Bloodstock agents

10 days after a genuine question and nobody with the experience of being involved in the industry has anything worthy to say?

Not surprising really. Plenty of back slapping on here from those with their noses in the trough on less controversial subjects.

Don't rock the boat guys, clearly the whispers and rumours are perhaps more than just that.

How many forum members have bought a horse themselves or through an agent in the last year? I suspect it is very few. Breeders might have contact with agents to get a sale but theses days the vast majority of "owners" have shares in syndicates, buy horses from trainers etc. so don't buy them directly from a  sale. I owned all or part of about 12 horses down the last 40 years but only one was bought at an auction when I was present and my trainer bid on my behalf for that one.

Possibly people have better things to do but to try to make you calm down a bit...

You could easily get a mortgage yourself or a pension or all manner of other things that people provide advice for.  If you don't value the advice or feel you are able to (successfully) do it yourself then don't use a bloodstock agent.  You will have to register details with the sale co. and/or pay up on the day if you dont use an agent / trainer.  And you'll obviously have to physically be at the sale - I presume that suits.

Some people (usually at the upper end of the market) use agents because they accept the don't know enough about horses/sires/the market and have other things to do / can't commit the time to research or learn expertise or be at a sale on a Tues in October.

Don't see the complication or need for the animosity.

Sep 25, 2018 -- 8:22AM, sageform wrote:

How many forum members have bought a horse themselves or through an agent in the last year? I suspect it is very few. Breeders might have contact with agents to get a sale but theses days the vast majority of "owners" have shares in syndicates, buy horses from trainers etc. so don't buy them directly from a

There are many reasons to use an agent as these guys understand the market better than anyone else. It's accepted that the ring is a bear pit and good luck to you if you want to buy or sell under your own steam but, at a certain level, that is completely fraught with extra risk.

The specific example outlined is hard to understand if you are outside the inner circle but you can only be sure who is acting for whom when the horse appears on the track. Agents will have other functions such as identifying stallion prospects, chasing private purchases, offloading horses to different jurisdictions etc.

Of course there is a lot of chicanery but it is "caveat emptor" If, for example, you allow yourself to be skinned that is your problem and it seems many in the game accept certain practises as "just the way it is" because you also need these guys on your side. I imagine Gigginstown prefer to use an agent as the sight of Eddie O'Leary bidding would lead to hyper-inflated prices and a raft of unsold lots. On the other hand, as one often reads, an agent will say post-sale he had "a hundred grand to spend"....well, this is just stupid!!

The most remarkable thing I've read in a bloodstock publication in recent times was a venerable Irish breeder/agent calling of a code of conduct within the industry here. It was met with stony silence. Quelle surprise!

As stated by others, plenty of people don’t know one end of a horse from another and need help navigating the sales. Insurance, Vetting, Transport & watching for Vices will also be arranged by the agent so no need to worry about those.

I believe the answer you seek iro not using an agent then using one “may” be found in paragraph 10 and 11 (you’ll need to copy and paste link into browser).

http://
www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/bradley-makes-racing-a-numbers-game/

As for not rocking the boat and backslapping SS, the former is prudent, the latter is just good manners.

Ok thanks guys,

I'll have a look at that link later when on the laptop.

Fwiw I have no intention of using one if I buy this season, I'll be buying very cheaply anyway so will do my own research and viewing.

I just wondered why as in the example above a knowledgeable owner/manager like o leary would stand beside an agent and have him bid on his behalf.

Likewise I cant understand how a footballer like pogba is happy to sign a 5  year contract earning him around 50 million over the term yet seems happy for his agent to make 44 million for a few days easy negotiations.

United wanted him,  juve were happy to sell at the price they were offered and pogba himself was always likely to get paid at the higher end of the scale at that time so all parties were happy to do a deal yet the agent pockets as much as the player.
Its crazy to me but there you go.

Sep 28, 2018 -- 9:33AM, Posh Paddy wrote:

As stated by others, plenty of people don’t know one end of a horse from another and need help navigating the sales. Insurance, Vetting, Transport & watching for Vices will also be arranged by the agent so no need to worry about those.I believe the answer you seek iro not using an agent then using one “may” be found in paragraph 10 and 11 (you’ll need to copy and paste link into browser).http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/bradley-makes-racing-a-numbers... for not rocking the boat and backslapping SS, the former is prudent, the latter is just good manners.

So appreciate that problems exist but choose to be "prudent". How brave of you sir.

How that helps the industry going forward, I cannot fathom, and how that stops anyone posting what they know on an anonymous forum beggars belief.

There's an old saying you might or might not be aware of "if you fly with the crowd, you get shot with the crows".

Show me agents who aren't generally take out merchants, in the bloodstock world or any other industry, and I'll be very very surprised.

They're generally cancers in the industry and cancers need cut out. Pity those with the evidence to get them cut out choose prudence over the common good. I thought more of you.

*crows not crowd obviously*
Predictive text.