BY JEAN LLEWELLYN [PRESS RELEASE]
PHOTOGRAPHY: OLD-ART
Seventy foals with strong potential were offered for sale during a major foal auction of the Westfalian Studbook, with 80% finding new owners at an average price of €8,447. Especially popular were Giga Clooney and Ermitage Enya, both selling for €17,000.
One of Germany’s largest foal auctions takes place each year during Westfalia Week at the Westfalian Studbook in Münster-Handorf. The first part of this year’s auction featured 70 showjumping-oriented foals. By combining proven sire lines with established damlines, the collection attracted considerable interest from an international clientele.
At the very beginning of the auction, head number 121 captured the attention of the audience. Named Giga Clooney, the grey colt already hints at his exceptional pedigree. He is a son of the Warendorf State Stud stallion Gigabyte. This premium stallion from the Westfalian Main Licensing is currently celebrating success in medium-level show jumping competitions appropriate for his age. The colt’s granddam is none other than Fräulein vom Moor. The Ferragamo daughter, who, like her grandson, is based at the stable of Bernd Richter in Ladbergen, is the direct dam of the European champion Clooney. Long-standing clients of the Westfalian Studbook secured this young prospect with the winning bid.
Sharing the top price of the evening was Ermitage Enya, a daughter of Ermitage Kalone out of a mare by Emerald van het Ruytershof (breeder and exhibitor: Sarah Erkelenz, Habichtswald). She descends from the damline of numerous internationally successful sport horses. International 1m60 showjumping stallions such as C-Trenton Z and Contact van de Heffinck are also representatives of this renowned Holsteiner family 18A2. Buyers from China placed the successful bid and will welcome the chestnut filly to their stable.
Catalogue number 131 represented a truly exceptional offering. An embryo by United Touch, currently one of the world’s leading showjumping stallions under the saddle of Germany’s Richard Vogel, was offered for sale. The embryo, already transferred to a recipient mare, traces directly in the fourth generation to Sapphire, the outstanding Darco daughter who won Olympic team gold with McLain Ward at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. A long-standing client secured the embryo for €9,500 and can look forward to welcoming the foal in 2027...
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