The first Flanders Foal Auction of 2024 is just around the corner. On Saturday evening, June 15, 33 jumper foals will enter the arena of the CSI 4* show at Sentower Park in Opglabbeek, Belgium. “We are looking forward to it after our embryo auctions. There is nothing like showing fantastic foals in a lively ambiance”, say Gerald Lenaerts and Luk van Puymbroeck.
The men have been working on the selection for several months now. The submissions are flowing in. “We may see close to 1.000 foals this season”, tells Gerald Lenaerts. “There is a huge supply and that makes our job a lot easier. We have been strict. The pedigree is the decisive factor whether we will view the foal. And once we are there, the foal must command attention. It must immediately catch the eye and sell itself. A good, but bland foal does not make the cut, they must have something special and have an excellent, athletic canter.”
The pedigrees jump off the page, but the foals themselves are in a class of their own as well. “We even selected foals from people that, before now, hardly sold anything. Thanks to ICSI, they are now coming onto the market. People retain one foal and sell the second one, for example. Something everyone can benefit from since it opens the opportunity to buy something truly special, which was nearly impossible up till now. It is exciting to see what the price will do this year, but when we look at this first collection of the season, we are looking forward to it with confidence.”
It is worth mentioning that the 33 foals descend from 17 different stallions. Chacco Blue (who was paired to very good mares in recent years thanks to ICSI) is the leading sire with 6 foals, followed with 4 foals each by Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof, Cornet Obolensky and ‘newcomer’ Ermitage Kalone, the ten-year-old Catoki-son that gained fans all over the world under the saddle of Gilles Thomas. “An exceptional stallion that is in the running to participate in the Olympic Games. He has won everyone’s heart and rightfully so, which is why we are also giving him a chance in our auction. We mainly select foals sired by renowned stallions because our customers are looking for the highest degree of certainty. As an auction you must put yourself in the shoes of the buyer and base your selection on their perspective”, explains Gerald Lenaerts.
Other impressive facts:
• 9 foals are bred out of a mare that jumped 1.50m or 1.60m GP
• 10 foals have a granddam that jumped 1.50m or 1.60m GP
• 6 foals are bred out of a mare that already produced a 1.50m and/or 1.60m horse
• 24 foals have a granddam that already produced a 1.50m and/or 1.60m horse
Check out the collection here: www.flandersfoalauction.be
Source: Press Release from Flanders Foal Auction
Photo: © Flanders Foal Auction
