Guest Post by Laura M. LaVoie from dpeg Marketing Company
At the end of April, my husband and I took our cat Toast on an adventure to Ocala, Florida, specifically for the OBS Spring Thoroughbred Sale. We followed Jena Antonucci and Katie Miranda from horseOlogy and their progress throughout the week, and I am in awe. horseOlogy encourages anyone interested in investing and learning more about the process to join them and see what it’s all about. This is my experience with horseOlogy and the spring sale at OBS.
Indoor Kid
I admit, I’m an indoor kid. I was really into horses when I was younger, but my love was expressed in a vast collection of Breyer Model Horses instead of learning to ride. But I remember watching the Kentucky Derby with my best friend every year, starting when we were about ten. When I arrived at the OBS Spring Sale, I was reminded of that same wonder from when I was young.
Arriving at OBS is a unique sensory experience. You see rows and rows of green-roofed barns, all populated with gorgeous thoroughbreds for sale. Grays, bays, and chestnuts at the peak of their performance are ready to be sold to the highest bidder. Occasionally, a horse would let out a whinny that all the nearby horses answer.
With about 1,200 horses in this sale, how do they determine the order? OBS draws a letter and follows it alphabetically according to each horse’s dam, or mother. Our horses were set up in Barn 17 under Katie’s consignment, White Lilac. Katie had several horses available, including the horseOlogy fillies Hay Dilly 21, and Picardia 21. They were assigned Hip 460 and 788, respectively. Hay Dilly 21 would be called about midday on Wednesday. I was immediately in love with Hay Dilly 21, a Grey Roan by Arrogate, a famous stud who recently passed. She’d be among the last of his foals for sale.
Graduation Day
Hay Dilly 21 was brought out several times the day before and of her auction. Much of the time was spent waiting for her hip number to be called so we could head into the room for the auction.
I noticed how Katie would talk about the filly when people came around to see her. She spoke with such adoration and appreciation. I asked how she could let the horses go after getting attached and if it was sad. She told me it was a lot like graduation. The horses move on, and she can follow them as they progress in their careers.
When bidding begins, it’s everything you imagine as the auctioneer does the fast-talking that most people can’t keep up with. In all the excitement, I wasn’t sure what the outcome was until we met with the horseOlogy team. Hay Dilly 21 was sold. It was a successful pinhook, which Jena told me made the entire process worth it. It justifies all their work with the horse over the last seven months.
The Racing Circuit Draft
On the way home from Ocala, we stopped for the night in Savannah, Georgia. Coincidentally, the NFL draft was on, and since we have a favorite team, we watched to see what would happen. It wasn’t hard to draw a parallel after our experience.
In the case of the NFL draft, the money goes to the player, and only the teams benefit from the pick. While that translates to the fan’s enjoyment, fans don’t have a real buy-in on their team’s performance.
With Thoroughbreds, I know that people who invest in pinhooking with horseOlogy will have a chance for a return on their investment. All the work that Jena and Katie do over the months and years leading up to the sale is truly a labor of love. By working with horseOlogy, you’re investing in them and trusting them to do their jobs well and be successful. If you love sports and horses, making this investment is a no-brainer.
To learn more about visiting with horseOlogy, the farm, or the sales:
Meet the Ologists
Follow horseOlogy online and on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to learn more about our team, thoroughbreds, and services. Call us at 855-HORSIES (855-467-7437) to schedule your visit to our facility.