A New Twist on an Old Tradition: Program Celebrates Successful Online Quarter Horse Sale
Despite only having a few weeks to shift an in-person auction to an online auction, the 18th annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale was a smashing success. Twelve horses sold for approximately $94,700, giving this sale the highest average sale price per horse in the program’s long history.
Interested buyers could place bids on the horses throughout the week of April 27 and the bidding closed at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 2. The top-selling horse, PSU Nite to Be Ceen, sold for $12,000 with three more horses selling over the $10,000 mark.
Brian Egan, assistant teaching professor of equine science and horse farm coordinator, said, “Three years ago we had our first horse sell for $10,000 through the auction format. To have the horses averaging close to $8,000 is fantastic for the program. It speaks to the quality of our horses and the work the students put into the sale.”
Five student managers and about sixty other students are involved in running the sale. With classes being moved to an online format, the students worked from home to finalize the sale process. One of the sales managers, Meg Gingerich, a senior supply chain and information systems major, said, “The students took this change in stride and we couldn’t be prouder of the work they put in. The sale takes a lot of work on everyone’s part.” Gingerich, who is from Columbia, Pennsylvania, will begin a job as an operations supervisor for Dollar General after graduation.
This group of two-year-old horses marks the end of an era for Penn State Quarter Horses. They are the last group sired by the stallion PSU Dynamic Krymsun. Next year’s horses are sired by different stallions who have been added to the herd since Rocky’s death. These include legendary One Hot Krymsun, an AQHA Leading Sire and NSBA Hall of Fame inductee, and Red White N Good, who has produced NSBA world champions and AQHA high point winners. Offspring of Penn-State born stallion, PSU He Rox the Nite, will also be available again next year.
“Next year’s horses will have different bloodlines, but the quality associated with Penn State will still be there,” noted veterinarian and herdsman Ed Jedrzejewski.
One part of the in-person event that was lost due to moving online was the annual silent auction to benefit the Ward Studebaker Endowment, which helps provide financial support for the horse farm. However, a silver belt buckle designed and produced for the program by Molly’s Custom Silver was auctioned off make up for that loss. “It was a really beautiful piece and a great way to support the endowment. Additionally, it gave alumni and others an opportunity to participate in the sale even if they weren’t looking for a horse,” said senior animal science major Isabella Cerrone of Muttontown, NY. Cerrone will be starting veterinary school at the University of Glasgow in the fall.
Professional Horse Services, LLC, was the organization that ran the online auction service. “They were wonderful to work with and incredibly helpful. We had a tight turnaround time for moving everything online and we couldn’t have done it alone,” said senior animal science major Scarlett Loya. Loya, of Washington, Pennsylvania, has been involved with the program during all four years of her time at Penn State and even owns a Penn State Quarter Horse. She will be starting veterinary school at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
The 19th annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale will be held Saturday, May 1, 2021. The format is still up for debate, however. “We’re open to trying the online auction again or perhaps a hybrid of both formats. We were pleasantly surprised by the success of this sale. The sale is always evolving and maybe this could be our next big leap,” Egan said.
For more information on the Penn State Quarter Horse Program contact Brian Egan at [email protected] or 814-863-0569. For more information on Internet Horse Auctions contact Professional Horse Services, LLC at [email protected] or 855-272-3905.
