JRHA Select Sale 2014 Day2
The foal session of 2014 JRHA Select Sale was organized under hot and humid climate, which is unusual at Hokkaido, at Northern Horse Park on Tuesday 15th.
Riichi Kondo, prominent supporter of JRHA Sale for years, paid 250,000,000yen to acquire Hip#403, colt by Deep Impact out of American Champion Azeri. "He is my pick of day" Riichi Kondo said of the sales topper at the session. "He is very nice individual and I would really like to buy him." Mr.Kondo also said he has not decided the trainer yet.
189 foals from 220 foals offered were sold for 6,547,050,000yen in total, which is 16.8% more than the second session of 2013. The average price 34,640,476yen, is 2.6% more than 2013, and the buy-back rate decreased from 24.5% in 2013 to 14.1% in 2014.
The JRHA Select Sale in 2014 has concluded leaving a record breaking figure. 404 lots were sold for 12,575,050,000yen in total, which eclipsed the previous record, 11,764,700,000yen, established in 2013. The average price through two days, 31,126,361yen, is 3.7% more than 2013. The buy-back rate through two days dropped from 17.8% in 2013 to 14.9% in 2014.
"I think this is the beginning of new era", Teruya Yoshida, owner of Shadai Farm and vice chairman of JRHA, said at press conference. "I am so happy to see foreign buyers are so active. And they paid attention only on nice individual by Deep Impact in the past, however, they are now interested in foals and yearlings by other stallions, such as Hart's Cry and Stay Gold. This is profitable sale for us, Japanese breeders, and I think I will be able to invest to recruit another quality mares."

JRHA Select Sale 2014 Day1
While the rain was expected, the weather forecast was wrong and the opening session of 2014 JRHA Select Sale was organized under bright sunshine. It was hot and sunny day, and the market was as hot as outside of sales pavilion.
Sheikh Fahad, who attended at JRHA Sale in 2013 for the first time and has obtained the owners' license at JRA since then, bought Hip#53, colt by Deep Impact, for 260,000,000yen (pictured), approximately US$2.55 million, the highest price of session. The colt out of Listen, winner of G1/Fillies' Mile, will stay in Japan and trained by Mitsumasa Nakauchida at Ritto.
255 yearlings went through the sales ring and 215 lots were sold for 6,028,000,000yen in total, which is 2.15% decline as compared with 2013. The average price, 28,037,209yen, is 2.85% higher than the last year and the buy-back rate increased from 12.06% in 2013 to 16.09% in 2014.
Full results and other statistics are available on website http://www.jrha-selectsale.com
"It was very good sale today" Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm, the biggest consignor at the sale, said after the session. "I am very glad to see so many buyers from Mid East, Australia, Hong Kong, and some other countries, trying to buy Japanese-breds. I think this is truly the international market".
The foal session starts at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at Northern Horse Park.