“The enthusiasm was so amazing that we couldn’t resist coming back,” say Luk Van Puymbroeck and Gerald Lenaerts. “The start of last year’s auction was driven by online bidders familiar with our concept. The people on site were cautious at first, but the atmosphere quickly changed and they ended up buying even the most expensive embryos.”
This year’s strategy? To start as powerfully as possible. “What does that mean? We’re opening with three pregnancies out of 1.60m Grand Prix mares! In total, we have six embryos from 1.60m Grand Prix mares. The collection is incredibly strong. Thanks to ICSI technology, highly exclusive embryos are now within reach, ones that were once just a dream. Acquiring something truly exceptional has become possible for many more people. There’s no doubt that future top horses will emerge from this collection.”
Facts
- The 26 embryos are sired by 17 different stallions
- United Touch and Ermitage Kalone each have 4 embryos, followed by Emerald van ’t Ruytershof (3) and Comme il Faut (2)
- 6 embryos are out of 1.60m GP mares, 1 out of a 1.50m level mare and 1 out of a 1.45m level mare
- 4 dams already gave 1.60m–1.65m GP horses, one gave a 1.55m GP horse and two gave 1.50m level level horses.
- 4 granddams competed at 1.60m GP level, 2 at 1.50m level and 1 at 1.45m level.
- 22 out of 26 embryos have a granddam that gave one or more 1.60m GP horses (four granddams even gave birth to 1.65m or 1.70m GP horses)
World-firsts
You can also find exclusivity in this Flanders Embryo Auction, with several world-first offerings. The auction opens with a United Touch S x Heartbreaker embryo. The dam, Heartthago, competed at top level with Leon Thijssen, representing her country in Nations Cups and winning 62 classes.
Another highlight is a Darry Lou x Comme il Faut, out of a three-year-old daughter of Portobella vd Fruitkorf, who won the $500,000 Wellington Grand Prix and performed impressively in the Aachen Nations Cup with Emilie Conter.
“We’re also particularly proud of the Messenger embryo out of the 1.60m mare RMF Zecilie, who was successful with Jessica Springsteen, winning the 5* Grand Prix of Brussels and St. Tropez. Zecilie earned €771,000 in prize money and is a half-sister to another 1.60m Grand Prix horse. The 1.60m Grand Prix mare Arera C even won more, €765,000, with Maikel van der Vleuten, and we have an embryo from here, sired by Kashmir Van Schuttershof.”
The full collection can be viewed at www.flandersfoalauction.be. As always, online and phone bidding are available.
Auction date: Saturday evening, November 1
Location: Riders and Dreams, X-Bionics Sphere, Šamorín (SK)