Tod Wojciechowski will begin his duties after the first of the year. Tom Ventura will become president of OBS on June 30.
Friday, December 02, 2011Director of sales and general manager Tom Ventura will take over as president after Chiota's retirement.
Monday, October 31, 2011The final session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. August sale of yearlings ended with another day of across-the-board increases despite a smaller amount of horses offered for sale.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Higher racing purses in the Empire State resulting from the opening of a VLT casino won't be limited to New York-breds.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
South Korean buyers were particularly active in 2010, spending $2.6 million at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training struggled, with the average price declining 8.8% from a year ago while the median price dropped 18.6%.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
They say two heads are better than one, but is one sale better than two? We'll find out March 15 and 16 when the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. conducts its March select juvenile auction in Central Florida.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
There are 522 horses cataloged for the Central Florida auction.
Saturday, January 15, 2011Boosted by quality offerings in the dispersal of Al and Nora Figliolia's Westbury Stables, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. fall mixed sale enjoyed major upswings in gross of 48.3% and average price of 27.8% from a year ago.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010The combined gross and average for the select and open portions enjoy upswings.
Thursday, August 26, 2010The average price for the first open session rises 29.1% while the median price increases 62.5%.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010The median price rose 8% as the yearling sale began its three-day run in Central Florida.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
There will be no selling of juveniles in February. All select 2-year-olds offered by the company will be sold in March.
Friday, August 20, 2010The three-day Florida auction has 901 yearlings in its catalog.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Starting the auction on a Tuesday (Aug. 24), instead of a Monday, will make the auction more convenient for buyers.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Participants in the February select juvenile auction were pleased with the changes in track maintenance, saying horses were less sore after the under tack show.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. yearling sale, like many other auctions before it in 2009, couldn't overcome the weak economy and ended up posting results that were down signficantly from 2008.
Thursday, August 27, 2009With the weak economy continuing to have a negative impact on all sorts of businesses, Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. executive Tom Ventura has modest expectations for the auction firm's August yearling sale in Central Florida.
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, which ended its four-day run April 23 in Central Florida, turned in one of the best performances for a Thoroughbred auction this year even though it suffered setbacks in several of its key business figures. Compared to 2008, the number of horses sold rose 4.7% while the gross revenue fell 10.7%. The average price declined 14.7%, and the median price dropped 16.7%.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Ocala Breeders' Sales Company has postponed the Under Tack Show for the 2009 Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training until Wednesday, April 15 at 8 a.m.
Monday, April 13, 2009
The selling season for select 2-year-olds in training staggered out of the starting gate in Central Florida Feb. 17. The year's first major juvenile auction, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. February sale, suffered sobering setbacks of 29.3% in gross revenue, 33.7% in average price, and 28% in median price from a year ago. Another discouraging result was the buy-back rate, which soared from 28.2% in 2008 to 38.3%.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009Times were faster than ever before during the under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. February select sale of 2-year-olds in training Feb. 13 in Central Florida.
Friday, February 13, 2009The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS) has cataloged 523 horses for its March select sale of 2-year-olds in training. The number is up 13.7% from last year's total of 460.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. has more horses for its February select sale of 2-year-olds in training than it did in 2008, according to Tom Ventura, the auction firm's general manager and director of sales. OBS will catalog 200 juveniles, up 16.3% from last year's total of 172.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Even though it's a new year, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. winter mixed sale was the victim of the same worldwide economic crisis that caused prices at many Thoroughbred auctions to plummet late in 2008. The gross revenue plunged 57.7% from a year ago while the average price and median price dropped 39.6% and 45.5%, respectively.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS) winter mixed sale suffered downturns of 63% in its average price and 74.4% in its median price from a year ago as it opened with a consignor preferred session Jan. 6 in Central Florida. The gross revenue dropped 43% even though the number of horses sold was up 54.1% from 2008's first day total.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS) recently revised the results for the 2008 August yearling sale on its Web site (www.obssales.com) because of new rules governing horse auctions in Florida that took effect in July. Sale companies now are required to disclose any horses that did not change ownership after being reported as sold.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The results were grim for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s fall mixed auction, which ended its three-day run in Central Florida Oct. 8. The buy-back/no bid rate rose significantly while the other key business figures suffered huge setbacks during a week when the American stock market is plunging and economic turmoil is increasing worldwide.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Double-digit percentage drops hit the first open session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s fall mixed sale Oct. 7, continuing a trend from the previous day's consignor-preferred session.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
It took roughly six hours to get there, but a horse selling in the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. fall mixed sale finally brought six figures Oct. 6, a day marked by severe across-the-board declines for the Central Florida auction.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
With a yearling auction season all but over, and one that delivered a sharp dose of economic reality, industry eyes will be fixed on the upcoming Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. fall mixed sale, the unofficial annual kick-off to the campaign of selling of broodmares and weanlings.
Monday, October 06, 2008
The market continued to lag behind last year's pace on the third day of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. August yearling sale. The gross revenue for the second of three open sessions fell 18.5%, and the average price dropped 30.4%. Meanwhile, the median price declined 26.7%.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
On top of America's economic woes, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS) might have to deal with a tropical storm or hurricane during its yearling sale, which is scheduled for Aug. 18-21 in Central Florida.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS) will test the yearling market with quantity at a time when some buyers might be cutting back on their purchases because of America's struggling economy. There are 1,342 horses cataloged for the auction, which begins with a select session of 230 yearlings Aug. 18. Three open sessions will follow.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The Ocala Breeders Sales Co. (OBS) April sale of 2-year-olds training finished its four-day run in Central Florida Thursday with figures close to last year's results.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
It is clear following an April 7 public forum in Florida that published rules concerning horse sales in the state did little to quiet those on opposite sides of the arguments over disclosure and transparency.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008There were no positive results among the 12 horses tested for anabolic steroids following the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Friday, March 28, 2008
The OBS March juvenile auction posted its highest ever gross, average, and median.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008Large number of horses makes auction a "true test" of the juvenile market, according to Tom Ventura, the OBS director of sales and general manager.
Sunday, March 16, 2008A Full Mandate filly turned in the fastest quarter mile work Saturday during the last under tack show for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. (OBS) select sale of 2-year-olds in training in Central Florida.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
The under tack shows for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March select sale of 2-year-olds were postponed due to a forecast of severe weather on Friday and Saturday.
Thursday, March 06, 2008Twenty-one horses sold during the Ocala Breeder's Sales Co. February select juvenile auction were tested for anabolic steroids at the request of their buyers, and there were no positive results.
Monday, March 03, 2008
The juvenile selling season opens Tuesday with the OBS February select sale, and the mood in Central Florida has been upbeat.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
A Cuvee filly turned in the fastest work ever at an eighth of a mile for an OBS sale.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Times were sizzling Sunday in Central Florida as the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. held its first under tack show for a juvenile auction over its new Safetrack synthetic surface.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
New SAFETRACK surface at OBS getting good reviews.
Monday, January 28, 2008The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services claims it doesn't have the power to regulate certain aspects of horse sales in the state, but is prepared to publish proposed rules it says are intended to prevent unfair or deceptive trade practices.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Sheikh Mohammed's Darley operation hoping sponsorship helps attract mares.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. winter mixed sale, which ended its three-day run Jan. 18 in Central Florida, generated a median price of $5,500 that was the same as last year's comparable figure. In addition, the buy-back/no bid rate dropped from 43.9% in 2006 to 38.4%, indicating greater consignor satisfaction with the prices.
Friday, January 18, 2008
About 50 members of the horse industry met in a public forum setting Oct. 29 to discuss the potential impact of a new Florida law that authorizes regulation in public and private sales.
Monday, November 05, 2007
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