The 2015 auction got off to a chilly start on Friday evening with a Free Jumping display of all the auction riding horses, which showcased the young horses’ jumping abilities. On Saturday, the early birds among the auction-goers were greeted by a thick layer of frost, but the Callaho Team had been up since well before dawn, busy grooming, plaiting horses and doing final preparations for the big day. In the morning, each horse treated the audience to a display of its paces and jumping ability, with the auction itself taking place in the afternoon, and the day ending with a sociable braai around warm bonfires.
2015 Auction prices on average were very fair, with the majority of the riding horses (twenty one lots) selling for R190 000 and under. There were some exceptionally good buys in this price range, including Liberty (R95,000), Conjour (R120,000) Blanchet (R160,000), Luther (R160,000), Fabio (R140,000) and Fanfare (R145,000).
In the upper price range, six horses fetched figures in the R200,000’s, five in the R300,000’s and five sold for R400,000 and above. The horses which fetched the highest prices were Sancho (Stakkato/Quidam de Revel/Grannus/Goya) who was knocked down for R560,000, Brigitte Bardot (Benicio/Ferro/Brandenburg Clifton/Simply) and Lisandor (Lissabon/Landor S/ Compliment/Glueckspilz) , who both sold for R420,000.
Buyers on the whole were thrilled at the very reasonable auction prices, and noted that with this pool of quality horses available locally at such fair prices there was certainly no longer any need for a South African buyer to travel to Europe in search of a horse.
Auction Stats:
Highest price (Riding Horse): R560,000
Lowest price (Riding Horse): R95,000
Average price (Riding Horses): R213,000
Highest price (Broodmare): R135,000
Lowest price (Broodmare): R75,000
Average price (Broodmares): R93,000
