APPRAISAL AND CONSULTING SERVICES TO AECOM/URS FEDERAL
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SEIZED SHOW JUMPERS
The horses were seized in November 2018 and boarded in close proximity to the Wellington equine market, at a farm that was able to accommodate the required privacy and security due to the international attention of the case and humanitarian crisis that was escalating in Venezuela.
The horses received excellent attention from the managers, their team of dedicated grooms, and one very special exercise rider. The veterinarians and staff at Palm Beach Equine Clinic (PBEC), which had already been caring for these horses, was also able to provide continuing care and guidance. For the first few weeks as the horses were settling in and being assessed, the horses were ridden by a very dedicated, patient, and caring exercise rider on the flat. At the time, the horses were not jumped for the sake of limiting risk and liability as much as possible. In order to facilitate a quick sale, the live online auction date was set in late February in order to take advantage of the timing of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) held at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. A majority of the prospective buyers for horses of this caliber were already in the area for WEF. In the weeks leading up to the auction, the horses were slowly reintroduced to jumping with the help of the well experienced professional trainers and riders of Carriage Hill Farm. They provided the excellent service of showcasing the horses for the auction previews.
I was able to meet the care team and evaluate the 14 horses in person for the post-seizure appraisal. In advance of the auction previews; each horse had a pre-purchase exam (PPE) completed by PBEC with a complete full-scope of 36 radiographs. During the three months that the horses were boarded and in excellent care, all of the horses’ health and body condition had improved while under government ownership. The photos in the CWS Auction booklet were taken shortly after the horses were seized in November. The photos that I took during the January visit illustrate the improved condition of these amazing horses. The auction booklet (PDF file above) descriptions for each horse were taken from the information in my pre-seizure appraisal report; based on hours of research, USEF and FEI records review, vet report & invoice review, and any photos, videos, and news articles.
The 14 horses were sold for more than $2 million in total. While it was well under their private sale value in the Wellington market; the management teams at AECOM/URS Federal and CWS Marketing Group were very pleased with the auction results. The auction ended up with 68 registered bidders, 15 countries and 27 states represented. 25 businesses from within the industry also participated.
I do check in on the horses from time to time; most of them are actively competing with their new owners and are doing very well. Some news articles about the case and horses are included below:
https://www.vdlstud.com/en/paarden/Hardrock-Z-Heartbreaker-x-Carthago
