ﾀ80K Dubawi filly tops Arqana February

The second day of Arqana’s February Mixed sale was marred by the announcement of the tragic death of 44-year-old breeder and pre-trainer Yann Poirier, following a kick in the head sustained at his Haras du Chene Monday. Poirier was a highly-respected horseman and deeply involved in the industry–he served as President of the Association of Pre-trainers and was particularly active at promoting French-bred horses for the jumping game. 

   Figures for the second session were slightly higher than the previous one, with 122 horses selling for €1,014,900 at an average price of €8,319. Overall, the sale’s aggregate reached €1,949,400, down 19,81% from the buoyant 2014 renewal, while the 73,12 clearance rate was 14 points lower than last year’s record figure. The average price reached €7,705, a drop of 23,93%.

   In the ring, it was a matter of saving the best for last, as bidding culminated at €37,000 until two lots from the close of proceedings, when a 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi (Ire) made her way into the ring. Ponte Bawi (Ire) (lot 390) attracted some spirited bidding, which ended up in a duel between Haras d’Ommeel’s Hubert Honore and Herve Bunel of Agence FIPS. Ultimately, the latter prevailed at €80,000. “This was exactly the price I was expecting to pay for her,” Bunel commented of the Haras du Cadran offering. “I have bought her on behalf of Guy Pariente and I’d expect her to be bred to a certain grey stallion [Kendargent (Fr), who stands at Pariente’s Haras de Coleville]”, he added. “She is from a beautiful and very current family–there is plenty going on under the first dam so we hope that the page will gain some more black type.”

   Ponte Bawi is out of the Listed-placed Ponte Brolla (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}),whose first foal was the G2 Prix Kergorlay and dual Listed winner Ponte Tresa (Fr) (Sicyos). The latter is now the dam of four fillies, including a 2-year-old by New Approach (Ire) and a yearling by Redoute’s Choice (Aus).

   Arqana President Eric Hoyeau reflected on the two days of trade by saying “Obviously the expanded catalogue weighed on the clearance rate. Nonetheless, to sell more than 70% at this sort of industry sale is a satisfactory performance. Going forward, we feel that this sale would be better off returning to a one-day format, yet you have to take the entries into account and provide a service to breeders.”

Success story of the year…
   On the eve of the sale, Arqana hosted the second edition of its Awards ceremony, a well-attended cocktail party held in the sales pavilion’s restaurant. Richard Powell, owner and manager of Haras du Lieu des Champs in Coupesarte, some 45 minutes from Deauville, was the proud recipient of “success story of the year” award. This distinction was earned on the back of a juicy pinhook achieved at last year’s October Yearling sale, where a colt by Lope de Vega (Ire) from his consignment commanded €270,000, having been bought for a mere €24,000 by Jamie Railton as a foal. 

   Richard was probably born with pedigree charts and sire lines imprinted in his brain. His father is the long time breeder, bloodstock agent and pedigree wizard David, while his elder brothers are Freddy – now Arqana’s Newmarket-based bloodstock executive – and California-based trainer Leonard. 

The family used to play pedigree quizzes during long car journeys.

   Richard was still a teenager when he started amassing experience alongside leading professionals all around the world. “During my high-school and university days, I spent every summer working on farms in Great Britain, Ireland or America,”, the now 34-year-old recalls. With his degree in hand, the young man set off for Australia, where he worked at Widden Stud for a couple of years, before returning to France and rounding off his education with spells in a veterinary clinic, several stud farms and finally as sales manager for feed merchant Spillers. 

   “Early in 2013, I decided it was time for me to branch out on my own and I bought the Haras du Lieu des Champs from my father,” says Powell. “At the time, the farm was only boarding mares for clients, there was no consignment activity,” he continues. “I started by upgrading and expanding the facilities–building a new vet room, a walker, a solarium etc. I also equipped the farm with all the modern communication tools–a nice website, a Twitter account, a Facebook page etc. This is important nowadays to increase word of mouth. I had my first consignment at the 2014 Arqana Summer Sale, where all four horses sold, and it built up from there.”

   The pinhooking of the Lope de Vega colt remains as a highlight so far, and Powell admits that it has put him firmly on the map. “It’s a nice mark of recognition for the hard work we’ve been putting in with my team,” he acknowledges humbly. The aims for the coming seasons are as sensible as the man himself, a married father of two: “I’d like to consolidate the good results at future sales,” he offers. “And to keep working for such good people. This is what gives me the greatest pleasure.”