Page 44 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

By Diane M. Ciarloni
2018
THE
NEW MEXICO-BRED SALE
There were numerous confirmed reports of what seemed to be a highly contagious condition on Friday, Aug. 17, and Saturday, Aug. 18, filled by people in the quaint hamlet of Ruidoso Downs.
Even Ruidoso veterans such as Lowell Neumayer, W.L. Mooring and Fred Alexander were affected.
When asked to describe the condition, they responded with words such as....light-headed, giddy, walking-on-air. One went so far as to say euphoric.
Mooring commented he remembered vaguely feeling something similar 15 or 16 years ago. Neumayer said even longer ago than that and Alexander said he thought, perhaps, he was dreaming.
Interestingly, local restaurants reported a significant increase in their dinner crowds.
One owner commented patrons ordered the more expensive selections on the menu and
left generous tips when they left the table. One added, “There seemed to be a lot of laughter; a lot more than we usually hear. It was really quite nice.” Even invigorating, he added.
Invigorating?
Yes, indeed.
The highly contagious condition circulating
in, around and outside the barns on August 17 and 18 was finally recognized and diagnosed. It was identified as ENTHUSIASM!
People such as Neumayer, Mooring and 42 New Mexico Horse Breeder
Alexander were feeling the effects of enthusiasm as it crackled through the air like electricity. It spread fast, seeming to increase speed as the Thoroughbreds were led into the sale ring on Friday and the Quarter Horses on Saturday.
Something incredible was happening.
New Mexico-Bred Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses were selling at prices that had not been seen since, at the very earliest, 2002. It’s no wonder the feelings being generated felt unfamiliar.
“We’d heard rumors about new money coming down the pike for the sale,” said Alexander, who led the Thoroughbred contingent with the top three high sellers, “but rumors like that seldom pan out.” They did this time. Proof of that particular pudding is that Alexander didn’t recognize the names of some of the folks who signed tickets for his yearlings.
The enthusiasm that sent sparks darting through the Ruidoso air on Aug. 17 and 18 was anything but fleeting. People were still operating with an attitude of solid positivity days later. And consignors waiting for the
big Labor Day yearling sale were feeling confidently hopeful they’re going to be showered with the same bushelful of blessings.
There is absolutely no hyperbole in the description of the good feelings generated by the New Mexico-Bred sales. The numbers are there and they speak for themselves....loudly and clearly.
The Friday night Thoroughbred session averaged $12,561. That was a $4,393, or 54%, increase over last year. Then, on Saturday, something even more unbelievable happened with the Quarter Horses.
The Quarter Horse yearlings were gaveled out at a $16,936 average, for a grin-producing 49% increase over 2017. That, in dollars, means this year’s yearlings were up $5,559.
Even the in-utero session, first introduced by Lowell Neumayer last year, skyrocketed. The average fell just shy of $20,000.
The leader on the list was an embryo by Special Effort and out of the champion producer Five Bar Molly, selling to Joe D. Brooks for $65,000.
Who, and/or what, was selling?
Most of the time, repetitive names, numbers or events are used to define trends. If that’s true, there were definitely some well-defined trends at Ruidoso with the 2018 state-bred sales.
Let’s take a look at the Thoroughbreds.
First point, the three top sellers were from Fred Alexander’s A & A Ranch consignment. Second point, all three of the top-selling
Thoroughbred yearlings are by the Crystal Springs’-owned Attila’s Storm, who stands at Alexander’s.
So, if nothing else, those two points tell us Attila’s Storm is still in demand and Alexander is obviously doing a damn good job.