BY JEAN LLEWELLYN [PRESS RELEASE]
PHOTOGRAPHY: OLD-ART

Lot No. 1 topped the bidding at the 40th Oldenburg Elite Foal Auction, with Cafetero being the highest selling showjumping foal at €32,000, while dressage foal Vespasian steals the limelight at €57,000.

Amid perfect summer weather and a special atmosphere, the 40th Oldenburg Elite Foal Auction took place on Saturday, August 8, on the outdoor grounds of the Oldenburg Horse Center in Vechta. Exciting bidding wars and international interest ensured a successful open-air auction evening.
Lot No. 1, Vespasian by Vespasiano x Millennium/T. x Desperados, got things off to a perfect start. Even during the pre-bidding, the colt from the debut crop of the Viva Gold son Vespasiano was in high demand and entered the auction ring with a bid of over €25,000. A lively bidding duel ensued before the hammer fell at €57,000 – the top price of the 40th Oldenburg Elite Foal Auction.
Vespasian’s dam line also boasts a top-class sporting pedigree: his dam, Athena, is sister to the Grand Prix-winning Harmony’s Dante’s Peak, ridden by Michael Klimke. This bloodline also produced the internationally successful Grand Prix horse August der Starke OLD, ridden by Victoria Max-Theurer (AUT), as well as the Grand Prix winners Goldfinger and Flashdancer, ridden by Anna Merveldt (IRL).
The highlight of the showjumping collection was Lot No. 23, Cafetero (Casco Blue S x Diaron x Casiro). The impressive stallion prospect changed hands for €32,000. His dam, Laola, is a sister to Dot View, who was successful up to 1m40 under the saddle of Andy Witzemann. The lineage of Different Color has produced numerous internationally successful showjumpers, including Cardi MT under Max Kühner (AUT) and One in a Million under Karim Elzoghby (EGY)...

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