Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Brett and Rachael Howard’s Glenesk Thoroughbreds has established themselves as successful vendors and are now keen to build on its reputation through digital auctions.
The couple hit the ground running when they progressed into the auction arena at the 2015 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, selling Villa Verde (Not A Single Doubt) for $1.1 million and was the sale’s second leading vendor on average.
Glenesk has remained in the top six vendors at the National Sale for the ensuing four years, however it was 2020 which proved a stellar year for the operation.
Villa Verde when sold in 2015 | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
It was also the leading vendor, by aggregate, at both the Inglis Chairman’s Sale, with a top price of $800,000 for Group 2 winner Noire (Foxwedge) and at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale with Group 1 winner Invincibella (I Am Invincible) for Coolmore for $1.3 million.
Glenesk was the only consignor to achieve 100 per cent clearance rates at both Sales and is now also looking to add a further edge to its business.
“We will look to continue to upgrade the quality of our consignments, along with the quantity," Brett Howard said.
“Now that we have the public auction space covered, we want to advance into the online auction space. We want to become the first farm in Australia to specialise in online auction consignment.
“We want to become the first farm in Australia to specialise in online auction consignment.” – Brett Howard
“Owners do not always have the luxury of being able to wait for the next public auction, so an online auction is the most convenient and cost-effective avenue of selling your horse.
“In many instances a horse will be located on a spelling farm, stud or a racing stable. It is up to the owners or staff at these premises to take good-quality photos and videos of the horse so they can post to the horse’s online listing.
“As many an online buyers would attest, some of the photos and videos uploaded are of a poor standard and fail to show a horse in the best possible light.”
Brett Howard (right) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Howard said this is an area in which Glenesk is aiming to deliver a top-shelf service to achieve best possible results.
“If owners and trainers want to take the hassle out of arranging all of this and to give themselves the best chance of maximising their online sale price, we want them to send their horses to us."
Howard said Glenesk would prepare the necessary sales content required for buyers to make an informed buying decision.
“If people want to personally inspect the horse before it sells, our farm is positioned half-way between Sydney and Scone."
