Consignors

With foals, I would recommend going by the "Goldie-locks" theory of;

- not too big a consignor
- not too small a consignor

but one that is just right,..... (10-25 foals IMHO)

out of interest, colt/filly? sire?

YOU4COFFEE,

A biggish subject! What are you needing exactly? Will you be looking for someone to prepare your foal prior to sale or are you just looking to drop it at the sales and have it presented by sales agent?

In my opinion there is no need to be spending big money here as provided the foal is in good order it will sell itself. I am not a fan of large consignors anyway but selling at the yearling sales is different as there are considerably fewer buyers and their selection processes can be a little, shall we say, off centre.

At the foal sales, the buyers will be largely pinhookers and they will be looking only for the foal that has potential to make them money, politics will take much more of a back seat.

An expensive swanky consignor is a complete waste of money when selling the little woolly ones!

Forgive me mind if you are offering a Galileo filly with a page - you can pay someone as much as you like if so!!

PotM logic is very sound but I'd go as far as to say I dont think it matters who sells you're foal as long as they are competent to do so - you've as much chance with a bigger or small operation getting a useless lassie walking it badly while another similarly ignorant one fails to give any decent chat to buyers. Relatively limited list Wily if you are wanting a 10-25 foal consignor...thats basically Silfield, Whitsbury, Houghton, Tweenhills, Genesis Green or Meadowlands.

Not very helpful sorry - I volunteer PotM!

Yer ma, I was reminded of the old chestnut pointing out how grammar and punctuation really do matter - do you want "to help your Uncle Jack, off a donkey" or do you want "to help your uncle, jack off a donkey"!

You cannot be recommending me to you4coffee surely? - He/She wants to make money, not lose the lot!!

I've decided you must therefore have been notifying me of your volunteering for the job!

Thanks for your replies and advice,it does help!

Finally produced a nice correct colt foal,[so far so good]

Just wanted to know, would I being doing the colt a disservice by showing him by little old me or paying a so called pro outfit?

Maybe I will sell him with free coffee!

Only thing I will mention that if you do it yourself, will you not be handed a poor location stable-wise and if you're out in the Boondocks, will you not miss the footfall of potential buyers?

I know Winning Colours on here uses Paul Thorman of Trickledown Stud - you could ask her.

Lairey Mary is right, you won't get the best location but I think most buyers will be looking hard for the value and will find you if you have a prospective nice one. I intend to do mine myself.

YOU4COFFEE,
To some extent it depends on the quality of the foals page and importantly the foal itself.If you have a decent commercial colt and just the one then personally I'd not be against showing the foal myself,providing you are competent enough to do it justice.It is as truehoncho said above buyers will be looking for value and they will find you regardless where you find yourself situated at the sales complex.
Just one thing to give some thought too,would you really want to have your foal sent up by one of the larger consignors mentioned above who frankly seem to have so many foals offered they look in a state of chaos.....foals coming at you from every angle,all over the shop,grooms running from stable to stable not sure who wants to see what.Does that look professional?When selling remember first impressions count presentation is a big part of the overall package.If you are based in the UK and you do want to use a good consignor one who year in year out gets good results but one who has always a manageable sized draft and are always professionally presented then give some thought to Robin and Scarlett Knipe's Cobhall Court stud in Herefordshire.They are very shrewd and well regarded.