Gross receipts, average down at British Columbia sale

Results were down significantly at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's yearling and mixed sale held in Langley, British Columbia, on Tuesday.

The total of $1,129,150 from 101 horses sold was off by 29 percent compared with last year, when $1,589,350 was the gross from 138 horses sold. The average of $11,180 was also down, 2.9 percent, from $11,517 in 2006.

A total of 97 yearlings grossed $1,111,450, down 28 percent from last year. In 2006, 128 yearlings were sold for a total of $1,556,850.

The average yearling price was $11,458, a 5.8 percent drop compared with $12,163 in 2006.

Leo and Norma Shaw were the leading buyers at the sale, and they also bought the two top-priced yearlings. They paid $50,000 for a colt by Finality out of Grey Tobe Free and the same price for a son of Stormin Fever out of Hawk Cliff. The top-priced yearling in 2006 was a colt by In Excess who was bought for $120,000 by Nick and Pauline Felicella.

Dixie Jacobson, the president of the province's division of the horse society, was disappointed in the sale. She blamed the poor results on the delay in getting slot machines installed at Hastings. Slots were initially approved in 2004, and although Hastings is gearing up to install them, they still have not arrived.

"It was one of the worst sales we've ever had," said Jacobson. "It was a good consignment, but until people see the slots up and running they just aren't buying into it. I know they're coming soon, so I'm confident we'll have a much better sale next year."Results were down significantly at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society's yearling and mixed sale held in Langley, British Columbia, on Tuesday.

The total of $1,129,150 from 101 horses sold was off by 29 percent compared with last year, when $1,589,350 was the gross from 138 horses sold. The average of $11,180 was also down, 2.9 percent, from $11,517 in 2006.

A total of 97 yearlings grossed $1,111,450, down 28 percent from last year. In 2006, 128 yearlings were sold for a total of $1,556,850.

The average yearling price was $11,458, a 5.8 percent drop compared with $12,163 in 2006.

Leo and Norma Shaw were the leading buyers at the sale, and they also bought the two top-priced yearlings. They paid $50,000 for a colt by Finality out of Grey Tobe Free and the same price for a son of Stormin Fever out of Hawk Cliff. The top-priced yearling in 2006 was a colt by In Excess who was bought for $120,000 by Nick and Pauline Felicella.

Dixie Jacobson, the president of the province's division of the horse society, was disappointed in the sale. She blamed the poor results on the delay in getting slot machines installed at Hastings. Slots were initially approved in 2004, and although Hastings is gearing up to install them, they still have not arrived.

"It was one of the worst sales we've ever had," said Jacobson. "It was a good consignment, but until people see the slots up and running they just aren't buying into it. I know they're coming soon, so I'm confident we'll have a much better sale next year."