22 October, 2008
On Tuesday, July 22, the Hidaka Breeders' Association hosted the Selection Sale for yearlings at the JBBA Hokkaido Sales Complex in Shinhidaka. The highest priced yearling was a filly by Fuji Kiseki, out of Daiwa Lovely, sold to Dr. K.C. Tan from Singapore, for JPY30,450,000. The highest priced colt was by King Kamehameha, out of Orange Jasmine (IRE) purchased by Darley Japan of Hidaka for JPY26,775,000.
Yearlings sired by Falbrav (IRE) topped the list of average price by stallion with an average of JPY 21,000,000. Next was Kurofune (USA), JPY 16,117,500), followed by Forty Niner (USA), at JPY 16,065,000). Dr. Tan, who purchased the highest priced yearling, said, "I'm absolutely delighted that I was able to buy the horse I thought was the best for what is a reasonable price for such a top-class animal." Totally, 228 yearlings (147 colts and 81 fillies) were offered, and 107 (82 colts and 25 fillies) went under the hammer. The percentage sold was therefore 46.9%, which was down 18.1 points from last year. The total value of yearlings sold was JPY 1,157,625,000, a decline of 26.8% compared with last year, when sales hit a new record. However, with sales topping a billion yen for the fifth straight year and the median price climbing 4.4% on the year to JPY 9,450,000 (though the average price slipped 12.5% to JPY 10,818,925), demand was stronger than had been anticipated given the present economic climate,.
(Note: All auction sale prices given here include consumption tax.)