Where do Pro Riders Find Their Horses ????

[Wasrandyra]

A musing really ( I am good at this

)

Does John Whitaker thumb through H&H every Thursday looking for a new ride. They just seem to turn up on horses that you never 'see' for sale and when they are sold you never see for sale again.

Is there an underworld of horse sales for the elite?

Do they buy them themselves or have a 'buyer' - I ask this because I am presuming there may be competition over who buys it if JW (I am using him as an example) turns up at an auction for example with his cheque book.

As I said, a musing, but something that I have wondered for a while - in all disciplines ....

 

[sillygillyhorse]

I believe there is an "underworld". Most of the professionals will have trusted contacts and scouts looking for horses for them therefore such horses will not be offered on the open market.

 

[MegaBeast]

Aa friend of mine (who hadn't advertised her horse for sale) was headhunted by the Australian Olympic Showjumping Team. They were looking for a horse by Animo and tracked him down (in the UK) and then got hold of her to ask if he was available, and if so could she send photos, videos etc.

They then proceeded to fly over specially to see him!

 

[connie1288]

I think the pros also use trusted sources such as Vere Phillipps and unptown eventing, you will see many pros go back to the same person again if they have had success.
Also eventers now seem keen on picking up foreign horses especially show jumpers and converting them.

 

[Bossanova]

MAny pros tap into studs which they know are producing the goods- Andrew Nicholson gets his from a stud in spain, the Funnels have got the Billy Stud, Sarah Cohen Preci-Spark etc

 

[teapot]

WFP has his own scout who mooches around the European circuit; there was an article in Eventing about her ages ago

 

[Eventerlad15]

[ QUOTE ]
WFP has his own scout who mooches around the European circuit; there was an article in Eventing about her ages ago

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He also gets a lot-Navigator and Macciato included, form Australia.

 

[teapot]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
WFP has his own scout who mooches around the European circuit; there was an article in Eventing about her ages ago

[/ QUOTE ]

He also gets a lot-Navigator and Macciato included, form Australia.

[/ QUOTE ]

She may well do Australia as well then, or be out there, rather than Europe; shall try and find the article

 

[LEC]

Sharon Ridgeway finds horses for WFP in Oz - also found him his stallion.

OT is always looking and if something catches his eye he will ask! He enquired after a horse I know who is pretty smart.

Its all about who you know. If people know you like a certain type of horse then they will often let you know if something comes up. It also depends on your budget!

 

[jenh166]

WFP went to look at a horse that nikki ryan had (she rang him bofore the horse was even advertised)!
Also, at an event yard I worked on last yr, rider had 2 to sell and some agents came to look at the horses for people over her and in USA, so I think they do it that way sometimes.

 

[ajf]

[ QUOTE ]

OT is always looking and if something catches his eye he will ask! He enquired after a horse I know who is pretty smart.


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Think he asked SJ about Sarnie in Pau as well!

 

[kerilli]

I know of a former team horse who came from Sean and Sally Parkyn, a friend of mine saw it as a 4 yr old and loved it but they wouldn't sell to her as she was an amateur and they wanted the horse to go to a pro... she was really annoyed when it went straight to A and on the team...!
loads of top horses have come from Vere Phillipps' yard, he has an amazing eye for talent.

 

[connie1288]

[ QUOTE ]

loads of top horses have come from Vere Phillipps' yard, he has an amazing eye for talent.

[/ QUOTE ]

Can someone come and tell my mare where she came from to make sure she remembers how good she is!!

 

[little_flea]

I know that some of the top showjumpers in Sweden (and I am sure it is not that different here) get offers of horses to ride all the time from owners - there is quite a process until these riders even decide if they want to give the horse in question a trial ride, and I am sure, all at the owners expense for the priviliege. I guess this only really the case if you are very well known though.

 

[Rambo]

There's a whole network of very high grade equine agents and dealers on the continent who will deal in top end horses. Many of them are ex-riders who know exactly what they are looking for from their own experience as riders and others are just very lucky to have a great eye and good contacts. There are also a network of riders at a slightly lower level than the very top who make their living out of identifying good young prospects and bringing them up through the grades before selling them for large sums of money to to be taken on by the top riders.

In terms of equine agents think people like Paul Schockemohle and Emile Hendrix amongst others. Producers...Stuart Harvey, Rob Hoekstra, Duncan Inglis...and of course our own sj_mummy...and many more alike on the continent. Many top horses never see the sale ring anyway...being bred by specialist competition studs and then passed around different riders to bring on. There's actually quite a small pool of talent that the majority of top horses seem to come from.

Of course, when your name is John Whitaker or Nick Skelton or similar horses do tend to come to you...but they are the exception rather than the rule

 

[scrumpygus]

There was a programme on horse and country the other day (cant remember the title) that was about people taking their youngsters in to be tested to be ridden by the pro's at future olympics or other big events - they had all different age classes and they were freelunging them over jumps and then some general other tests to look at conformation etc .
I would imagine some people know theyve got a star and seek out pros to ride for them.

 

[Amaretto]

Bought a horse from the Whitakers - a three year old kept in a huge barn in the winter with other 3 yos. Some are home bred by their successful stallions and others imported as babies. Louise, John etc produce them - I'd expect some make the grade.

 

[BallyshanHorses]

We have sold some of our youngsters to professional riders who then give the ride to someone else until they reach higher levels.If they are good enough then the pro rider usually takes them from there.
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www.ballyshanhorses.webs.com

 

[Ranyhyn]

[ QUOTE ]
Aa friend of mine (who hadn't advertised her horse for sale) was headhunted by the Australian Olympic Showjumping Team. They were looking for a horse by Animo and tracked him down (in the UK) and then got hold of her to ask if he was available, and if so could she send photos, videos etc.

They then proceeded to fly over specially to see him!

[/ QUOTE ]

There's a bay horse for sale on HQ, first in the allrounders over 16hh - thats not the same one by any chance?

 

[Sal_E]

Quite often the owners will contact the riders - they have a rider in mind. A friend of mine used to breed quality eventers & she would keep in touch with a few of the top eventers so they always knew what she had & what stage they were at.