WATB yearling sale

[geowarrior]

Anyone looked at the catalog - any thoughts?

I have one thought - Tuesday Sept 5th is the daftest day to have the sale since it is the day after labor day. I'd have liked to have gone the day before the sale and stayed over, but I won't be able to get my dogs into the kennel because of the holiday, and probably a tent by the side of the road is the best I'd do for accomodation.

It's a four hour drive (min) there and back for me so I don't think I'll be going. Too bad, it would have been my first sale.

[CA Michael]

Are you referring to the WHBA yearling sale in Seattle? If so, I consider the catalog the strongest I've ever seen for this company. I'm biased, tho, since I have three yearlings in it, but nevertheless I don't recall seeing as many STRONG black type families before. I'm glad to see the WHBA moving away from awarding (N) races black type. That fake black type is still there in some cases, but for reasons I don't understand, has been stricken for other horses.

The Tuesday after Labor Day weekend is the traditional day for this sale, at least in the last few years. Hope you can make it.

[geowarrior]

Yes I did see your yearlings, and I also noticed the fake black type on some of the pages (not yours). My recollection is that the rules for black type have been tightened up even more this year and so eventually more of that fake black type should disappear.

I'm new to all this so I don't quite understand all the abbreviations in the dams' catalog pages, and I don't know anything about conformation, that's why I'd hoped to go to the sale so I could glean info from the experts. For example, what's an N race?

I know the sale starts at one so if I left early in the morning I could get there in time for the auction part but isn't there supposed to be time beforehand where you look at the horses?

I could drive back the same night I suppose but there would still be the issue of finding someone to let out the dogs, which is a bit of an imposition since they are big and annoying.

I did notice one or two that I thought were odd - bred in Pa or Kentucky, what are they doing in a WA sale?

[Jolene]

It is not "fake", it is just based on different criteria. Neither consignors nor sales committee members determine how each specific catalog page specifically looks.

[CA Michael]

Jolene, I think it's fair to say that in most horseman's minds, black type awarded to stakes placings in races with small purses ($3,000, $10,000, $35,000) is not genuine. Call it ingenuine, bogus, fake, or what you like, but the real purpose of it is to mislead catalog readers.

It won't fool seasoned breeders or salesgoers who are familiar with the rules. However, for the newcomer in the sport, or the racetracker more occupied with operating their stables than deciphering cataloguing standards, the use of 'fake' black type only serves to give more credence to a pedigree than it would deserve if accurately portrayed. Sales companies should just play it straight.

[Jolene]

I'm not in disagreement with anything you said, Michael, but reading GeoWarrior's post, I was a bit concerned he perceived black type as something that could be manipulated by consignors. So, since he's never been to a sale before, I did think it atleast reasonable to point out that there is a different black type standard in the Pac NW than elsewhere...it's not just a random agent/consignor saying, "hey, let's call this black type, it'll look good." They are catalog pages straight from from JCIS.

[geowarrior]

Jolene

Geowarrior is a she. No I didn't think that black type was manipulated by consignors, and although I haven't been to a sale before I have done some reading on the varying standards that have been applied to performances to define them as 'black type' e.g. stakes with purses below a certain level, races that are restricted etc.

So reading the catalog pages I was on the lookout for that. The term 'fake blacktype' is just a shorthand and not intended to imply dishonesty on the part of consignors. It would make it easier to read the catalog pages if there was more consistency, and hopefully in the future there will be, if Michael's observations about the improvements this year hold up.

But thanks for the info Jolene, any contribution to the learning experience is welcome.

[Jolene]

Sorry for the gender assumption, I should know better.

If you would still like to attend a sale to get your feet wet, so to speak, the Oregon mixed sale is Sept. 24th, in Newberg...probably three hours from Emerald Downs or so...5 and a half hours from you. The preview is Saturday, sale is Sunday, and all the consignors are very accomodating.

[geowarrior]

Thanks Jolene

That might be doable but a bit of a stretch as I'll have started teaching by then, don't finish my last class till 5 pm Friday, then have my 9 o'clock class on Monday.

I'll give it some thought though. Work is such a pesky thing, it gets in the way of interesting stuff.

[tbrace]

The Oregon sale, is, well, less than what we see at most other West Coast sales. The Oakhurst people are great hosts, just not a lot of horse power there.

I agree with Nijinski, the Washington sale is quite amazing for a regional sale, this year. How come so many strong Kentucky breds in the catalog this time?

[magic code]

Because they're pinhooks!

[tbrace]

Yes, but is there a strong enough market for that many horses of that caliber in that sale? Not to disrespect the sale, but it is a smaller regional sale, in a market that is often somewhat depressed.

[suzyd]

British Columbia sale is the week after WTBA.
Nice offerings, and word is that they finally won
their court case for SLOTS !

[tbrace]

Oh, man, good news for those of us who live up this way!

[suzyd]

It really is ! Should give a boost to the whole region.