Münster: Around 110 dressage oriented riding horse and riding pony foals were offered for sale this afternoon in Münster-Handorf. With a sales rate of 85 percent, the Westphalian Studbook achieved a total turnover of approximately 1.1 million euros. The celebrated top-priced lot was Vantastisch, a son of Vjento, who sold for 80,000 euros. The sold riding horse foals achieved an average price of 12,405 euros.
Following the first part of the Westphalian Foal Auction during the Westphalia Week on Friday, the spotlight today turned to the dressage-bred foals. A total of 99 riding horse foals and nine riding pony foals were presented in the second part of what is widely regarded as Germany’s largest foal auction.
The auction got off to a truly fantastic („Vantastisch“) start. Head number 1 had already attracted considerable interest during the prebidding phase. The colt by Vjento, bred by Dutch breeder Noortje Radstake, who has enriched Westphalian auctions with her successful breeding programme for many years, fittingly carried the name Vantastisch. His dam, Annika by Ampere, has already produced several high-priced auction foals for Westphalia descends from the renowned dam line of the famous stallions Welt Hit I to VI. The bay colt attracted numerous admirers and was sold for the undisputed top price of 80,000 euros.
The second-highest-priced foal also came from the hands of loyal Westphalian breeders. Norbert Horstmann from Lüdinghausen bred his mare Hatuscha by Hotline to the Warendorf State Stud stallion Sir Heinrich. This proven sire has already produced several top-priced auction foals at the Westphalian Studbook. Catalogue number 19 descends from the dam line of the Grand Prix successful Champion Stallion Valverde. In the end, Sir Hotline was sold for 56,000 euros to a partnership of owners from Germany.
Alongside the riding horse foals, the riding pony foals also proved extremely popular with buyers. Ninety percent of them found new owners. The top-priced pony foal was a beautiful daughter of Komet. The Champion Stallion of the Westphalian Riding Pony Licensing had only a few days earlier impressed under the saddle of Wibke Hartmann-Stommel, winning the qualifying competition for the Westphalian Championships in convincing style. Dietmar Boom from Legden selected this promising young stallion for his State Premium mare Golden Sunlight B by FS Golden Moonlight. The impressive filly was aptly named Kindheitstraum ("Childhood Dream") by the Boom family. Living up to her name, the elegant young filly captured not only the hearts of children. Loyal clients from the Rhineland secured her for 16,000 euros.
An implanted embryo once again completed this high-quality auction collection. By Escolar out of a mare by Dimaggio (breeder and exhibitor: Christoph Gehre, Weeze), the foal is expected to be born in 2027. It will be a full sibling to the successful horses Espe and Ellis. Long-standing clients of the Westphalian Studbook secured the embryo for 11,000 euros and can now eagerly await the arrival of this exciting young talent.
The auction of almost 100 lots lasted nearly seven hours, yet the atmosphere in Münster-Handorf remained enthusiastic throughout. Right from the start, auctioneer Thomas Münch demonstrated that not only soccer fans know how to create excitement. Breeders, exhibitors and runners entered the arena together and celebrated in the style of Erling Haaland, performing his famous rowing gesture. "We are all in the same boat. Especially in times like these, let's stand together and support one another," Thomas Münch said as he officially opened the auction.
The Westphalian Studbook was more than satisfied with the final result. The 84 sold riding horse foals achieved an average price of 12,405 euros, while the riding pony foals averaged 7,143 euros. Together with Friday's auction of the show jumping foals, the Westphalian Studbook generated a total turnover of around 1.6 million euros.
