Earlier-sold embryos had already promoted the auction during the day in the international arena of the Al Shira’aa Horse Show and it was mainly returning clients – well acquainted with investing in embryos – who once again made purchases.
The auction kicked off with the sale of three coverings by Al Shira’aa stallions, generating a total of €20,000. HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Al Nahyan of Al Shira’aa Stables is donating the full amount to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund Charity.
J-Nius V.V. Z proves highly popular
The very first embryo was immediately sold to the Emirates for the top price of €52,000. Not a Chacco Blue, United Touch S or Emerald, but an offspring of the Appaloosa showjumping stallion J-Nius V.V. Z claimed the spotlight. This foal is expected to be born around 20 February and is bred out of the 1.60m Grand Prix mare Isaura Ter Putte (Tinka’s Boy), the half-sister of Elvis Ter Putte (1.60m Grand Prix).
The sale of J-Nius son C-Bra van het Bokt for €402,000 to the Emirates caused quite a stir. As a result, the J-Nius V.V. Z out of Emerald’s full sister Jenna van het Meulenhof fetched €30,000 and was acquired by the Belgian Exclusive Stables of Paulien Schepers. Together with her mother, she invested on site in four embryos, including a United Touch S out of the same dam as top showjumper Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye, which sold for €42,000.
Studfarm ’t Kattenheye concluded a successful evening with this sale and immediately bought back an embryo by phone: an Ermitage Kalone out of a high-quality daughter of the famous Dubai du Cedre (1.65m Grand Prix).
An Emerald out of the 1.60m Grand Prix mare Toveks Mary Lou, who earned more than €1.7 million with Henrik von Eckermann, will also move to the Belgian Exlusive Stables for €34,000. The Balou du Reventon out of the 1.60m Grand Prix mare Coriana van Klapscheut was knocked down for the same amount.
Extensive supply
The average price was only fractionally lower than last year’s record auction in the Emirates; the difference this year was that not all embryos were sold.
“That can be due to several factors. This year we auctioned on Friday instead of Saturday, quite early in the day for Europe, but we should also not underestimate how much has already come onto the market. The supply of embryos from top damlines has increased enormously. Very good prices are still being paid, but only for something that truly stands out,” analyse Luk Van Puymbroeck and Gerald Lenaerts.