176 SIDELINES MARCH 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Jodi grew up with horses and rides for enjoyment, doing the
AAs occasionally on one of Janet’s jumpers, and has a great time
hanging out with the horse people. Janet painted a slightly different
portrait of her younger sister. “Sure I had the idea for SVS, but
Jodi has had a lot to do with the success of our auctions,” said
Janet. “She made and designed the website. She’s a real estate
agent, a successful businesswoman that is not afraid to take a
chance and she loves a good challenge.”
Larry, a licensed contractor, helps with the running of Twisted
Tree Farm and the auction. “He loves the horses and the farm
and me,” Janet said. “Larry does not like being in the spotlight, but
he is the one that in the end makes sure all the difficult labor gets
done properly. He is a businessperson, and a very smart one. He
stays in the background and puts the pieces together. Our teeter
won’t totter without Larry.”
SVS has managed to grow, in spite of the economy, and the
auctioneer has dropped the gavel on more than 50 top quality
sport horses with hunter/jumper, dressage, equitation, eventing
and pleasure backgrounds. To date, SVS has recorded two all-
time High Sellers: Centeh Beh for $120,000 in Calgary in 2012
and Three Cups Apple Jack for $105,000 in Scottsdale in March
2012.
SVS patterns itself on the European tradition of presenting a
quality group of horses to a large audience of buyers and sellers.
The annual SVS Sport Horse Auction and Expo ran for four days
last November at Westworld in Scottsdale. The Expo featured
demonstrations, equine clinics and seminars conducted by well-
known horse people. “Our first SVS Expo was a huge success
and we look forward to making this an annual event,” said Jodi.
“The turnout was very good, extremely good for the auction, SRO,
and we are already planning for next year.”
On February 8, SVS Sport Horse Sales took place at HITS
Desert Circuit in the grand prix stadium in Thermal, California
– the first auction ever to be conducted on the show grounds.
Consigned horses were available throughout the SVS Viewing
Week during the show before the sale. Riders, professional and
amateur, made appointments to test-ride a specific horse. Markel
Insurance, one of the sponsors of SVS Horse Sales, insures each
auction horse during the Viewing Week and 24 hours after the
gavel falls for each of the buyers at every SVS event.
In addition to Janet, Jodi and Larry, the SVS team includes
Brittany and Maggie Lang, who
Continued on page 178
When SVS Sport
Horse Sales
auctioned off
Princess Fiona,
the donkey
raised a total of
$15,000, which
directly benefited
the foster kids
at the Phoenix
Dream Center in
Phoenix, Arizona.
Photo by Larry Hischer
A gorgeous stallion takes part in the SVS Sales Preview in
Scottsdale, Arizona.
Photo by Larry Hischer
