Pedigree Query

I called F-T yesterday to find out when the catalog for this sale will be available, either in print or online, and they said they are still taking entries for it - which were due to close Sept. 22. Is this normal for other sales, i.e. do they have a hard and fast entry closing date? Or I was wondering if F-T has been inundated with additional requests from people wanting to unload broodmares, etc. With the recent trend of sales, this one may have a lot of nice bloodstock going dirt cheap.

Obs Jan sale WINTER MIXED SALE
January 6 - 9, 2009
(Closing November 7, 2008)

Not sure what the norm is for FT but norm for Obs is that.

It is quite common for them to still have a book open coming on the heels of sales with so MANY RNA's and outs. The sales company wants as many entries as POSSIBLE. Sept 22 isn't THAT long ago. But I imagine consignors will only have a couple more days at the most.

I think they are talking about the Texas sale?

Entries closed Sept 21st for the Mid-Atlantic sale

Entries closed Sept 29th for the Texas sale


Both sales are Mixed Sales.

I got my catalog proofs from my consignor so I know that fasig-Tipton is at least that far along.

From the daily Brisnet report:

Fasig-Tipton Midlantic has cataloged 389 entries for its December Mixed Sale at Timonium, Maryland, which will now be conducted in a single session on December 8. Catalogs are on online and will be mailed on November 4...

This is strange. This sale has always been two days and close to 600 horses. I figured everyone would be dumping their stock and the sale would be bigger. I never expected it to be fewer horses given the state of the economy.

In my experience it costs somewhere around $2500 to take a horse to a sale like that if you do it yourself, more if you hire a consignor... why would you BOTHER if the market is telling you there is almost no chance you will get your money back??

Madelyn

Would you be so kind as to break out the costs on your $2500 estimate?

The FTTEX catalog fee is $300, the commision is 5% (minimum $600). Incidentals including halter, stall gate, hauling, etc probably add another $300-$500. What other costs are you including?

Any way you look at it there is a significant expense in taking a horse to a sale!

Thanks

Chuck

Our FT winter sale is $750 to enter ($400 with entry, 5% commission min $350). Add $675 for x-rays and scope. Allow $150 for vaccinations, new coggins, health certificate, etc. $50 per horse for farrier. If I take them myself, I have about $75 per horse fuel. Stall card, halter, and blanket (winter sale) can run $150 per horse. I have hotel and meals ($80 per day estimated) for me + additional - I take at least one helper per two horses. I have day help $100 day - divided is $50 per horse per day. There is hay, grain and straw, allow $15 per horse per day. Grooming products, allow $10 per horse per sale (hair shine, hoof polish, etc etc etc) Allow for loss (shank that vanishes, brushes that vanish, fork or bucket or feeder that vanishes hose missing water heater borrowed and not returned etc etc etc) $40 per sale. I include BC nomination because I ONLY nominate foals for sales - so that is $500 a horse, and that all rounds up to about $2500 per head for racing stock (weanling, yearling, two year old, horse of racing age).

Most people I know say it costs about $1k/horse to sell at FT-TX.

FT Midlantic sales run you about $3,000 if you are selling with a consigner. Individual costs are about:

$500 entry fee
$500 or 5% minimum commission to sale company (whichever is greater)
$60 sale halter
$27 stall card
$550 vet (scope/xrays)
The greater of ($850 minimum commision) or (5% to agent if sold) or (2 1/2% if an RNA)
$95 day board at sale - at least 3 days
$125 vanning to sale
$90 advertising (agent)
$90 pedigree research (agent)

Total $3,077

These fees are as of September 2007, and could be more this year. I've also had some fun little extras like a daily medication fee ($15) for dropping pills in the feed tub and stitches to one colt from a gash while in transit.

This does not include any sales prep. I have my own place, so I prep them myself. If some one else is doing the prep, then you would also have to include those expenses for six weeks at the very least.

To Madelyn, not questioning you but just curious how you get to 15 a day for hay grain and straw . A bag of grain is say 12, bale of hay 6-8, and bale of straw 2-3. Thats a total of 20 bucks. Seems to me it should work out to 10-12 dollars a day max.

At the sale grounds, the hay is $8 a bale, straw is $6 a bale. You could always haul it in yourself and use more labor and gas to save a few bucks. Plus you will use twice the amount of straw at a sale as the stalls are picked out ALL DAY LONG and again at night to prevent the horses from getting the tiniest bit dirty.

My figures are estimated - costs will vary a bit here or there.

The consignor across from us at the Midlantic yearling sale hadn't brought enough hay & had to pay something like $20/bale. She was from far enough away [NY] that going home for a load wasn't possible & not knowing any local hay dealers, she didn't have a lot of other options.

Everything costs more, once you get to the sale ground & realize you need it.