Oktoberfest Sale Results...

[Littleum]

Part of our financial problems were because of the gloom and doom that the media has reported. When people start not spending money, the financial health of our country goes bad. With "the sky is falling" tactics. They predicted that we would run into financial problems and beat us over the head with it so much, that of course it was bound to happen. Only it became really bad because the media had scared everyone so much. Unemployment is low because no one is buying anything. If no one is buying anything, then stores have to close and companies have to reduce their employees. They still have many people scared to spend a penny anywhere. Our presidents tried to encourage us to spend, even gave us money to spend, yet the media keeps us all afraid.

The doom and gloom is well justified.

The DOW is flirting with 10,000 yes, but the credit markets are still iced over. Yes, bank balance sheets are improving because they've been bolstered with TARP money, but in the interest of profits, banks aren't passing that down to consumers. Unemployment claims are dropping but that's because benefits are running out, not because people are finding work. Paper continues to go bad. Consumer confidance is what it is for a reason. We're trapped between a rock and a hard place- there is liquid capital out there, but there's no compulsion for it to trickle down, and corruption in the system is rampant (the BoA insider trading scandal this week?) You want scary? Scary is China mumbling things about we need a new world currency (you do know where that money to spend came from, right? China footed that bill. Our whole financial relationship to the Chinese is hide-under-your-bed frightening) There's a reason that metal & gem funds are doing well- those traditionally hold their value even when currency itself is worthless.

This entire thing has exposed the disgusting underbelly of the upper tiers of the financial markets. And in changing and influencing those you're ticking off powerful lobbys, powerful people and even political ideologies. Telling people to drop the credit cards and convert to cash is well and good, but it will take people a while to build up cash reserves wheras before they relied on credit to cash flow things. Settle in for at least a couple of years.

Yes, unemployment claims are dropping in recent weeks, but as one article pointed out, that's strongly colored by many peoples' benefits are simply running out. They still haven't found work. There's also a whole legion of people like myself (contractors) who do not get tracked via unemployment stats because we do not qualify. There's some homegrown work on that that suggests a terrifying +18% unemployment rate.

The glass is half-full... the Great Depression made many millionares. My husband lost his job in May so we started our own company, which we're pushing, pulling and dragging along 7 days a week (with 10 other similarly minded people) For people with cash and savvy, these economic times are a fertile ground. But the reality for the majority of other people is they're a dark and lean time. If you're in a position to take advantage of oppurtunity, this is a great time (there's your half-full) but if most people were in a position to do that, this wouldn't be the financial horror show it is now (there's your half-empty)

 

[eagles ring farm]

Why is it that some people always feel that the sky is falling?
The news media likes to report all of the bad and sad, but almost never the happy and good. Why, because it gets them better ratings. Better ratings means more money...so for the sake of money...lets keep reporting everything that is wrong with the world, and lets enhance it too to make it seem worse than it is.

I for one, prefer to look at the glass half full. If more people would start to look that way and not look at this sale as doom and gloom, perhaps our countries would come out of the bad economy faster!!!

I so agree and still wish I was there, I know things are bad right now but if the media would stay out of the doom and gloom reports things could improve much quicker

 

[Riverdance]

Don't get me wrong, things are bad for me too. I have been scraping buy for the last 3 years selling some dogs, some Real Estate and some horses. My home needs lots of work, I want to reduce my herd by 1/2 and the farm looks a bit more shabby because I can not hire any help. Vet bills went through the roof this year and I am making monthly payments to my vet (bless him), My son-in-law has been out of work for 2 years (though I feel he has not been looking hard enough, it is just too easy to sit back and collect unemployment. Bet he finds a job when the unemployment runs out, bet that happens to others too when it runs out)

I still prefer to look at the glass half full. I prefer to not think that the world is going to go to China or that we will not pull out of this, we have been in other bad straits over the years and we have prevailed. Even though in the 50's, 60's and 70's the media wanted us to believe otherwise. Back in the 60's we were gong to have a civil war between the blacks and whites if you wanted to believe the media.

I just find that the media is running our lives. They tell us who to vote for, what to wear, what to be afraid of, what we should eat, watch etc. It is time for man to choose for himself and realize that much of what we are being told is not the whole truth and in many cases, just a small part of the truth to help make a story.

 

[CharlesFamily]

Wow! Those prices are just shocking to me! I am SO glad that I did not give into the temptation to go to the sale. I have always wanted to visit LKF and I don't have any business buying another horse right now, but I'm sure I would have been VERY tempted to add another future gelding to our farm at those prices!

I'm also a pretty optimistic person, and we don't breed - we have all boys here because I just love my geldings! However, it doesn't matter who you are, you HAVE to look at those prices and consider the reputation and history of LKF, and compare it to your program. There are many farms that are creating legacies for themselves right now, and that is fantastic. But there are SO many more who continue to breed low quality to low quality. And you just have to ask, "Why?" If these horses in this sale were practically given away, do you honestly think you are going to find homes for your 17 no-name, untrained foals?

Whether you believe the economy is in the toilet or not, this is still a very telling representation of our current economy.

Barbara

 

[Karin - NaKar Miniatures]

Little Kings had a sale, they have hundreds of horses and they need to sell some so that they can make room for the 100 or more they will have next year. Do they have some really nice horses, yes, but if you looked at their sale, their better horses where Private Treaty and not part of the sale.
The market has not gone down hill since the Reeses sale, there were horses that sold for a nice price at the AMHA World Show with many overseas buyers. I am sure that if Little Kings had put in some of their more expensive horses in the auction, you would have seen higher prices and larger farms there at the sale. This sale was meant for the average Joe. They were selling horses that the larger farms did not want, but affordable to the smaller farms.

This in no way indicates the value of Miniature horses in the future, just the value of average horses.

I totally agree with Riverdance on this one!

Granted prices are't what we would like for them to be, but nice/exceptional horses will usually bring the better prices.

 

[Kitty]

We can all hem or haw and speculate about the prices. BUT I guarantee that Little King or anyone selling horses at a auction don't let their horses go for less then they think they are worth hence the no sale. And LK knows I have great respect for them and if you look some of my best producing horses have their lines. But I paid more then auction prices and expected too. And I purchased several horses this year for their potential to add greatly to our farm and they were alot more then average but are well worth it in my opinion! And I guarantee they are selling horses for alot more also!!

Personally I think all the colts should have be gelded before selling them at that price. We should be promoting gelding 1 MILLION % more then we do. I gelded one of our best colts this year and he did great at Nationals and will pick another next year. AND will show and promote them!!! ANd we offer ourselves colts at low gelding prices and WE WILL PAY for the gelding. So you know we aren't making a cent. But it needs to be done and someone has to do it.

I left a good number of mares open this year and some of my best. I could have bred late after Nationals but choose not too. I am again looking at breeding to some incredible outside stallions next year so for myself I am trying to believe that the market will get better or I am going to have some incredible horses standing in my barn !! The foals coming next year are all thought out for potential not for just because I can .But I cut back because the market is flooded with cheap horses. And I don't feel like I should give my better horses away. Just my opinion.

And I agree with Riverdance good horses sell for good prices. I know of many that have sold for over $20,000 this year and could have sold some myself in that range and didn't. Quality, pedigree and show records make a difference. It depends on what you want to do. I myself want to produce extremely typey show quality horses with great attitudes. If you only want to bred pet quality only expect to get pet prices.

 

[Allure Ranch]

Maybe the public is getting more educated as to what a quality horse is and not just running around spending big bucks just because a big farm has an auction.
The Reeses auction got some really high bids on a good portion of their horses and they no sale many of them.

I do not think that an auction of lower quality horses proves to anyone that the Mini market is hurting any more than any other horse market because of the times. But it may prove that people are starting to learn.

A good horse still gets a good price no matter what breed.

[SIZE=12pt]I completely agree with Riverdance....[/SIZE]

 

[iowa]

I bought 2 horses privately before the sale that were to be in the sale. I obviously payed more than what they might have gone for at auction but I didn't want to take the chance of not getting them. They still gave me a break on the 2 horse package and I am in love. The mare is the sweetest with the prettiest head and my little colt has that Buckeroo head on him, those big eyes and little tippy ears.

I appreciate the fact you were able to get the two horses you want but I think if they had the horses advertised to be on the sale, they should have gone through the ring to the highest bidder. I almost went to the sale this year, a 16 hour drive for me, and would have been really disgusted to learn that the ones I wanted had been sold privately before the sale!!! Knowing this may keep me from ever going.

 

[~Palomino~]

Its sickening to see how low they went for, I used to be in shock at how much they would go for, not im in shock that there so low!! Wish I could have been there I would have bought them!

 

[Maxi'sMinis]

The horses I bought were listed for sale on the HSR web site. After I commited to buying them I learned they were to go through the sale, they were not listed in the sale catalog.

I have been to a lot of auctions where there were scratched or substituted horses that I am sure were sold before the auction, didn't see any of those at LKF but it sure wouldn't keep me from going to a sale where there were great horses listed and potentially great deals to be had.

 

[slv]

It is so very difficult to hear all of these negative posts about the Oktoberfest. I spoke to Robin today and she said because of all of this that they really don't want to ever have the Oktoberfest sale again. I cannot say that I blame them for that.

First of all, let me tell you a few FACTS.....

This post is getting really out of control with SPECULATIONS................ NOT FACTS

The two horses that Maxi purchased were never listed to be in the sale, but maybe would have if they were not sold, as far as I know there were no real plans for that. I can tell you right now that they would have been sold, because I MYSELF would have bought that mare in a HEARTBEAT for what Maxi paid for her. This is not meant toward you Maxi as I know you are happy with the mare, but if you want your purchase price back for her, then you know who to contact, me - Sherri Volz....

Anyway......................all the gloom and doom is what I find REPULSIVE.....

This sale was advertised as the "LOWEST PRICES ALL YEAR ANYWHERE". LKF - does not put it online and go to that expense, they spare these expenses so they can give you guys (THE BUYERS) these bargains. And what does everyone do...................... JUST COMPLAIN AND BELITTLE THE FARM FOR THIS OR THAT OR JUST ANYTING, oh they should have got pictures up sooner, oh they weren't groomed properly or body clipped, oh they should have broadcast it, oh they probably were not quality animals......etc.....

Go ahead people - shoot yourself in the foot, because you probably will never get the opportunity to purchase these quality of horses for these prices at this farm again. This angers me though, because I for one am someone who takes advantage of the good deals each year. I personally save my money for this sale as I KNOW that this sale offers the best bargains that I can find for the year.

The people that attended and the people that were the winning phone bidders are the people that got BARGAINS....... It is as simple as that....................

So sad.........people just have to complain. I can assure you that LKF is still selling horses at good prices consistently and NONE of you really know how many they sold out of the fields for good prices after the sale was over, now do you???????.............. I myself have sold everything at reasonable prices that I want to sell for this year. And YES, just shoot me now, because I did breed my mares back for next year. OMG............

So sorry Robin and Marianne that you have to read all of this garbage. So flame all you want, but all you negative folks should just keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself. This was an OPPORTUNITY - and I just wish people were intelligent enough to see it that way.

Excuse the gramatical errors in this post, but I am just really aggravated at PEOPLE in general......

 

[Deb E]

"Lot#24. Little Kings …… $ Sorry I was attacked by above horse so I missed this one while brushing the shavings off my rear"
Man - you are SO lucky you weren't seriously hurt! I wasn't able to get anywhere close to help, but he pretty much just ran right over you! Luckily only the chair was broken, but I bet you'll feel it in the morning. Kind of weird how they had it set up. I would think they would have had a ring made up of the panels. The one young man by the exit gate kept the horses wired by not letting them by him without tapping them or flicking the whip! I'm glad you are OK.

Congrats to those who bought. I was a good girl and sat on my hands. I ALMOST bid on the palomino colt and the sorrel filly. Congrats to whoever got those!

If you are talking about the sorrel filly #47. I bought her. I am so excited. What a sweetie too. Just hoping she doesn't get sick. She came up from Texas and was body clipped. What a change in weather for her with no hair.

 

[eagles ring farm]

So sorry to Robin and Marianne at LKF

You never know what post on here can get out of hand

I so hope they continue the Octoberfest sale in the future

as we have never had the opportunity to attend

but hope to in the future. To have the opportunity to

see and possibly own such fabulous horses at a reasonable price

is a wonderful thing to offer to us small breeders

I never doubted the quality of the horses offered at the sale

as I'm sure the majority of the people here feel the same.

 

[Deb E]

It is so very difficult to hear all of these negative posts about the Oktoberfest. I spoke to Robin today and she said because of all of this that they really don't want to ever have the Oktoberfest sale again. I cannot say that I blame them for that.
First of all, let me tell you a few FACTS.....

This post is getting really out of control with SPECULATIONS................ NOT FACTS

The two horses that Maxi purchased were never listed to be in the sale, but maybe would have if they were not sold, as far as I know there were no real plans for that. I can tell you right now that they would have been sold, because I MYSELF would have bought that mare in a HEARTBEAT for what Maxi paid for her. This is not meant toward you Maxi as I know you are happy with the mare, but if you want your purchase price back for her, then you know who to contact, me - Sherri Volz....

Anyway......................all the gloom and doom is what I find REPULSIVE.....

This sale was advertised as the "LOWEST PRICES ALL YEAR ANYWHERE". LKF - does not put it online and go to that expense, they spare these expenses so they can give you guys (THE BUYERS) these bargains. And what does everyone do...................... JUST COMPLAIN AND BELITTLE THE FARM FOR THIS OR THAT OR JUST ANYTING, oh they should have got pictures up sooner, oh they weren't groomed properly or body clipped, oh they should have broadcast it, oh they probably were not quality animals......etc.....

Go ahead people - shoot yourself in the foot, because you probably will never get the opportunity to purchase these quality of horses for these prices at this farm again. This angers me though, because I for one am someone who takes advantage of the good deals each year. I personally save my money for this sale as I KNOW that this sale offers the best bargains that I can find for the year.

The people that attended and the people that were the winning phone bidders are the people that got BARGAINS....... It is as simple as that....................

So sad.........people just have to complain. I can assure you that LKF is still selling horses at good prices consistently and NONE of you really know how many they sold out of the fields for good prices after the sale was over, now do you???????.............. I myself have sold everything at reasonable prices that I want to sell for this year. And YES, just shoot me now, because I did breed my mares back for next year. OMG............

So sorry Robin and Marianne that you have to read all of this garbage. So flame all you want, but all you negative folks should just keep your thoughts and opinions to yourself. This was an OPPORTUNITY - and I just wish people were intelligent enough to see it that way.

Excuse the gramatical errors in this post, but I am just really aggravated at PEOPLE in general......

I posted something one time on this site and it got so twisted and out of control, I said I would never post again. But I can't help myself...Saturday was an awesome day. It is an AUCTION for pete's sake. It seems to me that they are being held to a higher standard than someone else having an auction.