UK show jumping rider Danny Dunne and vet James Crawford have announced the launch of their new website www.goembryo.com. The new ‘classified ad’ site allows owners to advertise mares, whether in sport or in breeding, that they will sell the right to flush an embryo from.
The site simultaneously advertises pregnancies available for purchase in utero. This is in contrast to various embryo auction sites seen online, which sell one embryo at a time: on Go Embryo, any breeder can advertise their due foals as soon as the pregnancy is scanned viable at 60 days, and many adverts run concurrently – all at fixed prices without bidding.
Early discussion with riders and owners suggested to Danny and James that many would love to support the costs of keeping a good mare in work, yet have no answer short of selling her. This use of a breeding asset can be carefully tailored around her ridden work to cause least interruption, yet contribute significantly to annual costs.
From the purchaser aspect, new enthusiasts may plan and breed foals from different mares each year, and therefore quickly expand their genetic base. Equally it gives us all access to offspring from mares who we could not afford to buy as broodmares, yet now can breed foals from.
For those not wanting to wait for the premium prices at European foal auctions, they can select high genetic value foals at an earlier (and therefore cheaper) stage in the process.
The site works with three fixed price brackets, ranging from £3,000 to £13,000, and a ‘custom’ price for more valuable foals and breeding options. Danny explains that the aim is to be a useful portal for all – from the WEG medallist already advertising two embryos, to mares of non-Olympic potential but nonetheless attractive breeding propositions.
Acknowledging the vital importance of both sides knowing what to expect in a novel trade agreement, the site uses a fair price policy (mares available for embryo flushing are subject to a split price, with a down-payment on ‘purchase’ and the larger chunk of her fee when a 60-day pregnancy is confirmed); contracts for both sides when a sale is made (with the option for both parties to discuss variations); and vital pre-advertising and pre-purchase considerations for users.
The site is mobile responsive, uses Paypal for fluidity, and communicates automatically with both parties to broker a purchase. Vendors then have 5 days to choose whether to accept or decline a purchase, and discuss directly any variations to the contract. Adverts are priced at £100 for a three month listing, and the website charges 5% to vendors when a successful sale is made (for potential embryo donors this is also at the 60 day confirmation of pregnancy).
Made ready for the 2017 breeding season, the selection of adverts at the point of launch is mouth-watering, with a foal due in February by Diamant de Semilly and out of WEG silver medallist Katchina Mail; and mares available for embryo flushing such as the full sister of Sir Olli – bronze medallist at the World Championships in Ermelo last year and the top price at the subsequent Oldenburg Elite auction in Vechta. The half-sister of Beezie Madden’s Simon (best SJ horse competing in 2014) offers a Casall embryo due in summer 2017.
For more information please see www.goembryo.com or email admin@goembryo.com
About the developers:
Danny is a successful producer of young horses from Wiltshire, UK. Partly in collaboration with renowned Dutch rider Roelof Bril, and partly on his own, he produces horses from the early stages until they are ready to be sold internationally. His attention to detail in breeding is well known across the UK. His own mares include a Kannan daughter out of the full sister of Mylord Carthago; and the Tangelo-sired half-sister of Michael Whitaker’s Portofino. Both are available on the site as donor mares for ET.
James’ own experience, approaching owners of mares around Europe to suggest selling him the right to take an embryo, has enhanced his breeding operation considerably: he has a 3-yr old sister of 2016’s Oldenburg licensing champion at home, and a foal due in February from Corrado’s full sister (dam of Connor and Oak grove’s Vanquish). Each time he approached a breeder and opened a discussion about using their mare, he was met with intrigue and then happy acceptance. Now these mare-owners have a public platform.
For more information, visit www.goembryo.com