By Dave Astar
Astar Thoroughbreds
An article by Sheila Williams (Hay, Oats and Water: Yearling Sales) really caught me and several other Minnesota horse men and women off guard. Ms. Williams comments regarding the MTA yearling sale conditions may have been well intended however, it seemed Ms. Williams was questioning the integrity of Minnesota yearling sale consigners. This is unfortunate and inappropriate. I know many of the fine consigners at the auctions, who frankly have done more to support the Minnesota thoroughbred industry than just about any other group. They should be applauded for their efforts, and not have their integrity publicly questioned two weeks before their annual yearling sale.
As you may or may not know, I have purchased more horses from the publicly held Minnesota Thoroughbred sales than anyone over the last six years. As a result, I assume you would consider me credible and I hope you would find my experiences bidding and purchasing in Minnesota to be somewhat more contemporary than the solitary 1989 Kentucky experience Ms. Williams related to in her blog commentary.
First and foremost, many of the Minnesota consigners are the finest people I have had the pleasure to meet in my life. My business has taken me all over this country and I have lived in some 15 locales. Simply, the honesty and integrity of Minnesota horsemen and women is exceptional. Their work ethic is admirable and they do an excellent job preparing their horses for the rigors of a public sale. I have never found them to not answer any question that I have asked at a sale. Those buyers who know how to ask the right questions, and properly evaluate yearling potential, have been well rewarded in Minnesota as evidenced by the continuing list of successful Minnesota Thoroughbred Association sale graduates.
Personally, I have had some public auction success which I believe is a direct result of the hard work consigners put in to caring for yearlings I have been fortunate enough to purchase. From our first stakes winner (The KB Kid), to our 2-year-old winners this year (Supreme Warrior, Ice Rocket and Silver Senorita), we feel fortunate to have first discovered these fine individuals presented at MTA auctions. I am not alone and as you know both 2007 2-year-old champions (A.J.Bakes and Wild Shifter), were presented at the prior MTA yearling sale.
I do agree with Ms. Williams that ongoing improvement in sale transparency and adoption of repository based health information would help buyers. Nevertheless, buyers who simply look at a yearling's physical conformation to make a purchase, without evaluating such mundane items as nicking, birth order, in depth pedigree analysis, past comparative foal success, physical growth potential, and real racing (not show) conformation, will be less successful than others. Good buyers also often pay for veterinary analysis including scoping, x-rays and tests.
Astar Thoroughbreds
An article by Sheila Williams (Hay, Oats and Water: Yearling Sales) really caught me and several other Minnesota horse men and women off guard. Ms. Williams comments regarding the MTA yearling sale conditions may have been well intended however, it seemed Ms. Williams was questioning the integrity of Minnesota yearling sale consigners. This is unfortunate and inappropriate. I know many of the fine consigners at the auctions, who frankly have done more to support the Minnesota thoroughbred industry than just about any other group. They should be applauded for their efforts, and not have their integrity publicly questioned two weeks before their annual yearling sale.
As you may or may not know, I have purchased more horses from the publicly held Minnesota Thoroughbred sales than anyone over the last six years. As a result, I assume you would consider me credible and I hope you would find my experiences bidding and purchasing in Minnesota to be somewhat more contemporary than the solitary 1989 Kentucky experience Ms. Williams related to in her blog commentary.
First and foremost, many of the Minnesota consigners are the finest people I have had the pleasure to meet in my life. My business has taken me all over this country and I have lived in some 15 locales. Simply, the honesty and integrity of Minnesota horsemen and women is exceptional. Their work ethic is admirable and they do an excellent job preparing their horses for the rigors of a public sale. I have never found them to not answer any question that I have asked at a sale. Those buyers who know how to ask the right questions, and properly evaluate yearling potential, have been well rewarded in Minnesota as evidenced by the continuing list of successful Minnesota Thoroughbred Association sale graduates.
Personally, I have had some public auction success which I believe is a direct result of the hard work consigners put in to caring for yearlings I have been fortunate enough to purchase. From our first stakes winner (The KB Kid), to our 2-year-old winners this year (Supreme Warrior, Ice Rocket and Silver Senorita), we feel fortunate to have first discovered these fine individuals presented at MTA auctions. I am not alone and as you know both 2007 2-year-old champions (A.J.Bakes and Wild Shifter), were presented at the prior MTA yearling sale.
I do agree with Ms. Williams that ongoing improvement in sale transparency and adoption of repository based health information would help buyers. Nevertheless, buyers who simply look at a yearling's physical conformation to make a purchase, without evaluating such mundane items as nicking, birth order, in depth pedigree analysis, past comparative foal success, physical growth potential, and real racing (not show) conformation, will be less successful than others. Good buyers also often pay for veterinary analysis including scoping, x-rays and tests.
In closing, good horse people know full well that it takes one good horse in the barn to support another six or so. That is the kind of performance variation that exists, and has existed for years, in the thoroughbred business. Consequently, an individual data point or an occasional experience means little. Buyers need to understand the extreme variation that exists in horse ownership and if they do, there is possibly no better place in the country to make an honest fair priced purchase of a thoroughbred than at the MTA public auctions.
2 comments:
The Equine Athletes of Tomorrow will have their opportunity to be paraded and sold at the annual Minnesota Thoroughbred Yearling Auction on July 26, 2008. This sale is exclusive to the Minnesota bred foals of 2007 and represents the hard work and commitment of many breeders across the State. Thoroughbreds are selectively bred with confirmation and manner in mind. Each and every yearling is a champion in his/her own right. As sucklings, they cling close to their dams; as weanlings, they frolick with their peers; and now, as they graduate to the sale ring, the yearlings await your inspection. Side by side, the prospective buyer can compare, evaluate, and inspect the yearlings before their hip number is called to the sale arena. Even to the most discerning eye, whether by blood test, x-ray vision, or accuracy of a measuring tape, one cannot measure the heart within these glorious animals. May each yearling shine at the sale, and may each breeder enjoy the glory that our equine athletes have to offer.
Go and train well. Minnesota will be watching and recognizing each of our equine athletes as champions.
Barb Klaes
Mr. Aster, I have nevered intended to question the integrity of Minnesota's consignors. I am asking the MTA to step ahead of the rest of the industry and increase the prices and numbers of yearlings sold by creating more transparency. Indeed,I am thrilled that you, as a new kid on the block, (no pun intended)have invested in Minnesota's horse racing industry. I have worked for a healthy racing industry here for 26 years in various capacities. I will do so until they carry me away. I am writing this blog to create responses and interest such as yours. We all benefit from debate and discussion. I try to focus on principles, not personalities. By the way, my lone experience with a yearliing was not in Kentucky. It was in barn 4-D the old Canterbury Downs. And not much has changed since then.
I wish you the best if you are consigning next week or purchasing. Congrats on your wonderful horses.
Nose rubs to all of them,
Sheila Williams
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