For Immediate Release
April 16, 2021 – SLF Horse Auctions, led by Dutch Olympic show jumper Harrie Smolders and top breeders and horse dealers Walter Lelie and Niels Fabrie, are pleased to announce that their second online auction will open on Friday, April 24, at 12 p.m. CET/6 a.m. ET. A selection of the best young show jumping prospects in Europe, including horses with competition experience as well as young horses starting under saddle from the best bloodlines in the sport, will be presented and available to become the next show jumping star or treasured amateur mount.
Smolders, Lelie, and Fabrie came together as friends to form SLF Auctions, and it’s their experience as well as their relationship that led to one of the most exceptional classes of horses available through an online auction. SLF Horse Auctions held their first highly successful online auction in December 2020, which started as a way to showcase the talent the three horsemen had in their barns and through their close network.
“We push each other to a higher level,” said Lelie. “We have the same feeling about how to treat customers as well as what makes a good horse. All three of us are in the business, along with Harrie at the top of the sport, so we have the experience and really know what people look for in a horse.”
Top Prospects – Ridden Horses
The ridden show jumpers that have competition experience are aged five to 10 years old. The group includes six mares, six geldings, and one stallion. Prices will start at €8000. Some of the most highly regarded sires, such as recent stars Arko III, Emerald vt Ruytershof, Vigo d’Arsouilles, and Winningmood, as well as legendary sires Kannan, Quick Star, and Heartbreaker, are represented in these talented offspring.
An exclusive grand prix prospect offered at this auction is Opium VD Bisschop, a seven-year-old stallion by Hunter’s Scendro x Elvis Ter Putte. With all of the qualities to make a future grand prix horse, including size, power, rideability, balance, and temperament, this is one prospect that will go to the top level.
Click above to watch Opium VD Bisschop under saddle with Harrie Smolders
Future Stars – Young Horses Group 1
The 13 young horses in Group 1 are three, four, or five years old and include four mares, four geldings, and five stallions. They boast sires such as Capital Colnardo and Air Jordan, as well as damsires such as Argentinus, Cassini I, Concorde, Quidam de Revel, and Voltaire. These horses start at just €4,000.
No Nonsens, a three-year-old stallion by Chacoon Blue x Ukato, is one of three Chacoon Blue offspring offered in this auction. No Nonsens has the gallop, scope, power, and fantastic jumping ability that makes him a standout of the group.
Click above to see No Nonsens, a 2018 stallion by Chacoon Blue x Ukato.
Future Stars – Young Horses Group 2
Seven mares, four geldings, and three stallions – including the yearling Ipstar (Escape x Crown Z) – make up the second group of young horses. There are two five-year-old mares that have started jumping, as well as three-year-old stallion Diablo (Di Cantero van der Hulst Z x Quidam de Revel), who is “born for the USA.” All horses will start at €4,000.
Almost 90% of the horses offered in the auction come from the three auction partners. “We brought the ridden horses to a training show so we could see their reaction at a competition,” explained Lelie of their plan prior to the auction for the horses. “We know what we are selling and are as prepared as we can be to give full information about them and how they go.”
Those interested in bidding in the auction, which opens on April 24, can register online at the SLF Horse Auctions website. Bidding on the young horses for group one is open until April 26, while group two is open until April 27. The auction for ridden horses is open until April 28. For those in the area, trials and viewing of the horses are available.
For more information on the SLF Horse Auction, email info@slf.auction or call Niels Fabrie at +31 622.206.340, Walter Lelie at +32 496.808.230, or Harrie Smolders at +31 610.185.963.