Stallion Service Auctions

[winestone1]

Can someone please tell me how to find stallion service auctions since they don't seem to advertise them much.

Thanks, Jodi

[jellac]

You just missed a good auction on Starquine.com...in which many of the proceeds went to Hurricane Katrina victims relief efforts, though some of the stallion owners/bidders have been less than impressed with the Starquine organization's handling of the details. Still there were - and possibally still remain (?) - some bargains to be had there for NY-based stallions, other regional stallions; even some up and coming possibilities in KY - I think.

Here's a link for you to the annual Texas Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stallion Season Auction. Don't be put off by the geographic aspect - for the past two years there have been seasons for several KY based stallions, a FL based stallion or two, some up and coming LA based stallions (whose offspring have done well at auciton, BTW) and others offered in addition to those for Texas based stallions.

http://www.texasthoroughbred.com/TTA/De ... ?TabID=159

I think that Indiana, Illinois, Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and several other regions/states/charities also run stallion season auctions in the fall months. One that I recall as having loads of opportunities is the Georgia Thoroughbred Breeders' annual acution, which if I also recall correctly tends to close a bit later than most of the others. It has always been a very geographicly broad based stallion season auction with seasons to stallions from all over the Eastern half of the US, proven sires and freshman stallions. LSU has a stallion auction but it is not exclusively for thoroughbreds...still some decent regional La. based stallions are often there. Re-Run also has such an auction..(I think - it may be another thoroughbred retirement/new career placement organization for ex-racers that I am thinking of.)

The best source for keeping up with all of these auctions is probabally The Bloodhorse and/or the Thoroughbred Times....simply going thru each issue between now and say March 15 ought to cover them all. Just thumb through the issue, checking the ads. OR...Instead of searching for "stallion season/share auctions" - try googling for the stallion you want to breed to by his name, followed by "Season", then "Auction" or "Bid". If nothing comes up keep dropping the terms from the right hand side until all you have is his name. IF he's had a season offered at an auction you should be able to find an on-line reference to it and go from there. You can always ask the stallion manager too - it's in their best interest to generate bidding pressure for their stallions' offered seasons - so should let you know if there will be any seasons available in this manner.

It is my impression/recollection that most of the regional based Breeders organizations have their auctions begin and close early on, before the breeding sheds open so you need to have your stallion (or stallions) options sorted out, know how you're going to get the mare to the stallion's farm for breeding (and possibally where else she'll go locally for boarding until in foal), etc. then be poised and ready to submit your bids. YOu should also have a good idea of what a good price for that particular stallion's season is...many are discounted for mares judged to be of the right pedigree or of good female family, race history etc. i.e. more likely to add to that stallion's stats than not. Others are only discounted for volumes of mares brought to him, early bookings, early payment etc. It's kind of like trying to find the 'least expensive' airline seat to a certain destination months from now....do you committ now to the excellent on-line advertised fare and have it in hand....or do you wait for something better to come along????

The facility where the mare will be bred and boarded pending her being pronounced in foal are no small consideration. YOu want to not only get back a mare "in-foal" but one who is in good flesh, well trimmed and manageable from having been treated well, fairly and consistently.... not a bag of bones, with long toed, cracked hooves and a bad attitude toward human kind. Once sent to another farm she will be exposed to infectious agents, even those she has been 'vaccinated for' but for which her immunity is one of a herd immunity rather than a broad spectrum immunity....be sure the boarding facility where you'll send your mare has an excellent rep not just glossy photos. Be absolutely sure that the management of that farm knows the degree to which you want to be in communication about anything...or just the major things that may and sometimes, though rarely, do occurr.

Obviously before you look for Stallion Season Auctions to bid upon you need to have taken a keen look at your mare - not only her conformation and physical/temperment aspects but her pedigree/female family affinities, if any. You should have some idea of what sort of foal you are trying to produce: a regional breed to race type, a distance horse, a precocious 2YO capable runner, a turf specialist, a yearling auction candidate, a foal that has a high probability of running and winning - at some level - for several years, helping to "make" your maiden mare, a foal to raise and race yourself on the local track(s), a dual purpose horse: possible race horse but with the fall back of becoming an eventer/fox hunter/H-J show horse? YOur mare should have been vetted and either pronounced clean and ready to breed/caslicked or on a program to get there come Feb. 14th or so. You should have inspected the stallion (and farm where he stands) to be absolutely sure this is the guy for your gal. Photos can be flattering...or even less than so than they could be such that you base your choices on incomplete evidence if you rely upon them. Statistics have to not only be compared but weighed against circumstances that may have influenced them... to the extent you can find them out or are familiar with them. (Psst - doing a "search" on the stallion's name of earlier posts/threads on this site - and others - is one way to hear lots of varying opinions about most of the stallions in KY, FL and NY in that order that are in the news, new to the breeding sheds or have had some early success stirring up a buzz. )

Be sure you know if you're bidding on NFG seasons or what ever other terms may apply beforehand -ignorance is no excuse. As noted in a thread elsewhere on this forum it is wise to try and get some handle on how fertile the chosen groom may be.....or may not be before bidding on a No LFG season....especially if he's up in years and the "golden parachute" offered for less than stellar fertility is a 'free return'. It is also wise to know what events the stallion is nominated for and what the costs his progeny may have to bear to maintain their eligibility for such "engagements" as these can add - or not - to the prospective offspring's value in a given market. As well make sure that you're up to speed on all the "regional bred" accredidation standards so that if you desire that foal to be an "X-state" bred then it will meet all the qualifications for being so designated.


Good luck

[Roguelet]

The Indiana (ITOBA) Stallion Seasons Auction will be held December 1 - 10 this year. The auction will be held on Starquine and we will also have phone bidding available on the final day of the auction. More info to come...