Following the latest lockdown measures announced by the Irish and UK Governments in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Goffs has confirmed several changes to its early New Year sales at Kildare Paddocks and Doncaster.
Goffs February Sale, consistently the leading sale of its kind in Europe, will be held in two parts with Breeding Stock, Older Horses and Two-Year-Olds selling in a fully online live sale on its traditional dates of Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 February, and the Weanling section rescheduled to Tuesday 2 March as a physical sale at Kildare Paddocks.
The Doncaster January Sale, featuring National Hunt Mares, Weanlings, Horses In Training and Point-To-Pointers, will also be divided into two parts with the NH Mares and Horses In Training offered online on the scheduled Tuesday 26 January date and the NH Weanlings and Point-To-Pointers being delayed to Wednesday 17 February at the Doncaster Sales Complex.
A summary of the changes are as follows:
- Goffs February Sale – Breeding Stock, Older Horses and Two-Year-Olds:
- Circa 250 lots offered in a live online auction on their intended dates of Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 February
- Sale starts at 12 noon each day
- A separate catalogue for this sale will be available online from Friday 8 January. The printed catalogue will be distributed next week
- Format follows the successful Online Autumn Yearling and HIT sales held in November with no horses, vendors or purchasers on site
- Goffs February Sale – Weanlings:
- Circa 240 lots offered at a physical sale at Kildare Paddocks on Tuesday 2 March
- Horses available for inspection and presented for sale as normal
- Sale starts at 10am
- A separate catalogue for this sale will be available online from Tuesday 12 January. The printed catalogue will follow
- Strict protocols similar to those in December will be in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all attendees, and compliance with the latest Government directives at the time
- Doncaster January Sale – NH Mares and Horses-In-Training etc.:
- Offered in a live online auction on Tuesday 26 January as scheduled
- No horses , vendors or purchasers on site
- A separate catalogue for this sale will be available online from Tuesday 12 January. The printed catalogue will be distributed the following day
- Doncaster January Sale – NH Weanlings and Point-To-Pointers:
- Offered at a physical sale at the Doncaster Sales Complex on Wednesday 17 February
- Horses available for inspection and presented for sale as normal
- A separate catalogue for this sale will be available and online in advance
- Strict protocols similar to those in December will be in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all attendees, and compliance with the latest Government directives at the time
Announcing the changes, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:
“Under the current lockdown measures in both Ireland and the UK, we do not feel it is prudent to hold a physical sale in this early part of the year and we have therefore selected alternative options that we believe will maximise the potential for vendors and buyers in all sectors.
Where we feel it may be possible to hold an onsite sale and the category allows, these sales have been rescheduled to later dates and we will communicate any additional updates pending further Government advice. For breeding stock, particularly in-foal mares, the customer friendly Goffs Online platform, which proved a game changer throughout 2020, will facilitate their sales and international participation on the original dates. Feedback from the Autumn was very positive and clearly demonstrated that the concept works very well for these categories.
Like everyone, we hope and pray that 2021 sees an end to Covid as vaccinations are rolled out. However, until such a time, we wish to reassure vendors and buyers that Goffs will continue to review our sales dates on an ongoing basis in consultation with our clients, industry bodies and other sales companies. As such we have again liaised with closely with Tattersalls and Arqana to ensure that any changes to our sales are in congruence with their plans. That consultation and planning should allow us to best serve the industry and carry out every sale this year as successfully as circumstances allow”.
