Mixed sale sees gains all around

The Oregon Thoroughbred Breeders Association's annual mixed sale, held in Newberg, Ore., last Saturday, registered strong gains in gross sales, average price, and median price.

A total of 104 horses - 12 horses of racing age, 33 yearlings, 15 weanlings, 37 broodmares, and 7 Quarter Horses - were sold for a total of $224,600. The gross was up 36 percent from last year's sale, while the average price of $2,160 was up 10 percent and the median price of $1,600 represented an increase of almost 7 percent.

The sales-topper was Hip No. 18, a yearling daughter of Snowbound and Shy Winner, by Shy Song. The filly, named Shy Snowbound, sold for $10,000 to agent Dan Leatherberry. She was consigned by Pulse Ranches.

As usual, yearlings led the sale, with an average price of $3,364. The horses of racing age sold for an average of $1,321, the weanlings averaged $1,737, the broodmares averaged $1,531, and the Quarter Horses averaged $2,150.

Ursula Gibbons, executive director of the OTBA, said the sale went smoothly.

"Of course the sellers would have liked to have gotten more for their horses, but I think most people felt the prices were fair," she said. "The sale was well attended and we as a sales company were pleased that the numbers were up."

The sale was held at Jack and Cookie Root's Oakhurst Farm.