174 SIDELINES MARCH 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Continued on page 176
Cathy’s horse-related strengths complement Tim’s promotion
and marketing savvy. Together they developed an AQHA World
Champion and AQHA Leading Sire, which became a major
commercial success in less than four full breeding seasons.
Cathy has bought and sold show horses since she was 12 – the
only way she could get better horses to compete. Her success
during the last seven years in the Thoroughbred commercial
breeding business has led to valuable knowledge about how to
develop a commercial broodmare operation as well as a greater
understanding of the business of show horse breeding and sales.
According to Tim, Cathy has a genuine gift for finding the
diamond-in-the-rough potential star for not much money, and
developing them into world-class show horses. First, she looks
for a great mind, then for the right type. After that she studies their
movement. Conformation and beauty are important, but balance
is a major attribute. The decider is the horse that knocks her socks
off, the horse with the wow factor.
Online auctions depend on videos and photos of the horse or
pony. Performance records, if leased to a show rider, provide
important information. Bill Schaub of Over The Hill Farm in Florida
has worked for years with Tim on the Pony Finals. “Tim told me
about this idea of online auctions, so some of us put ponies on
there to see what would happen,” Bill said. “Some sold, some
didn’t, but the more you study it, the more you see what people
want to buy. People can find quality for a good price if they’re
smart and they get help. Is the online auction the wave of the
future? All I know is it’s doing what it set out to do – marketing
horses. We didn’t think it would be this successful, and it just got
started.”
The United States has been losing breeders at an alarming rate,
because it’s very expensive for the small to mid-sized breeders to
keep their young horses until they are three and get them started.
The Jennings are determined to change the image of horse
auctions in America – for the better. “Outside of the Thoroughbred
and Standardbred industries, the auction tradition for horses
has been rooted in the stockyards,” Tim said. “That’s what most
people think of when they hear the word auction.”
Tim pointed out that the European Sport Horse market and
auctions have a more established history and acceptance with
people, thanks to the verbands (interest group/association).
“American breed organizations need to get behind some auctions
the way they do in Europe,” Tim added. “This country is too big for
live auctions to work efficiently for most situations. Online auctions
are more cost effective for sellers and can reach geographically
diverse market with buyers from around North America and
beyond. And it can work - our high selling foal in December was
$17,126 (including buyer’s premium).”
The crowd watches the horses being shown
at the 2013 SVS Sport Horse Auction &
Expo at West World of Scottsdale.
Photo by Larry Hischer
A beautiful pony takes part in the Pony Finals auction, presented
by Flashpoint Bloodstock.
Photo by L. A. Brown Photography
W
hile online auctions are a growing industry, live auctions
are still a viable part of the equestrian industry. SVS
Horse Sales, relatively young at seven, is the only
sport horse and pony auction in the western United States. Janet
and Larry Hischer have owned and operated Twisted Tree Farm,
a full-service hunter/jumper show barn and horse sales facility in
Scottsdale, Arizona for nearly 18 years. The idea for SVS Horse
Sales resulted from Janet and her sister, Jodi Johnson, organizing
an annual party and viewing of horses for sale at Twisted Tree.
“I was encouraged by the number of friends who visited the
farm and asked me, ‘Why don’t you auction some of these horses
off?’ I decided to give it a try,” said Janet. “With the help of my
sister Jodi, the auction evolved into what it is today. We want to
make it even better.”
Janet, a third-generation horseman, is described as a
consummate professional. She produces riders and horses
competitive in hunters and jumpers on local, national and
international levels. She trains and shows hunters and jumpers.
She earned AGA Grand Prix Rookie of the Year in 2006 and has
competed in Canada, Europe and Mexico. Janet’s professional
contacts around the world have been a great asset to SVS.
According to Jodi, Janet is “an extremely talented trainer, rider
and the leader of team SVS.”
