July 2015
EVENT ACTION: Bolesworth International CSI****
Elvis Tops the Chart in First of it’s Kind,
Bolesworth Elite Horse Auction
Rapid Renwick Blazes
a Trail on Beluga
Speed queen Laura Renwick
enjoyed another dash to
glory with Beluga as one of
showjumping's most exciting
combinations claimed a
second victory at this year's
Ashford Farm CSI****
Bolesworth International.
Essex-based Renwick won
the show's opening four-star
class aboard the 14-yearold bay mare on Thursday
morning in the International
Arena.
Saturday's action saw
them in the Castle Arena, and
they again did not disappoint,
taking the 1.35m speed class,
sponsored by Equiline, in
emphatic fashion.
A time of 56.16 seconds
saw them finish more than
two seconds clear of a
Bolesworth's ground-breaking elite
sport horse auction enjoyed a command
performance under the Friday night
floodlights at Bolesworth Castle
amid unprecedented scenes in British
equestrian sport.
It was the first time that an
auction had been combined with an
international showjumping show in the
United Kingdom, with Ashford Farm
CSI**** Bolesworth International owner
Nina Barbour launching the unique
concept of auctioning sport horse
yearlings.
The 12 yearlings - all potential top
sports horse prospects for showjumping
- were selected from leading producers
and breeders in the UK and mainland
Europe, including Stal Hendrix, Ashford
Farm Sport Horses/Eric Levallois,
Harthill Stud, Billy Stud and Davenport
Stables.
And the auction delivered a
remarkable outcome, with total sales
hitting £196,500 at an average per horse
of £16,375.
Chestnut colt Elvis topped the chart
through a successful bid of £30,500
as guests packed the Bolesworth VIP
hospitality area, including top riders,
breeders and customers.
Ashford Farm manager Enda
32-strong field, with James
Smith and Cumina taking
second place, followed by
Belgium's Jos Verlooy in third
on Clearwater 5 and Keith
Shore fourth aboard Rubiroso
JX.
"She is so fast, and I
know if I leave the jumps up
she is going to be there or
thereabouts. I am very lucky
in that respect," Renwick said.
"She is not a slow horse,
so she is always going to be
in with a shout if the fences
stay up.
"I was quite early to go, so
that was nice. I could do my
own thing and not worry too
much about what everyone
else was doing."
Carroll was closely involved in detailed
preparations for the auction, and he
hailed it as an outstanding success.
"We didn't know which way it
was going to go, but it was just an
outstanding evening," he said. "It
doubled our expectations.
"We expected them to make good
money, and we are thrilled they made
the prices they made. Most importantly
for us, there were great references for us
from people Geir Gulliksen, John Hales
and Daniel Bluman. This is how this
auction is going to take off. Who we sell
to is very important.
"For sure, this will continue. The
vibe in the room was fantastic, and to
have people like Paul Hendrix and Eric
Levallois there was amazing.
An official preview parade took place
earlier in the day, and excitement was
high when the auction, sponsored by
IFX International Foreign Exchange,
began under the expert direction of
auctioneer Andrew Nolan, of Goffs, in
association with Wright Marshall.
Among the audience was Paul
Hendrix, who runs the internationallyrenowned jumping and trading yard
Stal Hendrix with his brother Emile
in Holland, where their business of
trading stable, stud, breeding, events and
training thrives. Their clients include the
likes of Nick Skelton, Laura Kraut and
Ian Millar.
Hendrix flew in from Holland
especially for the auction, and he said:
"This is a new thing th B