based primarily on yesterday's sale -

1. Weanlings, if not in the preferred session couldn't be given away...and those in the preferred session, if they weren't by KY sires, couldn't bring even stud fee values. Horses by the "best" NY sires didn't even come close to stud fees. Sure there were (very very few) exceptions, but as a rule things were horrible. I looked at a lot of the weanlings and they were not a bad lot at all....
2. Mares couldn't be given away. Some exceptions here - and I did notice one board member made some nice mare purchases (likely took them north of the border)...but for the most part you couldn't give them away.
3. To augment #2 - some mares were offered pregnant to 10k sires and they didn't draw any sort of bid at all. Some mares were offered with two free seasons next year - to "10k" sires and they too were unable to move. Keep in mind that the weather was gorgeous....

There are a number of stud farms closing down...things are really looking pretty bleak. I would not want to be standing stallions based on anything even close to this year's profit models.

I think that those that can hunker down and make it through the next couple will be okay - but there is going to be quite a test coming up for all NY breeders...particularly if additional VLT dicking around occurs in Albany...

[LB]

I don't think there's any reason to believe that the TB industry's problems--or even those of the general horse community--are specific to New York. The economy is bad everywhere and horses are a luxury item. Too many people are trying to downsize at once and too many breeders got into the business without having a backup plan.

[Crystal]

I think we all knew the NYBS was going to be a train wreck, thats why there were 92 outs.. We took a bunch home, and bid fair well to about 1/2 of our weanlings. The mares we took to Saratoga.. for a weekend at the spa..

But it didnt give me much hope when Sequel was GIVING away 09 breedings.. and yes our friends to the north took home some nice horses

[Bohemia]

What stud farms are closing down?

And when you say people couldn't give mares away, did you mean that literally? If I approached someone after the sale whose mare failed to bring a bid, would they give her to me?

[Crystal]

They would have paid you to take some of the mares home... free 09 seasons and all. I just spoke with our consignor and he's STILL there trying to move horses.

[Mikki79]

Thats a shame. If I wasn't leaving and had more room I'd offer to take in some, I can always use a good sound mare or two........ Still looking for a sound grey mare and a sound black mare that can be ridden.

[walaa]

if they really are giving them away drop one or two off in tennessee if they are heading this way.

[1976man]

I wouldnt mind looking at what they have. Always looking for a good deal on a mare or Stallion

[madelyn]

Thats a shame. If I wasn't leaving and had more room I'd offer to take in some, I can always use a good sound mare or two........ Still looking for a sound grey mare and a sound black mare that can be ridden.

I have a Good Grey Sound mare that can be ridden....
http://www.equinenow.com/horse-ad-101402

[Mikki79]

She's pretty and looks like she has a very pretty head on her. Sigh... tempting but I just can't bring in anything else right now. I already have more horses than riders and I'm leaving for somwhere between 13 to 15 months where I won't see my horses .... My sister is ready to shoot me because she has to pick up my slack while i'm gone and show my horse

[CS]

I was shocked at how bad the mare market was. Even on Friday and Saturday people said they were not shopping for mares. Most people left after the weanling portion of the sale. There were just no buyers. When the sale began there was standing room only - by the end it was all but deserted. Mares that were older and/or open were guaranteed to be a no-bid. It was very sad. It was a good thing I didn't have a trailer, cause I would have gone home with a few ladies.

That being said - some of those mares were quite thin. I was shocked at how poor some of their conditions were. Would 100# have helped them sell better? Maybe not, but it certainly would not have hurt. Same for some of the weanlings. Some were obviously not well prepped, or wormed.

In a nutshell - the nice KY sired weanlings sold well, otherwise they struggled - but this looks to be true at all sales now.

[LB]

Interestingly enough, according to TDN, both the gross and the average for this sale were up a bit from last year. So as meager as the results seem, apparently they're not out of line with what would have been expected.

[AscotStud]

A rare post from Chris not Mike

2 cents from a pleased buyer from the NY sale, it is the one sale I look forward to ever year, I think Todd and the NY staff do a great job pre and post sale, accommodating the big and small buyers. As with any sale quality pedigrees will sell, mares with zero production or light pedigree
are very tough.
This year’s sale I thought had a lot of very nice proven mares but the cover dates seemed to be late May or June making them a tough sell. The last three mare I have bought out of the NY sale all remained open after late foalings, as a buyer I was willing to buy quality older black type mares given the fact I’d most likely sit on them for a year, the same reason the stud farms are willing to let them go for under the stud fees.
I believe the regional mix sales are the best marketplace for small breeders to acquire older black type mares at a faction of what they would cost it they where younger. The last two years I’ve recommended some of my clients who have 5k maidens with no page who I refused to breed, to buys these so called unwanted older mares from the NY sale, who I would love to breed to my stallions, but still with no success.
For the posters whom are interested in the prospect of a give away mare take another look at the catalog and plan your trip for next year, IMO nothing tops an older mare with a proven pedigree and proven runners, at these prices they are a win win.

[ASB]

I very much agree with what Ascot said. Older, quality mares often go over-looked in that sale. There's some good buys.