OBS August yearling sale shows strong gains

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company ended its August yearling sale Thursday evening with spectacular increases for its two open sessions.

The figures for both open sessions in Ocala, Fla., showed a 28 percent gain in average and a 45 percent rise in median price. The open sessions sold 408 yearlings for $4,562,100, a 10 percent advance on last year’s aggregate for 475 horses. The average price for both sessions was $11,182, up from $8,712 last year, and the median was $8,000, as compared to $5,500 in 2010. The buyback rate dropped a point, falling from 25 percent to 24 percent.

An $85,000 Wildcat Heir colt topped the final session. Vision Sales purchased him from Barbara and Francis Vanlangendonck’s Summerfield agency.

The open sessions’ good performance followed a single-day select session that also showed gains. The select session sold 114 yearlings for $4,278,000, down from last year’s total of $4,838,500 for a larger group of 135 horses. But average and median both made significant gains. Average price rose 5percent to $37,526, and median increased 25 percent to hit $32,500. Buybacks also decreased slightly, from 25 percent to 24 percent.