The VIP lounge of the Al Shira’aa Horse Show in Abu Dhabi provided the perfect setting for the embryo auction. The fireworks began with the sale of semen of the Al Shira’aa Grand Prix stallions Enjoy de la Mure and Chacco Bay, which went for €22,000 and €8,500, respectively. HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Al Nahyan of Al Shira’aa Stables is donating the proceeds to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund Charity.
100% sales success
The Arabian evening resulted in a record-breaking auction, with a 100% sale rate of all 22 embryos and a total revenue of €599,000. “This was unprecedented. We knew we were bringing an exceptionally strong collection to the Emirates and hoped to attract a lot of interest both on-site and online – and we succeeded,” said Luk Van Puymbroeck and Gerald Lenaerts.
Gancia de Muze
In total, seven embryos were sold online, two via telephone, and eleven on-site. Loyal customers of Flanders Foal Auction fought fiercely for the United Touch embryo out of Gancia de Muze (Malito de Reve), who earned more than €2 million with Niels Bruynseels. Intense online bidding came from the United States, but Belgian buyers Marleen and her daughter Paulien Schepers, who travel multiple times to the Flanders Embryo Auction in the Emirates, held their ground and won the bid at €86,000.
“We are absolutely thrilled. We love attending the Flanders auctions because of their expertise and the excellent selection they always provide. We also secured the Emerald out of Olympic mare Sancha LS and the Emerald out of the 1.60m Grand Prix mare Parfait vd Bisschop. If any of them turn out to be fillies, we hope to give our breeding program a boost,” they said with excitement.
Azur HH
Another highlight of the evening was the Mylord Carthago embryo out of the most successful mare ever, Azur HH (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve), who earned €4 million in prize money with McLain Ward. Shane Breen and horse owner Chris Warren from Great-Britain bid up to €62,000, but the final bid of €64,000 came from an Arabian buyer over the phone. However, they did secure the Comme il Faut x Kashmir Van Schuttershof and the Cornet Obolensky x Nabab de Reve embryos for €24,000.
“We spent a few hours this morning reviewing the catalog together and are absolutely delighted to have purchased these two. Once they are old enough, they will enter Shane Breen’s training system, which is simply fantastic. We see this as a long-term investment, and our expectations are high,” said Chris Warren with a smile.
Leone Jei
Also sold within the Emirates was the half-brother of Martin Fuchs’ top horse, Leone Jei. This final embryo of the evening, a Chacco Blue x Corland, fetched €40,000. Two embryos that each sold for €30,000 went to Belgian and German buyers: the Casall out of Nations Cup Final winner Calleryama (Casall) and the full sibling of top mare Mila (Monte Bellini x Linton). Other sales went to Egypt (3), the United States (2), England (2), Finland and Ireland.
The next Flanders Embryo Auction will take place on Saturday, February 1, at Sentower Park in Belgium, featuring another highly promising collection.