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Highlife Farm Auction

Sport Horse Breeding
#301

Agreed!! I’m betting much of this was “who you know” auction – the rich (or formerlyrich) selling to their buds. Some of these horses may find their way to the killer pen some day, but killer buyers don’t frequent these types of auctions.

I’m really shocked how naive some COTHERS seem to be about auctions – there are some VERY classy and expensive auctions for horses out there where no horse will end up with a killer. In this case they were well bred and probably sold for a loss, but they are not “killer” quality. Geeze, I saw someone pay $4000 for a famous (but VERY OLD) Teke mare who had 13 foals. Never did anything but look at her in the pasture. Just to say she owned her.

All I can say is I have horses being offered for close to those prices and of equal quality and I’m not getting swamped with offers.

I think these guys did good all things considered. And I’m sure they will get a huge tax break on the loss.

#302

Grandson was standing behind me being coached by Ken. I do not know the farm or family personally - this was my first encounter -

Incredible, but totally believable…:rolleyes:

#303

The totals

Based on my notes, totals look like this:

Warmblood stallions, colts and geldings - $169,000
This figure does NOT include Prezioso ($150,000), Der Dollar ($80,000), or Dionysius ($76,000), who were reportedly bought back by the house (although there seems to be some confusion about Dionysius).

Warmblood mares - $211,900

Ponies - $49,200

Drafts and draft crosses - $15,500

Mini’s - $4600

Donkey - $500

Grand total is $407,800, again excluding the three stallions reportedly bought back by the house.

So glad everything sold that they actually wanted to sell, and I wish the critters happy long lives with their new owners.

It will be very interesting to see where Prezioso, Der Dollar, and Dionysius end up.

#304

[QUOTE=Crossroads Farm;6463970]
It’s this kind of crap that gives auctions in the US a bad name. Horses advertised as having no reserve, yet “the house” buys them, sellers not accepting the high bidder prices, ridiculous over market prices from bidders who perhaps don’t actually exist… What’s the point? I don’t appreciate the colossal waste of time. Compare this auction with the one at Horses Unlimited last year- that auction provided all health records, current video, and information on each horse, and everything was truly sold for the high bid, to real bidders. I do believe that many of the horses last night were actually sold, especially the ponies and broodmares. But the cloud of suspicion that surrounds many of the others puts a bad taste in people’s mouths, and hurts legitimate sales down the road.[/QUOTE]

Then take a look at the results from the VDL Auction in Florida

http://bid.vdlauction.com/Wellington-VDL-Auction_as22490?ps=100

VDL did it right with the marketing the venue and nice horses. I think the majority of the horses would have sold for less money on private sales. I really wish there was an auction like this one where the dollars stay in the US.

#305

We’ve been to a number of sales like this where the horses are bid up and called “sold” but you find out later they really were not. I agree that it’s deceitful and gives auctions a bad name, as people no longer trust them and give up on it.

#306

Wow, I never would have thought that auctions worked in this way… I’m glad I’m learning my lesson the easy way this time! For as long as I have had horses in my life I have for the most part managed to avoid these types of shady dealings. ‘Thank you’ to the people who were there for sharing their experiences at this particular auction.

#307

using stallions to lure in $$$$$$ buyers?

[QUOTE=Charlie1;6464106]
I agree with RiverOaks that Damacles was the best buy of the evening 18.5K. He was a stunning mover and definitely has huge potential if trained under the right person. [/QUOTE]

Yes, good eye. I agree. (BTW, RiverOaks, please check your PM’s!)

Does anyone think the sellers used the stallions as bait to lure in high dollar buyers? Once they were there and had money to burn they didn’t want to go home empty handed so they went ahead and overpaid for other horses instead?

#308

I really think people just got caught up in the hype. And what she was saying wasn’t always true. “Look at that great trot” and the horse was clearly lame and they knew it! Dionysius did sell.

#309

horses

i have trained:
Der Euro, Floraboyd, Material Girl, La Fancy Nancy, Ostria, High Society, Fuerst Dollar, Je t’aime, Lucena, Precious Princess, Cavalli King, Bulgari Boy and Navina.

anybody here who bought one of these or know where they went? i would like to stay in contact.

thanks
nicole

www.nj-dressage.com

#310

o.k. i know where euro, pebbles, penny, lucy and cavalli king are.

any informations on these ladies: flora, fancy, material girl, ostria and the ponies: navina and bulgari boy
and the dollar babies: fuerst dollar, high society and je t’aime?

i hope they all went to good and loving homes, they deserve it. thank you for buying these wonderful horses.

nicole

#311

[QUOTE=orlando dressage;6468371]
o.k. i know where euro, pebbles, penny, lucy and cavalli king are.

any informations on these ladies: flora, fancy, material girl, ostria and the ponies: navina and bulgari boy
and the dollar babies: fuerst dollar, high society and je t’aime?

i hope they all went to good and loving homes, they deserve it. thank you for buying these wonderful horses.

nicole[/QUOTE]

I have bidder numbers written down for some of them, but I don’t know the bidder names.

What are real names of Pebbles, Penny, Flora, and Fancy?

I believe J’Taime was purchased by the same people who bought Pik Pave, Lucena, Cavalli King, and Diamond Rhodes. They were mentioned earlier on this thread - it is a nearby H/J operation. They also bought the barn and some of the parcels of land.

#312

Penny is Precious Princess; Fancy is La Fancy Nancy. Not sure re the other two.

#313

[QUOTE=DownYonder;6468602]
I have bidder numbers written down for some of them, but I don’t know the bidder names.

What are real names of Pebbles, Penny, Flora, and Fancy?

I believe J’Taime was purchased by the same people who bought Pik Pave, Lucena, Cavalli King, and Diamond Rhodes. They were mentioned earlier on this thread - it is a nearby H/J operation. They also bought the barn and some of the parcels of land.[/QUOTE]

I think of that farm as being primarily an eventing barn. They’ve got a great program, good trainers. I’m glad to see the horses going to such well established horse people.

#314

precious princess

i know where penny is. pm me if you would like contact info.

#315

[QUOTE=pamisioux2;6463807]
Me too - she was GORGEOUS & sound. What a marvelous old dame!!![/QUOTE]

I found this thread when googling AMAZONE and wanted to post that we are the people who bought her. She is safe and sound and will have a very good home with us. We are very happy to have her and may try to breed her one time. We’ll see what the vet says. At any rate, we already love her and plan to keep her either way. She is a perfect lady…beautiful, sweet and sound…

#316

I’m so happy to hear that Amazone is loved.
I’m very happy for you both.

#317

Highlife’s Floraboyd was sold several years ago at a previous auction as a weanling for 33k. She was by Connecticut out of Ferdonia 2. She ended up in Naples, but her owners later had to sell out. I believe they kept her, but don’t know if they still have her now. It’s been several years.

Jeunesse d’Or sold to a woman in England who used to ride her at Highlife Farms. She will arrive there this coming Friday. She was one of my favorites, and I’m sad to see her go so far away but thrilled she’s going to a home where she will be loved and fully appreciated. She was well worth the money both for a broodmare and as a riding horse.

What a lot of people don’t understand is that many of the mares weren’t bred for several years not because of any problem on their end, but because Highlife simply stopped breeding. They had trouble keeping in breeding managers, as they were sadly very good at causing problems with them. Some people did try to take advantage of the Sims, yes, but the Sims were just as guilty other times. They went through three just while I was boarding there alone. Jeda was well worth every penny, both for breeding and as a riding horse.

Ridgewood, I am beyond thrilled that you have Amazone. She is one of the sweetest and kindest horses I have ever known, I was so worried for her. Bless you for taking her in and loving her so much already, regardless of the vets decision. She is truly a gem and deserves the very best.

Does anyone know who bought Furiana? She was another of my favs.

#318

Whoever bought Alessandra was literally in tears when the gavel went down - there was some obvious connection she felt w/ the mare, so its pretty clear she went to a home where she will be well loved.

#319

sorry for using the short names. pebbles is pik pave, peny is precious princess, flora is floraboyd and fancy is la fancy nancy.

are you sure je t’aime went to class act as well? like pik pave, lucena, cavalli king, rubies and diamonds, commander and chief,… i thought jennie jarnström was more interested in bigger horses.

#320

i rode dionysius once and he was dead at the leg and concrete in the mouth. really no fun to ride. probably a good rider can undo the damage that has been done to him by bad riding.

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