A Buckskin at the KGC

Okay, this is not the most terrific photo of this horse, but trust me, this mare is gorgeaus. I practically dropped my jaw when I saw her. You can't imagine how black her mane, tail and legs were. They were truly the definition of coal black with such a shine on them! And she had the sweetest, sweetest face. I would have been dirt proud to have her in my pasture! And so I'm glad that I didn't have a farm purchased yet and didn't have a dime to my name at this sale!

Getting Ready at the KGC!

Here are photos of some of the beautiful people with the Valentine Hall krewe! Sandy and a team of young girls are getting a mare ready for the sale ring. And then in the lower photo, Jenny, Chelsea and Kaitlin are riding herd over the entrance gate. You never saw a more organized set of smart, sweet, lovely girls!

Hope and the KGC

Here is Hope, formally known as Pleasure Dynamics, taking her turn in the sale ring. I have known this mare for quite awhile now. She was purchased in foal at Congress by Meghan and had beautiful little Faith. She then had Scooter, an adorable Paint foal and then another beautiful red filly out of the Red Hot Krymsun clan. She's now in foal again in this photo. I really love her because I believe she helped train Hailee how to be a good mother. Hailee knew her when she was a young girl and used to share the pasture as a 2 year-old with her first baby, Faith. In fact, Faith and Hailee were as thick as thieves and dearest of friends. They used to stand for long periods of time, giving each other swirly grooming kisses along each other's backs.

Sam and the KGC

Here are some photos of Sam when it was her turn to enter the sale ring. Sandy and the girls had her looking perfect. She practically looked silver she was so shiny and clean and her braids were beautiful. She looks fantastic in foal. She's such a big elegant powerful mare to begin with and being in foal only makes her seem even more beautiful!

The Lovely KGC Helpers!

Barbie has a whole group of young women who she has gathered over the years. She's known them since they were babies and she's worked with them on their riding dreams! And several of them were at the Kentucky Gold Classic, performing skillfully like army drill sergeants to make sure the sale went off without a hitch. They made sure that horses had their hip numbers, were lined up in the hole and on deck, and helped people find lot numbers and stalls to visit horses they might want to purchase. Plus they helped get horses ready and shining for the ring! In this first photo, you see Jenny and Chelsea with Sam! Sonoita's Artful Move!

KGC Auctioneers!

The auctioneer was fantastic. He was just like you would imagine -- fast talking, funny, on top of his game! And his bid workers were just like you'd expect in a Western auction! They were snappy in their pressed white shirts and khakis, boots and cowboy hats, and their black Kentucky Gold Classic ties! I liked the Auctioneer for his humor. Here are two examples. At one point, he was talking about a black broodmare who was in foal to a coal black stallion. He said, "The stud is so black, he's as black as a black sack filled with black cats!" And another time, he said of a mare in the sale ring who had followed two other mares from the same seller who had been purchased by the same buyer, "You might as well buy this third mare. The other two mares like her so well that they're not going to eat, drink or rest until they are with her again!" He was really quite a hoot!

The Kentucky Gold Classic!

On the weekend of Friday, July 26th and Saturday, July 27th, I went to Lexington, Kentucky to participate in the Kentucky Gold Classic, a sale of Kentucky-bred broodmares in foal. About 90 mares were consigned into the sale which occurred at the world famous Tattersalls. The event was amazing. It was great to see how an auction was run from the front office where the horse's registration and health papers, and ultimately no-sale or purchase agreement forms must be processed, to the auctioneers, to the concessionaires selling horse wares and history books, to behind the scenes in the stall aisleways where beautiful horses are prepared for the ring. Barbie and Tom hosted a truly elegant event.

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