Top lot makes £30,000 at Brightwells dressage sale

The top lot of the Brightwells European Sale of Dressage Horses was a Dutch four-year-old daughter of Florett As, Whisper, who was sold for £30,000.

The mare’s supreme paces really impressed the buyers. Her new rider is 13-year-old Laura Woodcock, who is trained by Hannah Esberger-Shepherd. Hannah will bring the mare on to young rider level for her pupil.

“That was our absolute limit,” said Hannah Esberger-Shepherd, who trains Laura and will bring the mare on to young rider level for her pupil. “We’re so lucky to get her — I thought she’d go for £40,000. She’ll certainly do prix st georges — Laura’s a lucky girl.”

Another teenager landed the ride on the second top lot, DHI Zee See Spot, a flashy chestnut son of Sydney. Martine Reed went up to £25,500 for the three-year-old, whom her friend Jenna Capel, 18, will compete.

Two other lots — Dutch-bred three-year-olds Zippo L and Zero — hit the £20,000 mark. The average price of the 19 horses sold was nearly £16,000.

Read this report in full, plus a report from the DHI Challenge for horses previously bought from the sale, in today’s Horse & Hound (22 November, ’07)

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