The time for rearing the foals has come. It often is the same time that these young animals change owners. According to Nico Witte, who himself adds young talents to his stables every year and is involved as selector for the SELL Foal Auction Brabant, it pays off to invest in foals.
It has all the appearance that buying foals, as a majority of rearing facilities are already booked up from the start of the season, becomes a steadily growing trend. Witte did not fail to notice. “I noticed that an increasing number of professional riders are searching for quality foals from proven sport lineages, in order to ensure themselves of later good candidates for the big work.”
According to this true-blooded horseman, this new tendency is easy to explain. “A good 3- or 4-yr-old is impossibly dear, in fact, the really good ones are no longer for sale because they are already owned by someone who wants to put them to use himself.”
Therefore, to invest in a foal pays off, so Witte believes. Besides, the auction is useful, he adds. “Where do I get the chance to see so much quality in one day? And the foals have been selected by people who have shown that they know their job.”
For several years Witte has acted as selector for the auction in Brabant. He says it was a logical choice. “First, I am a true Brabander, which makes me feel attached to this auction as it is in the same province as where I am from. And I really like the work. It is not just something to fill my time with, because I have plenty to do, but I really like to go scouting with the other boys, Arie Hamoen, Leo de Bruijn and Sjef van Rijswijk. Selecting quality foals is enormously fascinating.”
Also this year Witte and other selection committee members are responsible for the collection that will come up for auction on 5 September in Asten. “We have a number of foal auctions in the Netherlands, of course. So we are all fishing in the same pond. Even so, I think that we again managed to select a number of fine foals that justify having high expectations.”
This member of the selection committee always buys a few foals himself every year, also at the Asten auction, and several acquisitions turned out to be successful. “For example, the reputable KWPN stallion Charmeur was sold at SELL Foal Auction Brabant as a colt. We still have the stallion and he is almost ready for Grand Prix level. He has also more than proved himself as a sire.”
One thing is for sure, so says Witte, this year he will again try to add new talents to his stables via the auction. Will he succeed? We will see on 5 September.
Look at the foal collection with for example offspring from Glock's Toto jr, Franklin, Daily Diamond, Dream Boy, Everdale, Fürstenball, Glock's Zonik, Hennessy and Negro: www.veulenveiling.nl.