Well- I would at least like a chance to defend myself since over 900 people read the post before I had a chance to explain.....
First of all- I am really disgusted with the forum lately. I think there should be a rating system as to the posters just like the sellers and buyers on E-bay. We as participants should be able to rate your opinions as to wether your comments are even worth reading, helpful, honest, positive or always negative.
Next- the Oktoberfest- for all of you who just don't get it.... the Oktoberfest is not a sale you should judge the market on- or any other sale of its type- Sutherlins, Mount Airy, Double Diamond sales, the one up near North Dakota, etc. These sales are where people sell their "Overstock"-- NOT Junk- Overstock. Every breeder has produced a horse or owns a mare that just doesn't work in their program anymore- that is what those sales are for. These are not the sales that dictate what National Champion show horses are worth. For those values- you need to look at private sales, high end auctions such as the Heritage Sale, Event sale, National Show Sale, etc that have a record of horses with titles and produce records consistently selling over a period of time. Unfortunately there aren't amny of this type auction anymore. They cost too much to put on.
Now as far as LKF is concerned. We have been criticized for 30 years that our prices are too high. That we are "too big" of a farm and out of reach for the average person..... So to try to change that preception that we apparently created ourselves by showing and breeding World Champions that have commanded top dollar at public auctions, we began having the Oktoberfest. It is not because we are over breeding- it is becuase we felt we had something we could offer the industry. In case you didn't know Oktoberefest is not just LKF horses- consignors included- Liberty Farm, Mini Gaits, Freedom Hill Farm, Mercedes, COH, Rogers HSR and sometimes even Vermilyea and Arion. We created this sale with one intention:
To offer the public a one day opportunity to buy some of the best breeding and show stock at whatever price the public was willing to spend. We forego all overhead expenses, all show titles, all stud fee values, all years of experience for YOU - the public- to come in and buy a great horse at the rock bottom of prices. We did this sale for YOU - the ones that say "our prices are too high and that you could never afford an LKF horse". This is not a white table cloth, lights, and show, golf cart taxi event. This is the low budget sale in order to allow oursleves to sell the horses for low prices. If you wanted glitz, glamour, catered service, free drinks and high prices- then you should have come to the Heritage Sale.
Now for those of you who still don't get the big picture- it is absolutely absurd of you to post the low prices on a public forum-hence why we don't offer the Oktoberfest online for the World to see. We reward those who show up and take advantage of the one day sale with low, low prices. For those of you who post the low sale prices for the Oktoberfest or any other of the sales similar- YOU are hurting the entire industry and yourself. YOU should be proud and smart enough to keep to yourself the fact that you bought a $4000 colt for $400. Because as far as anyone would know (unless they were here) - by looking at the quality and the pedigree- most people would assume you paid a lot for it- therefore increasing the value of the horse and increasing the value of it's potential foals. However- by posting that you paid $400 for a $4000 colt- people will ask "what is wrong with it? It must not be show quality? I sure wouldn't breed a $400. horse!"[ In turn hurting yourslef, your horse, your breeidng program, our prrgram, the sale, and the overall industry. For those of you that do not know- 4 World Champions have now come from past Oktoberfest sales- so they aren't junk!
Now on another note- for the "trespasser" that posted on here- your papers were mailed out yesterday only 15 days from the sale and according to our terms of the sale we have 30 days to get them to you. The CC machine was not working properly at the last minute- so I guess I should have said "sorry- all buyers will have to pay in cash or by check". But then many of you would not have been able to buy those horses. We were at least willing to do whatever we could to be sure people were able to pay in whatever fashion was best for them. And one more note- as per the terms of the sale...LKF is only the sale manager - we are not responsible for any errors or incorrect information provided to us by any of the consignors. So- if you have a problem with paperwork - it would be nice #1- to contact us directy- not post it here as a slap in the face to us- and #2 to contact the consignor.
I hope I have clarified and helped some of you understand a few things about the Oktoberfest and LKF. You can slam us all you want- but remember- I can refuse any person I want from coming on this farm, getting a bidders number and buying a horse here. And to the "trespasser" the next time you come on my farm or the "other" farm you walked into and opened gates and fed horses uninvited with no one home- and then bad mouthed a 31 yr old stallion for how he looked- We will call the police on you!
I told Mary Lou I wasn't going to post on here anymore. But it just doesn't seem fair that people can get on here, bad mouth farms, mis-represent and distort the truth and others believe it to be gospel. Thank goodness there are some good people in the world who make us aware of what is being said about us on a public forum yet behind our backs so we can have a chance to set the story straight. I don't think this forum was designed for this sort of discussion. I think the private e-mails and phone conversations would be better to spread gossip and tell mistruths. It sure seems like to me this type of bad mouthing fits the definition of slander.
Robin-LKF
First of all- I am really disgusted with the forum lately. I think there should be a rating system as to the posters just like the sellers and buyers on E-bay. We as participants should be able to rate your opinions as to wether your comments are even worth reading, helpful, honest, positive or always negative.
Next- the Oktoberfest- for all of you who just don't get it.... the Oktoberfest is not a sale you should judge the market on- or any other sale of its type- Sutherlins, Mount Airy, Double Diamond sales, the one up near North Dakota, etc. These sales are where people sell their "Overstock"-- NOT Junk- Overstock. Every breeder has produced a horse or owns a mare that just doesn't work in their program anymore- that is what those sales are for. These are not the sales that dictate what National Champion show horses are worth. For those values- you need to look at private sales, high end auctions such as the Heritage Sale, Event sale, National Show Sale, etc that have a record of horses with titles and produce records consistently selling over a period of time. Unfortunately there aren't amny of this type auction anymore. They cost too much to put on.
Now as far as LKF is concerned. We have been criticized for 30 years that our prices are too high. That we are "too big" of a farm and out of reach for the average person..... So to try to change that preception that we apparently created ourselves by showing and breeding World Champions that have commanded top dollar at public auctions, we began having the Oktoberfest. It is not because we are over breeding- it is becuase we felt we had something we could offer the industry. In case you didn't know Oktoberefest is not just LKF horses- consignors included- Liberty Farm, Mini Gaits, Freedom Hill Farm, Mercedes, COH, Rogers HSR and sometimes even Vermilyea and Arion. We created this sale with one intention:
To offer the public a one day opportunity to buy some of the best breeding and show stock at whatever price the public was willing to spend. We forego all overhead expenses, all show titles, all stud fee values, all years of experience for YOU - the public- to come in and buy a great horse at the rock bottom of prices. We did this sale for YOU - the ones that say "our prices are too high and that you could never afford an LKF horse". This is not a white table cloth, lights, and show, golf cart taxi event. This is the low budget sale in order to allow oursleves to sell the horses for low prices. If you wanted glitz, glamour, catered service, free drinks and high prices- then you should have come to the Heritage Sale.
Now for those of you who still don't get the big picture- it is absolutely absurd of you to post the low prices on a public forum-hence why we don't offer the Oktoberfest online for the World to see. We reward those who show up and take advantage of the one day sale with low, low prices. For those of you who post the low sale prices for the Oktoberfest or any other of the sales similar- YOU are hurting the entire industry and yourself. YOU should be proud and smart enough to keep to yourself the fact that you bought a $4000 colt for $400. Because as far as anyone would know (unless they were here) - by looking at the quality and the pedigree- most people would assume you paid a lot for it- therefore increasing the value of the horse and increasing the value of it's potential foals. However- by posting that you paid $400 for a $4000 colt- people will ask "what is wrong with it? It must not be show quality? I sure wouldn't breed a $400. horse!"[ In turn hurting yourslef, your horse, your breeidng program, our prrgram, the sale, and the overall industry. For those of you that do not know- 4 World Champions have now come from past Oktoberfest sales- so they aren't junk!
Now on another note- for the "trespasser" that posted on here- your papers were mailed out yesterday only 15 days from the sale and according to our terms of the sale we have 30 days to get them to you. The CC machine was not working properly at the last minute- so I guess I should have said "sorry- all buyers will have to pay in cash or by check". But then many of you would not have been able to buy those horses. We were at least willing to do whatever we could to be sure people were able to pay in whatever fashion was best for them. And one more note- as per the terms of the sale...LKF is only the sale manager - we are not responsible for any errors or incorrect information provided to us by any of the consignors. So- if you have a problem with paperwork - it would be nice #1- to contact us directy- not post it here as a slap in the face to us- and #2 to contact the consignor.
I hope I have clarified and helped some of you understand a few things about the Oktoberfest and LKF. You can slam us all you want- but remember- I can refuse any person I want from coming on this farm, getting a bidders number and buying a horse here. And to the "trespasser" the next time you come on my farm or the "other" farm you walked into and opened gates and fed horses uninvited with no one home- and then bad mouthed a 31 yr old stallion for how he looked- We will call the police on you!
I told Mary Lou I wasn't going to post on here anymore. But it just doesn't seem fair that people can get on here, bad mouth farms, mis-represent and distort the truth and others believe it to be gospel. Thank goodness there are some good people in the world who make us aware of what is being said about us on a public forum yet behind our backs so we can have a chance to set the story straight. I don't think this forum was designed for this sort of discussion. I think the private e-mails and phone conversations would be better to spread gossip and tell mistruths. It sure seems like to me this type of bad mouthing fits the definition of slander.
Robin-LKF
