SCOPE AUCTION CREATES RECORDS FOR SALES OF YOUNG IRISH BRED HORSES WITH THE FOALS FROM LASSBAN SPORT HORSES BRINGING TOP AUCTION PRICES.
6th August, 2003
The colt named Ulysses M2S was lot number 24 in the catalogue and it had the whole of Ireland and further afield talking - and with good reason!
Ulysses is a two year old colt with breeding which can only be called royal being by Ekstein out of a keur mare by Voltaire and that is only the beginninig of this pedigree.
The big question on everyone's lips prior to the sale was "can this colt live up to his breeding -
and on seeing Ulysses M2S his looks certainly did justice to his breeding which led people to the next question - "can he move and jump" - as the photo above shows he can jump and to be honest, no still photo can do justice to the movement! This is a youngster who will make his mark in the jumping arena without any doubt, based on what we saw of him this weekend at the first SCOPE Auction, held at Kill International Equestrian Centre, Kill, Co. Kildare this weekend.
Ekstein is ranked by the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses as the world's 38th best Sire of International Grand Prix jumpers in 2002/2003 and as at November, 2002 Ekstein had more International Grand Prix horses competing than any other sire in Ireland. Ekstein is approved by both the KWPN and the Irish Horse register according to Tom Reed from Morningside Stud in Co. Clare where this stallion stands.
Ulysses M2S was bred by Dr Tom Reed, of Morningside Stud and his pride in having bred such an exceptional horse was evident as he proudly showed him off to people on their arrival.
Many discerning buyers from both Ireland and all over the world were bidding for the horses in this SCOPE Auction and the international flavour of people bidding by phone added a buzz throughout the impressive main arena at Kill International Equestrian Centre. The bidding was fast and furious for this promising and extraordinary two year old with dual Olympic Gold medallist, Gillian Rolton taking the bidding for an undisclosed American stud farm owner who went as far as euro60,000. When the hammer dropped it was Paul Larkin's bid and he was disappointed to find that he had missed out this time. The internationally renowned Larkin Bros. were responsible for selling International Grand Prix mare, Ado Annie, into America and on missing out on this purchase Paul Larkin told SCOPE Director, Tom Reed that he was "disappointed on missing out but delighted for the new owners".
Purchased for euro67,500 by Denis Flannelly, of Kill International Equestrian Centre, on behalf of an American client it is understood that the colt will be staying in Ireland to be produced by Denis Flannelly and breeder and Director of SCOPE, Mr Tom Reed is well pleased that this is the case as Denis is well known for producing some of the best horses in Ireland.
The hype was not exclusive to the Ekstein colt - it extended to the quality foals also being put under the Auctioneers hammer - and quality was evident in all lot numbers and the bidding was fast and furious again from all quarters of the world.
The Americans, well known for their liking of the Irish horse could not but help themselves when the bidding started and a number of the foals went to American owners.
I chatted extensively with Liam and Seamus of Lassban Sport Horses (IRL) and they are two gentlemen who take their breeding very seriously and the end result shows that their hard work pays off. I could not help but be quite smitten myself by their two exhibits in the foal section - a filly and a colt - both of eye-catching quality.
The filly, Lassban Val-En-Tine was first to come under the Auctioneers cry of "on the market and for sale" and this gorgeous dark bay filly born on Valentines Day (hence the appropriate name) in 2003 was definitely on the shopping for many at the auction. Val-En-Tine is by Sire de Valette out of the Feu Foliet mare, Masquerade II. Sire de Valette is himself an approved stallion under the Swiss stallion testing system and he showjumped internationally for the USA under saddle with Mandy Porter. The dam also has proven competition results on her CV in both showjumping and dressage in France before being retired to breed stars for the future.
The bidding for this eye catching and delightfully behaved young filly was again fast and furious and the hammer came down to undisclosed buyers at euro7,000 which is a record price paid at Auction for a filly foal still on the dam.
And just to prove that the breeding of the filly Lassban Val-En-Tine was no fluke her stable partner, Lassban Radison came in and stole more hearts. Lassban Radison was born on April 7th and his very correct conformation combine with expressive paces and added to all that is a delighful temperament. Lassban Radison is by the KWPN stallion Radolin, a five year old stallion who was purchased in 2001 by Gerhard Etter and Jeroen Dubbledam at the KWPN Select Sale. Liam and Seamus had to foresight to cover their mare with this excpetional young stallion while he was standing in Ireland for just one year. Radolin has now returned to the continent to begin his competitive career - and this makes Lassban Radison a very interesting young colt. Radolin carries in his pedigree some of the most exceptional showjumping lines and names such as Monaco, Animo, Alme Z, Voltaire and Nimmerdor tell you this is something special. Lassban Radison's mother is no stranger to the famous lines of showjumping either and Lassban Ramann-Zee is by the great Rame Z (Ramiro Z) herself and on her dams side she goes back to the great Irish stallion Lahinch.
So Lassban Radison combines the best of Dutch, Hanoverian, Selle Francais, Irish Draught and Trakehner bloodlines. While speaking to Liam he commented that he couldn't "promise a gold medal from a foal so young but with this bloodlines you would have to believe that this youngster was going to have a special career ahead of him" and I couldn't agree more. Jaap Werners could not have been more complimentary of this gorgeous young colt and I for one have no doubt that we will see him in the showjumping rings of the future.
And the buyers at SCOPE obviously agreed when the Auctioneers hammer came down with the colt being knocked down for euro9,500 which was again a record breaking price for a colt foal at Auction in Ireland.
Lassban Sport Horses haved proved that if you are meticulous in your breeding and then equally so in your raising of youngsters you will be rewarded by the appreciation of the most discerning of buyers.
Lassban Sport Horses hope to again have more young stock available for the next SCOPE Auction and so anyone interested in purchasing quality can be assured that is what they will find at SCOPE Auctions of the future as only the most careful of breeders will find their progeny being accepted under the stringent testing for this performance auction.
Lassban Radison was calm and confident as he was lead around the arena with SCOPE Director, dual Gold medallist, Gillian Rolton watching with a broad smile - which says it all really!
Photos rarely do justice to foals but the elegance of this young colt comes through.
The SCOPE Auction was combined with a fantastic International Breeders Seminar on the Saturday prior to the Auction and the speakers held their large audience enthralled throughout the entire day.
Capt. Gerry Mullins from the Irish Army School of Equitation opened the proceedings and he was very clear in his points regarding the various responsibilities of those along the way to a top career for a performance horse. Gerry explained that it is the breeders responsibility to breed sound foals which are given every opportunity to grow in continued soundness of both body and mind. Capt. Mullins then went on to explain the Owners responsibility which is to find a trainer/rider they trust implicitly and combined with this they must, as owners ensure the health of body and mind of the horse they have placed with the rider/trainer.
Gerry Mullins certainly clarified many things for all of the breeders/owners in the room - he spoke of the difficulty of breeding champions regardless of how carefully you select the bloodlines and the room resounded with laughter when Gerry explained that "my brother couldn't jump a cross pole....and there are some who suggest I couldn't either" - but his point was well taken that just having the best bloodlines in world doesn't mean much unless you have a sound horse.
Dr Christa Finkler-Shade PhD started her speech with an apology for her English - there was no need as she spoke exceptionally good English and nobody in the room had any trouble understanding wither her words or her message. Dr. Finkler-Shade made it unbundantly clear that to achieve the task set by Capt. Gerry Mullins - to breed sound foals - we must feed both our mares and foals correctly. We can longer leave it to 'mother nature' as we have altered the environment to such an extent that the soils/hays/grains no longer have the same values as they once may have had and it is imperative that we are diligent in our research and subsequent feeding of the correct proportions of the needed minerals, vitamins and amino acids required to enable breeders to eventually present trainers/riders with sound and healthy young horses to take to the top level of competition.
Australian dual Olympic Gold medallist Gillian Rolton told us of the hard road to those two Olympic Gold medals with her exceptional horse Peppermint Grove (lovingly known to his mates as Freddie) - and again the emphasis was on the soundness factor - to have managed to get a horse to that elite level of Eventing known as 4-star with four legs intact is a feat in itself - to then take that same horse to an Olympic Games is fantastic but this then goes into the realms of extraordinary when an Event horse goes and does a second Olympic Games four years later and still returns home sound in all four legs and his mind! And it was greeted with admiration and acknowledgement of Gillian's hormanship skills when she told us that "Freddie" at 21 years of age is still sound and although retired he is still ridden daily and now has a career teaching Gillian's working pupils what it is like to sit on such an incredible horse - not bad at 21 years of age after the gruelling road to the top, staying at the top and coming home!
Last to speak to the enthusiastic visitors on this first day of the SCOPE weekend was British hero and superstar, Jennie Loriston-Clarke who has represented Great Britain in 4 Olympic Games and also achieved the Bronze Medal at the World Championships - but Jennie's credntials do not stop at "competitor" ! Jennie is also an FEI International Dressage Judge and one of the most sort after coaches/trainers and after hearing her speak I understand why! Jennie has a wealth of knowledge at a very high level but she has the wonderful knack of being able to enthrall everyone and to have them walk away understanding the message she was giving - quite an achievement. Now Jennie is obviously not one to rest on her laurels and after having a top career as a Dressage rider and then going into Judging and Training she also turned her hand to breeding and obviously she has that right as well as in 2001/2002 Jennie was ranked by the WBFSH as 11th top breeder. And what was Jennie's message - again the soundness factor and Jennie also made the point of breeding horses with a correct temperament to match a correct conformation.
I for one hope that the Directors of SCOPE see fit to hold more International Breeders Conferences in conjunction with their Auctions as this was a fabulour opportunity for Breeders from all over the world to get together and discuss the various issues which are always there when striving for the ultimate success - to breed a horse which goes on to represent the breeder in Olymic Games/World Championships and of course International competition in general.
As a result of the success of this inaugural SCOPE Auction I am pleased to be able to bring you the news that the next SCOPE Auction is already booked and will again be held at Kill International Equestrian Centre, Kill, Co. Kildare on TUESDAY, 4th NOVEMBER, 2003 which is the day before the Cavan International CSI-B showjumping spectacular so for anyone wishing to purchase a foal, 3, 4 or 5 year old this can be combined with a great end of year show at Cavan.
For anyone interested in booking an inspection for their young stock, they will be held mid-September and you can get more information regarding this process by calling Dr Tom Reed on mobile (+353) 087 222 9701 or check in to their web site
