GoHorseShow just interviewed Mike Jennings of Professional Auction Services to find out any new information and details about the Rita Crundwell online and live auction that will be taking place in September. Jennings says that he is impressed by the high quality horses that will be available for sale including 29 World Champions. This is Professional Auction Services’ 34th year in business where they have run over 330 horse auctions, and he expresses that there will be horses available for people in all income brackets. Jennings estimates some horses will be available from a few hundred dollars to some in the six figures.
The multi-day live auction will be held Sept. 23 and 24 to sell horses and other items belonging to Crundwell which will be at her 80-acre ranch at 1556 Red Brick Road in Dixon, Illinois. The online sale will be held on September 11th and 12th and it will have the horses that are offsite at other locations other than the horses located in Illinois and Wisconsin.
GoHorseShow did an in depth Q & A with Mike to find out some details about how the auctions will run and any new developments.
Q: Hi, Mike. Thanks for speaking with us!
A: Sure, no problem. Glad to have the opportunity to get some new information out to the public.
Q: Can you tell us whether there will be a minimum bid on the horses available for the on-line and live auctions?
A: Yes, the minimum bid will be $400 for any horse in the auction due to the concern of buyers who may be interested in selling horses for the slaughterhouses. This minimum bid will prevent these types of buyers from coming to our auction, and the buyers will also have to sign a form stating that they are not buying them for that purpose. It is the governments intention to sell every horse, but they maintain the right to approve the sale of each horse.
Q: Any new changes as far as the items, horses, and frozen semen that will be for sale?
A: Yes, we have decided that the frozen semen will be sold at the live auction after each stallion is sold rather than selling it in the on-line auction. We are working with Select Breeders Services about the best way to separate the semen and sell it to the public. More details will be available closer to the auction. Also, we are working diligently to try and get a release to sell all of her equipment besides the 13 custom western saddles, including other saddle and bridles. No trucks, trailers or farm equipment will be in with the horse auction. If we get information on when and where those items will sell we will pass it along.
Q: Are the horses in the sale in good condition and will you be posting current photos of them for potential buyers to view as well as the saddles?
A: Yes, a current company, Rally Capital, is in charge of the horses at both farms in Wisconsin and Illinois. All the horses are fat and happy, and they are doing an outstanding job taking care of these horses. We will be supplementing their care by getting them ready for the auction by trimming and cleaning them up for the sale. We are also currently in the process of compiling pedigree and current pictures of all the horses. Also, we are getting pictures and information on the saddles from the saddle makers and we will be posting them as well as the horse information real soon.
Q: Will there be an admission fee to get into the auction?
A: No there will not be an admission fee but people who have registered as bidders will have priority seating. People will also not be allowed to park at the farm. There will be an off-site location where people must park and be shuttled to the farm. We will allow a few trailers at a time to come to the farm and pick up the horses that they purchased. There will also only be three days to view these horses before the sale at the farm. There will be no individual site previews for these horses and pre-purchase exams will be available during these three days on a limited basis.
Q: How can people register to bid on the horses?
A: We are still working out the details but we are working it out where people will be able to register for the on-line and also the live auction at the same time. There will also be a way to pre-register so people going to the live auction will not have to wait in lines. In order to register to bid, we will require a deposit of a few hundred dollars to try and weed out impulse buying and people not really serious about buying a horse. If the registered bidder does not buy a horse, the deposit will be refunded. The on-line auction will be set up similar to a Ebay auction and we will also require a deposit for these auctions as well. Due to this being a government and commercial asset auction, there will be more restrictions and different rules from a normal horse auction. We also may do background checks and require letters of guarantee from the bidder’s bank, cash sales, and bank wire transfers. We are still working out the details but we will provide the exact details in ample time before the sale dates. Registered bidders will also be able to bid on-line from their computer or on the phone during the live auctions as well. More details to come.
Q: Are the trainers that have horses in other part of the country getting reimbursed for their expenses?
A: Yes, as of May 1st when the ruling came down that allowed the sale of the horses, these trainers have had the ability to provide invoices and expense reports to get reimbursed for their costs. However, the government is on a slower schedule than most so it takes some time for them to receive their money. Also, to prevent any appearance of impropriety, none of the trainers who have been involved with any of the horses in this sale will be allowed to bid on the horses.
Q: Will there be an updated inventory list available soon?
A: Yes, in a few days we will be posting a new list where there was a slight bit of movement between the sales and shifting some horses and the frozen semen around to the live auction. Please visit our site, www.professionalauction.com for updated information and details.
Q: Thanks Mike for your time!
A: You’re welcome.
