Tranquility Farms/ CTBA Stallion Auctions - Need info

[vallygirl927]

Does anyone know how these stallion auctions work? I want to submit a bid, but I'm not sure what a realistic bid amount is.......obviously it depends on the sire but does anyone have any tips, suggestions or advice?

[zinn21]

I believe there are minimum bids on some of the seasons. I won a bid years ago on a Tranquility Farms auction. It was a phone bid and I was highest bidder on a season to Habitony. Think I bid $1000.

[majxmom]

I bid successfully on the GEVA auction before, and I think the TF auction is similar. You just call them on the opening day and tell them you are interested in bidding. They tell you what the current price is for a stallion, usually a minimum of $500. They take your information and your bid. Throughout the day(s) of the auction, they will call you every time someone outbids you. Obviously, just like on EBay, there's a lot of action in the last hour. Usually, if there are two active bidders on a stallion after the stated cutoff time, they will keep the bidding going just between those two people until one drops out.

Be advised that these things are usually stated as being No Guarantee seasons, but almost always when the contract comes, they've checked Live Foal anyway. You probably won't have a RIGHT to return, but they might work with you.

I've got an Uncle Denny in the belly right now that is the product of this auction. It's a great way to get a new stud for a reasonable price. I've never had any reason to think that the farms care less about your mare because of the auction.

A realistic bid will be to start at $500 and go up in $100 increments. There's very little competition in these things. Once I bid up to $1700 on Turkoman, but I dropped out because that seemed a little too much for a No Guarantee season at his age. Generally the top stallions like In Excess are not in these auctions, but if they are, they often have a high minimum. It's usually people who wisely just want more foals on the ground that donate a season.

[bfinellc]

I purchase a lot of my stallion seasons through the various auctions. I usually try to find a live-foal guarantee. Most of these auctions do start around $500; but I have seen them as low as $200. I have gotten some pretty good Kentucky and Florida stallions at an average 25% of their published price with a live foal guarantee.

[vallygirl927]

majxmom, did you have to pay when the auction ended or was there a grace period?