Sentower Park is the battleground for Horse Auction Belgium, and from 8:00 PM onwards, horses will be free-jumping and bids can be placed on the collection of 35 horses. Among them are a few five-year-olds and a six-year-old that will enter the ring under saddle but will not jump anymore, as they have already been tested several times by clients.
No concessions in selection
“We would have liked to auction more older horses, mainly with the youth riders in mind, as they are competing internationally at Sentower Park this weekend. That way, they wouldn’t have to wait long before they can start competing. But the horses have to be good and healthy horses. If we can’t find such horses, then we’d rather not include them in the auction. We make no concessions in our selection,” says Michel Spaas, who runs the auction together with Lore Penders and Kevin Gielen.
Over the years, horse sellers have learned that Horse Auction Belgium sets the bar high. “We notice that consignors set aside their best horses specifically for our auctions. We have excellent clients who appreciate that we offer such high-quality collections. There is already a lot of interest for this weekend. Finding horses that are both high quality and healthy is a real challenge. But at our auction, buyers can purchase with confidence, even without looking at the X-rays,” explains Michel Spaas.
Pay close attention to the first horses
The young horses will all jump loose one more time, adding an extra dimension to the auction. “The most important thing for us is that the horses present themselves well. They have the quality and we have a lot of confidence in them, but they still need to prove it in the ring. Those who are smart will pay close attention to the first horses. The start of an auction is always a bit quieter, which means there’s an opportunity to buy something special for a lower price because many buyers will hold back,” advises Spaas.
Anyone wanting to do their homework in advance can visit www.horseauctionbelgium.com. “There are some truly exceptional horses in this collection. I can’t predict which ones will attract the most interest. Personally, I’m very excited about Sir Landino (Landino) and Wivia van het Dancorhof (Corlou PS), as well as both Defender offspring. The United Touch mare Wovita van het Bildeken is also highly commercial. The entire collection suits our target audience: people looking for top-quality show jumping horses. These days, you can shop for horses at auctions everywhere, and most auctions try to attract as broad an audience as possible, but we focus on professionals and those looking for something special for the future.”
Good to know: The auction evening on April 5 will open at 8:00 PM with a performance by a singer, after which the auction hammer will be picked up. Reserve your VIP seat now or register online to place a bid: www.horseauctionbelgium.com.