In an bidders' duel between Frenchmen Xavier Marie and Marc Feller for the 3-year old dark bay stallion Sankt Hülfer, Feller won the battle when the auction hammer struck down at 300,000 euro. Feller has purchased many horses at the auctions in Vechta in the past, last time in the fall of 2006 when he bought the top priced horse Royal Deniro for 320,000 euro in another duel with Xavier Marie.
Feller came to the 2008 Vechta Spring Elite Auction accompanied by his Parisian trainer, Marina van den Berghe and, for the first time, his ten-year old daughter Anne. This three-year old brown stallion bred by Maren Kools in Diepholz is from the first crop by the dressage horse Vice World Champion and Bundeschampion, Sir Donnerhall.
By the time the Elite Auction at the Oldenburg Horse Center in Vechta had ended, a good number of the horses were sold abroad. Fifty-six riding horses were knocked-down for a total of 1,983,000 euro (average price 35,411 euro) and 29 of these were sold abroad. The five riding ponies brought a total of 45,000 euro (average price 9.500 €) and four were sold abroad.
Although Xavier Marie didn't win the duel for Sankt Hülfer, he did buy the licensed stallion Lord Mecklenburg, the best jumper stallion at his licensing, for 115,000 €. This bay stallion (by Licanto x Ramiro’s Match) was born in 2004 in Josef Auge's breeding stable in Güstrow. Xavier Marie's Haras de Hus also purchased two horses for 80,000 €: the gray gelding Song Seng (by Scarlatti x Sandro Hit) and the bay gelding Ange Gardian (by Argentinus x Ile de Bourbon).
Canadian world class rider Evi Strasser paid 101,000 € for the licensed stallion Fin de Siecle (by Florencio I x Walt Disney I). A compatriot of hers purchased Seiltanz (by Sunny-Boy x Royal Dance). Royal Dario Fo also has a long trip in front of him. New customers from Venezuela paid 75,000 € for this Royal Diamond x Don Gregory son bred by Andreas Wempe in Cappeln.
A group of Turkish buyers visited Vechta for the first time and paid 25,000 € for Baltic Show (by Balou du Rouet x Ramirado), and a buyer from Switzerland paid the knock-down price of 60,000 € for the licensed stallion Fiorelli (by Florestan I x Donatelli, breeder: Oliver Kotschofsky, Visbek). This stallion was purchased at the licensing by Paul Schockemohle but then returned to Kotschofsky's because the stallion Mogul was not happy with the extraordinarily moving Fiorelli.
Many top dressage riders and trainers were shopping in Vechta this year. Laurenti will remain in Germany. This four-year old dark bay Laurentio x Walldorf son was sold to the dressage stables of Dr. Uwe Schulten-Baumer. A Stedinger x Donnerschwee offspring called Simenon will be off to Heiner Schiergen for training. Donna Dorina (by Don Gregory x Rosenkavalier is intended for one of Norbert van Laak's pupils. The Lüttgen family from Gut Mödrath in Kerpen purchased the Dimaggio son Divan Japanais for 100,000 €.
The most expensive Weser-Ems riding pony, 2nd Reserve Champion Stallion, Charlott's Boy (by Charivari x Diamond Hit), was knocked-down to Canada for 11,000 €. Famous showing jumping rider Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst's 13-year old daughter Lena sat in the saddle of Roy’s Pialotta (by Halifax x Brillant, breeder: Janine Ebert, Dötlingen) sold to the USA for 10,000 Euros.
"What a great start in the auction year 2008!“ commented Uwe Heckmann, the auctioneer, when the auction was over. "We easily broke the two million sound barrier with the turnover achieved today. Not just the four most expensive over 100,000 € but above all the strong middle field was a great success."
The President of the Oldenburg Verband, Wilhelm Weerda, was also ecstatic. "Numerous new customers from at home and abroad made the trip to the auction in Vechta. It is also very satisfying that so many of the horses will be in the hands of very good trainers, so we will certainly hear from them again in top level sport."
The 44th Summer Mixed Sales with riding horses and elite foals will be held on June 7th.
Photos © Tammo Ernst