Arqana will introduce a vet file repository beginning with its Summer Sale June 29 to July 1. The repository will provide veterinary surgeons with centralised access to all veterinary documents for horses offered for sale, and will utilise Keystone software, the technology already in use in repositories in America, Australia and New Zealand.
Using the Keystone software, files will be uploaded prior to the sale and will become available for viewing after the horse in question has arrived on the sales grounds. Vets wishing to use the repository must lodge the name of the owner they are working on behalf of, and that information will be provided instantly to consignors via e-mail. For yearling sales, the vet files can only be accessed on the Arqana premises, where a dedicated room has been set up. For horses in training sales, remote online consultation will be made available.
“To this day, veterinary documents at Arqana could be presented in all sorts of formats: USB keys, DVDs or even as paper copies in some cases,” explained Ludovic Cornuel, who is in charge of technological innovation within the Arqana bloodstock team. “Such lack of uniformity makes veterinary work more complicated and is generally not helpful for a sale. A centralised platform will standardise the format of the veterinary files and streamline consultation.”
Cornuel continued, “It will also simplify all the logistics of making files available from a vendor's point of view, and in certain cases enable them to save on staff, stables, and will very often cut out the stress linked to this logistic.”
Cornuel noted the technology could aid buyers in last-minute decisions. “Thanks to the speed with which files can be consulted, this device might encourage 'opportunistic' purchases made at the last minute, for instance from a buyer who might notice an attractive horse in the back ring,” he said. “Private sales will also become more straightforward, as the files of horses which have been bought back will remain available for viewing until a private sale is made or until the end of the sale.”
“Finally, this software also guarantees vendors some detailed feedback: for each consultation via the repository, the vendor receives an email alert mentioning the name of the vet, the time of consultation, its duration and the name of the buyer on behalf of whom the vet is acting,” he added. “Each vendor can also look up the history of his/her draft's consultations at any time.”
“We carried out consultations with vendors and buyers prior to the introduction of this service and trust that the service we have developed with Asteris will meet their requirements,” Cornuel said. “Ultimately, this new service will act as a time saver and an efficiency boost, which are key elements in today's world.”
With the news that Arqana would be establishing a repository beginning with the summer sales, the TDN interviewed a number of French consignors as well as Americans who consign in the U.S. and come to France to buy, and the Arqana official in charge of the new program to hear their thoughts on the news.
Ludovic Cornuel, Arqana official responsible for technological development within the sales company:
We had been thinking about doing this for quite a while. We noticed that there was no real standard when it came to how the vet files were being made available to people. Vendors were coming up with different formats for their X-rays: DVDs, USB keys or, with some, actual X-rays on X-ray films. There was a lack of uniformity and that was making it difficult for a lot of veterinarians to read what was available.
Many veterinarians who were inspecting the vet files for their buyers and clients were telling us the process needed to be streamlined. At the same time, it became a nightmare for a lot of vendors, too. For example, it would often happen that there would be a horse for sale with a great profile that was attracting a lot of interest from buyers and as a consequence, we had situations where numerous veterinarians were forced to queue up in front of the boxes to get access to the files, or vendors running around the sales to chase vets to have their USB stick or DVD back.
Other than making things more convenient for both vendors and buyers, I don't think you'll see it create any major impact on the prices horses sell for. It will help the sale in the sense that vet files will be accessible to more people and as such more potential buyers.
At the end of the day, there won't be any significant change in the buying process. The system has been introduced at several other sales and we've seen firsthand how well it works and how it has made the buying process easier.
Sybille Gibson, Haras de Montaigu:
From a practical point of view , we think it's a very good idea. Easy to deal with throughout the day. That said, we are very concerned and a bit worried. We do not want a vet to scratch a yearling on radio inspection without seeing him before. We do not want a vet to be able to send any file through internet anywhere. Generally speaking, this new program is great for our organization on site but it must remain as the current “vendor-to-vet system.” That is to say, the vet must see the horse and talk to vendor before judging the vet file and not transfer any information away.
Michel Zerolo, Haras des Capucines:
The concept of the repository as it exists probably makes sense for major sales such as Keeneland or Tattersalls because of the logistics involved, and you probably need to have that sort of system in place especially on such vast areas as Keeneland or Tattersalls.
In the case of a “boutique” sale like Arqana, where everything is centralized and it takes all of two minutes to go from one end of the sale ground to the other, I don't really see the point of putting my destiny, and that of the horse that I either bred or consign for a client, in the hands of a vet with whom I will have had no contact and who can negate three years worth of work without having any input whatsoever in the decision or at the very least a chance to explain some of the problems. We as consignors know our horses better than anyone, and if there is a question on an X-ray I would like to be able at the very least to substantiate my case and give an opinion; you can then do whatever you want with it, but at least give me a chance to voice it.
For those reasons, I prefer the old format where we have a room with an X-ray visioning apparatus and a computer to view videos of the scope as well as a person dedicated to help with any questions. The proximity of the horses to this room makes it also easy to re-shoot an X-ray or re-scope if need be.
Transparency is paramount and you are only as good as your reputation in this business. Having said that, we are not selling toothbrushes but living creatures, and God only knows how difficult it is from the planning of the matings to the delivery of the yearling on the sales grounds. You have many important parameters necessary to reach a successful equation: the buyer, the representative of the buyer (agent/trainer/manager), the veterinarian but not least of all the vendor/breeder/consignor. This is why I feel that in an effort of transparency and honesty, where both sides are satisfied the old system (which incidentally requires more work and manpower on our part)–where we provide full sets of X-rays and video of the scope whilst being available as well–it is a better system where each party can be fully satisfied as opposed to a blind examination without any return.
Price Bell, Mill Ridge Farm/Nicoma Bloodstock:
I think this a great move forward. Arqana has been on the forefront of digitizing things, having auctions on line and innovating in general. By doing this and developing greater transparency, one would believe this would improve their position in the digital auction space. I don't see it having a negative impact. Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton were the ones that developed the repository system and, at those sales, I think it has created more business because it has brought a lot more buyers into the market.
Justin Casse, Casse Sales/international bloodstock agent:
I don't think it will affect me as much as it might some of the locals, the reason being that I do not vet nearly as many horses as your average French buyer. I go over there with certain pedigrees in mind and will only vet between five and 10 horses and oftentimes those horses do have some X-rays available. I think this is a good move. The more information you can have available for the buyers, the better. Arqana has continued to make steps in positive directions for international buyers. Last year or the year before, they put in new regulations for their piroplasmosis testing, which was also very helpful for international buyers.
People were always going to shoot X-rays on the best horses. No one is going to spend $100,000, $200,000 on a horse without knowing what they're getting into. This will likely affect the middle market more. In the $30,000 to $100,000 range, people might have said before I don't think I need to bother vetting the horse, he looks sound clinically and there's no pressure in any ankles or joints. So people would spend the money without vetting. Now, everyone will have access to X-rays on those horses.
Anna Drion, Coulonces Consignment:
This is a great idea, something that we had to have. It is something that we've been wanting to have for many years. Anything that can make it easier for the buyer to buy a horse we have to go for. This way, the vets will have easier and quicker access to the X-rays.
There are very few horses that are 100% perfect. There is nearly always something you can find, something the vets will comment on. Together with an examination from the vets to check how the horse looks and feels when it is palpated, you're getting all sides of the story. It's very necessary to have both. It's not only a picture of an X-ray.
We've always had X-rays, so, in that sense, this won't be changing anything. The vets could go into our offices and look at the X-rays we had available. Now, they'll no longer have to come to our office to do it and that will make things easier for everyone. The vets will be able to move much more quickly. Suppose a horse is in the parade ring and the client says “I love this horse, the way it's moving and the way it is parading.” Before, they wouldn't have had enough time to run over to our office and see what we have. Now, they can just open up an iPad, look at the X-rays and the scope and say 'yes, go ahead and buy the horse.'” I can only see the positives with this.
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