Although, yet again I find myself drawn to the one I probably can’t afford, lol. I REALLY like juennesse d’or, and that was just off her puncture then pedigree! The mOre I look her up, the more I’m sure I will be outbid…
[QUOTE=DownYonder;6452861]
I try not to respond to these “ignorant and arrogant” 
sermons from Cartier, but I will point out the following:
1 – the Sims were successful business people long before they got into the sporthorse world. One would assume they know how to put together a business plan. Whether or not they did so is no one’s business except their own.
2 – It is pretty laughable to think that private sellers, auction houses, etc., are supposed to “vet” the business plan of a prospective buyer. In fact, I imagine if a seller asked a buyer for a copy of their business plan, they would get told off pretty fast.
3 – Even enterprises with solid business plans fail.
4 – As I mentioned before, the Sims had very good guidance from very good people when they started building their breeding program (and yes, from people with “education and ability” – i.e., PhD’s, DVMs, highly experienced and successful breeders, etc.). While they initially took some of that advice, they later ignored similar good advice from those same people – including recommendations to curtail the willy-nilly buying and breeding. It was, in fact, some of that later advice from certain registry people that sent the Sims off in a huff and into affiliations with other registries that were happy to take their money.
Whatever the reasons for the closing of Highlife Farm, the important thing is that the horses find soft landings. If you can help in that regard, than good on you. If you can’t, then maybe you should just climb back up there in your ivory tower and find something else to ruminate about. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
Chris, you utterly missed my point. But before going forward, I am not sure that any one of us is the all consuming expert here. For one thing, there is simply too much self-interest involved and for another, we are speaking of opinion for the most part, and not objective fact. I have watched this market for well over a decade and have my take on it, informed by experience and input from successful breeders who were there at the beginning, many of whom have faded from the scene.
My comments about poor governance were related to the industry as a whole, not to Highlife Farm. I am including things like the failure to have one life time number for a horse, that tracks the horses accomplishments throughout it’s life, so that breeders can actually get credit for what they produce, and the public can also see what American breeders are producing. But your response is spot on for another huge problem and the goes back to the divisive tone of registries… and the utter failure to build harmony and consensus. There was an opportunity years ago to build a market here for American Breeders… but it seems to me that the leadership (most of whom are not American citizens, and many of whom are breeding and selling on the side) did not understand how to build the market for us. At best they built on a market for breeders outside the US.
[QUOTE=siegi b.;6452815]
Oy vey, Cartier!! I feel like slashing my wrists after reading your post… You should write dramatic love stories:lol::lol:![/QUOTE]
Sure… I’ll get right on it… the novel will open with: “It was a dark and stormy night, and sweet little Siegi lay in a lifeless heap in the barn aisle… a tender creature, who died at her own hand, too fragile for the world, snuffed out by an errant post on a horse forum.” :lol:
That aside, from reading some of your posts over the years I have the impression that you are one of very few breeders who had a business model that worked within the larger market here, in part because of the quality of what you are offering and in part because you are in a position to keep what you breed until it is truly ready to offer.
But regardless of where you are in this market… it is shrinking, venues are gone, show entries are down, some shows are gone completely… the interest and enthusiasm that breeders had even ten years ago is simply not there. I don’t think it was just one single thing that lead to the downturn. Rather, I think the current situation reflects a myriad of poor choices.
[QUOTE=Cartier;6454009]
Chris, you utterly missed my point.[/QUOTE]
Nope, I got your point all right. As did a lot of other folks.
Whatever - the main point of this thread is to try to help these horses find good homes so the ones that don’t sell don’t get shipped off to a slaughter auction. THAT is what we should be focusing on - not making sly insinuations that the demise of Highlife Farm can be blamed on “foreign” registry officials.
[QUOTE=hluing;6453271]
I was at Highlife Farm today and have to disagree with the poster who said the horses were in great condition. The ones I saw were thin to very thin. I was actually quite shocked at some of thier conditions. There were no vet records available and the info on breeding histories were sketchy.It was quite sad as it was so clearly not the Highlife of old! Highlife has been very influential in my breeding program and it is indeed sad to see the end of the era.[/QUOTE]
This is what I feared, and quite honestly, I had heard from someone who was there some months ago that the place was in a downward spiral. The remaining staff was doing what they could, but the budget was extremely tight and feed programs had been slashed to the bone. Yet the Sims still declined some very good offers for some of those horses. 
Haha Horsecrazy you and I have similar taste. Which is what I mean by these horses aren’t going to be cheap for the most part.
I will say I got to see some go today and I will say be careful with some of the older ones if you’re bidding and not there if you want a riding horse. I don’t know what is being disclosed but some do have soundness issues. 
For the most part most were in good flesh. There were a few that were thinner but not emaciated. The 2 year olds looked really nice though if someone is looking there. It’s hard to tell with the older colts because I feel like they’re being pushed to try to look good quickly. They don’t have many rides so who knows what they really are. Besides nice geldings.
Hi there - I have spoken to Gloria Gilleland of Wilson Auctions today. Current coggins, worming and last vaccinations will be released, but apparently no previous health records, no additional health records or any breeding records. Buyer will have this information attached to their copy of the sales contract. Horses cannot leave the farm until payment has cleared the bank - online bidders will have their deposits debited upon conclusion of the sale and can remove the horses by noon Sunday without any board fees. On site buyers paying by personal check have to leave the horses on site until the check clears or wired funds are received (at which time they will shred the check) I sent out an email to a group we have here in Central Florida and have 3 people who have trailers and/or stalls/paddocks that can take horses off HighLife for online buyers and out of town buyers. I can put interested people in touch with them directly so buyers and locals can sort out terms on their own. These folks are just good horse lovers willing to help new owners move them off Highlife and would all be available on Sunday morning. Just let me know if you need their information.
Awesome! Well Im sure my tastes will put me in a position to be out bid… I have to factor in a $2500 shipping fee, ugh, but there are several that I like, the girls for a broodmare or I’ll bid on the youngsters for my next riding horse, but my budget isn’t huge - especially with having to add shipping- so I’m not getting my hopes up too much
Has anyone seen or know anything about the ponies - Levi, Chablis, or Cotton Candie Cutie? Thanks
I am sure that’s not what you meant, but this part of your message highlights why sporthorse sales can’t work in the US.
Why is it that when horses are auctionned off people only think they might end up in a slaughterhouse? I’d bet most people on this thread will be surprised by the price brought in by these horses.
Let’s not get dramatic here… Wishing the horses happy new owners!
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6456811]
I am sure that’s not what you meant, but this part of your message highlights why sporthorse sales can’t work in the US.
Why is it that when horses are auctionned off people only think they might end up in a slaughterhouse? I’d bet most people on this thread will be surprised by the price brought in by these horses.
Let’s not get dramatic here… Wishing the horses happy new owners![/QUOTE]
The horses are being sold without reserve. That usually means - “they must go”.
What do you think will happen to the ones that don’t sell at this auction? Do you think the Sims will continue to maintain them for the rest of their natural lives? Or will it be the responsibility of the auction company to dispose of them? What do you suppose an auction company that is not used to dealing in horses will do with a bunch of unsellable horses? There have been similar cases where the horses were sent off to a low-end auction house - and some (many?) left that auction house on a slaughter truck.
So again, the point is to try to help as many of these horses as possible find good homes so they don’t suffer a similar fate.
[QUOTE=DownYonder;6456979]
The horses are being sold without reserve. That usually means - “they must go”.
What do you think will happen to the ones that don’t sell at this auction? Do you think the Sims will continue to maintain them for the rest of their natural lives? Or will it be the responsibility of the auction company to dispose of them? What do you suppose an auction company that is not used to dealing in horses will do with a bunch of unsellable horses? There have been similar cases where the horses were sent off to a low-end auction house - and some (many?) left that auction house on a slaughter truck.
So again, the point is to try to help as many of these horses as possible find good homes so they don’t suffer a similar fate.[/QUOTE]
I understand, I just don’t think this is the type of auction to attract killer buyers and that horses will be left off to fend for themselves at the end of the day!
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6457029]
I understand, I just don’t think this is the type of auction to attract killer buyers and that horses will be left off to fend for themselves at the end of the day![/QUOTE]
Me either, there’s not that many horses and all of them are great quality.
[QUOTE=EquusMagnificus;6457029]
I understand, I just don’t think this is the type of auction to attract killer buyers and that horses will be left off to fend for themselves at the end of the day![/QUOTE]
Once again you are missing the point. THIS auction - i.e., the Highlife auction - probably won’t attract killer buyers.
However, it is highly unlikely every horse is going to sell at the Highlife auction. Remember, there are no vet records, breeding records, etc., being provided. So if no one wants to take a chance on the older broodmares because no one can vouch for their breeding soundness, or no one wants to buy a riding horse who looks a little “off” - what happens to THOSE horses?
If the mandate is that ALL horses must go SOMEWHERE, an auction company with no experience dealing in horses is very likely to ship the whole remaining kit and kaboodle off to ANOTHER auction house that DOES deal in horses. And THAT auction house may very likely have ties to killer buyers - either by selling directly to them, or by shipping the horses off to a THIRD auction location.
THAT is my concern, and should be the concern of everyone reading this thread. So again, the point of this thread is to try to get as many of the horses sold/placed into good homes as possible so they don’t end up on a truck headed to Mexico.
so downyonder, maybe you should go buy the ones nobody else wants?
not trying to be snarky, but sometimes horses just aren’t desirable enough and the only option left is euth or slaughter.
There are a few teenaged broodies (including one who is 20), and the minis (one of whom is 26 years old), so I can understand DY’s concern.
I wish I could take Cletus.
-Gigha
I agree with Down Yonder. I do think there is considerable concern for some of the older and unsound horses and ponies. I am worried about one in her late teens I looked at who looked terrible, clearly unsound and has been open for 4 years. Yikes… as a breeder, not a good investment. I can’t even imagine with minis.
I think this auction will be all over the place. A few high dollar sales, quite a few sales for good money and quite a few no sales. Like DY said, those are the ones to worry about thier future:( Plus, with limited vet records and many unstarted horses that should have been started years ago…it is a pig in a poke. You could get a great deal or a money sucker. In this economy, that is a tough risk.
Someone who is there, ask the auction company what the plans are for horses that don’t sell. Perhaps they will sell priveately after and they can go on a trailer with a sold horse, so at least the chance of a good home is possible?
Why in the heck won’t the owners release the health and breeding records on these horses before they sell? What kind of business practice is that? Not fair at all to the horses, that’s for sure.
Just a couple of years ago, there was a dispersal sale in MI of a well known higher end breeder of fancy Welsh ponies. Because of this forum, COTHers showed up enmass and no ponies went to slaughter. BTW, there were plenty on that thread that said there would be no kill buyers at a dispersal sale and guess what? THere were. One horse was truly $5 from going to slaughter.
IF there are horses that are clearly at risk, and IF reliable first hand witnesses will be there to send information back to COTHers, and IF we can get ourselves organized beforehand, is there any interest in starting a “Rainbow Bridge” fund like the Enumclaw auction rescue folks do? I am thinking of the horse referenced above who clearly sounds like a risky case…perhaps the best thing would be to give her the last kindness.
I would be willing to donate if something can be arranged with trustworthy folks.
