Behind the scenes of a horse sale

It all starts in the yards, with the presentation of the sales catalog that the buyer consults to find the most important information on the horses present: pedigrees, bloodlines, performances and records. The horses, taken out of their stalls, are inspected with a fine-toothed comb by the buyers before heading to the presentation ring. Here, visitors can see the horses in hand and watch the way they move.

The visit concludes in the auction room, the key stage of the auction, where each person has a very specific role. We discover theauctioneer, the true conductor of the sale, accompanied by the auctioneer, as well as the spotters, who are placed around the ring and are on the lookout for the slightest gesture from the buyers to spot a bid.

ARQANA organizes horse sales in the two racing disciplines of gallop and trot. They take place throughout the year in two sales establishments, theElie de Brignac's establishment in Deauville and the Manège Boussac at the Saint-Cloud racecourse.

Deauville is the number one yearling sale in France and the second in Europe! The Elie de Brignac establishment hosts three sales dedicated to yearlings (horses under 2 years of age), two to horses in training and horses "ready to run", three to breeding and mixed sales and three trotter sales. Among these sales, the August Yearling Sale dedicated to English thoroughbreds is the most prestigious. It attracts professionals from all over the world.