Inglis alters Easter to become a virtual sale

4 min read
Inglis has pivoted in its planning for the 2020 Australian Easter Yearling Sale, with the sale now to be held as a virtual auction on Tuesday and Wednesday, rather than as an Inglis Digital online sale.

After discussions with vendors over the best format for the Easter Sale to be conducted, Inglis shelved plans to conduct a purely online auction through its digital platform and it will instead take the form of a virtual auction, utilising online and phone bidding.

It means that bidding will now open in a designated window for each horse in order of catalogue number, as would be the case in a traditional sale, with an Inglis auctioneer conducting the sale from a rostrum at the Riverside Stables.

The auction will be streamed on inglis.com.au with a video of that yearling to be displayed on the big screens at Riverside and online when they are being offered in what is a virtual sales ring.

Day 1 of the auction will start at 10am on Tuesday, April 7 with Lot 2 (Lot 1 is a withdrawal), while Day 2 of the auction will start at 10am on Wednesday, April 8 with Lot 258.

All bidding will take place as online bidding, the same process which has been in place at physical Inglis auctions for more than a decade, or via telephone bidding with an approved Inglis staff member.

Registered bidders can use the online bidding platform while those bidding over the phone will need to complete an appointment of agent form before the sale.

Inglis has re-iterated that all prospective buyers must be pre-registered and have credit approval pre-authorised.

Inglis auctioneer Simon Vivian conducting a traditional live auction

Inglis will conduct a test auction on Friday between 2pm and 3pm for all registered bidders, which will include auctioneer audio and yearling videos.

Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said that vendors had expressed their desire for a more traditional process around the auction.

“We have tremendous faith in our digital platform that has served us so well for many years and is a format we will continue to use not only for our twice-monthly Inglis Digital auctions but for future yearling or breeding stock sales when required, but in this instance a majority of vendors wanted a virtual auction with online bidding, rather than a fully digital auction, and we’re lucky enough to be in a position to facilitate that," he said.

"In this instance a majority of vendors wanted a virtual auction with online bidding, rather than a fully digital auction, and we’re lucky enough to be in a position to facilitate that." - Mark Webster

“We have a mandate to achieve optimum results for our vendors and there is an overwhelming feeling the best way to realise that is with a virtual sale."

Webster praised the response by both vendors and buyers since it was confirmed that a traditional live auction would not be able to take place because of the federal government protocols in place due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

“We have been extremely encouraged by the response to the online Easter Sale, particularly in this past week, from both domestic and international participants and with five days remaining before the first lot is offered, I expect buyer registration to increase even more," he said.

Mark Webster

“These are hugely trying circumstances to hold a sale of any description but I am exceptionally proud having seen significant amount of international press in recent days highlighting the fact Inglis technology can and will facilitate this Easter Sale when it appears no other jurisdiction around the world has the facility or capability to hold a major bloodstock sale at the moment.

“We absolutely appreciate the support of our vendors and as challenging as this situation is for our clients, there are certainly going to be many positive stories – and champion racehorses – to come from next week’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

"Buyers now still have five days to inspect these yearlings across Australia and New Zealand so I would urge those who are yet to see the yearlings to get to as many as possible in coming days."