By Chris Gould/CWHBA
Photography: Nollind van Bryce
It started as things usually do, with a dream of a few hearty souls and their collective steadfast determination. The dream became a goal, more and more of Alberta’s breeders caught the enthusiasm for the project, and the Fall Classic Breeders’ Sale launched in 1995. The event has continued onwards and upwards since then, becoming the longest running sales of its kind in North America. Twenty-three years strong, and counting....
Modeled after the elite Warmblood sales in Germany, the CWHBA Fall Classic Sale offers North American buyers the opportunity to view and try out a large selection of quality Warmblood horses all under one roof. Held every October, the sale features Canadian-bred Warmblood horses, from sporting prospects to broodmares and foals.
In the age of frozen semen and embryo transfers, the best international bloodlines are represented, with Canadian breeders emphasizing refinement and rideability to produce athletic horses that meet the needs of amateur and professional riders alike. Past sale graduates have been sired by such greats as Totilas (Gribaldi - Lominka x Glendale), Indoctro (Capitol I - Vanessa VII x Caletto II), Hickstead (Hamlet - Jomara x Ekstein), Ferro (Ulft - Brenda x Farn) and many more. A number of Canadian-bred stallions have also had a large impact: Beau Soleil (Bajazzo - Ginseng x Godewind), Carthago Sun I (Carthago - Davos x Schampus xx), and Whirlwind II (Haarlem - Señorita x Goodtimes).
In all, more than 1,200 horses have been sold to buyers from across Canada and the United States, as well as a few to Europe. Astute buyers from the United States come time and again to enjoy the ‘Canadian advantage’ – low Canadian dollar, very reasonable prices, and the quality that ideal Canadian rearing conditions creates. Pasture raised in large groups with freedom to move, Canadian-bred horses have good minds and a legacy for long-term soundness.
The breeders and consignors have continually strived to improve the quality and training of their horses, resulting in outstanding value for the money. The list of successful sale graduates covers all disciplines from dressage competitors such as Grand Prix horse Travolta (Ferro x Landwind II) and USDF first level champion M3 Wolkenlilly (Wolkenstein II x Artenstoltz) to jumpers, hunters and eventers, the likes of Leilani KT (Lougheed x Leibling) – 2014 five-year-old Western Canadian young horse champion, and Riot KF (Rubinus x Lazio) – champion three-year-old at the 2017 Royal West Horse Show.
Well worth attending, the Fall Classic Sale is one of the best-value opportunities in North America for buyers and horse people alike.
The 2018 Fall Classic Sale takes place on Friday and Saturday, October 5/6 at the Westerner Park’s Agricentre East, in Red Deer, Alberta. www.fallclassicsale.com
