The date of the Intercontinental Sport Horse Auction hosted by Nona Garson and The Ridge Farm in Wellington, FL, has been rescheduled for February 23, 2007, in light of the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) outbreak in the area.

The schedule of the auction will remain the same, and only the dates have changed. The cocktail party and formal viewing reception will now be held on Wednesday, February 21, 2007, beginning at 4:00 p.m., with the sale to follow on Friday, February 23 at 5:00 p.m. Horses can be viewed or tried by appointment the week before the auction.

“Everything is very good here at our farm, but it’s better to be careful,” Garson said. The horses’ health is first and foremost. I just want to give everything time to settle, err on the side of caution and not disrupt any of the quarantines that are in place. With all the horses I’m bringing in, it gives me a little more time to monitor them. We’re being careful not to put pressure or stress on the horses, which is what the vets are telling us is one of the triggers of the virus. I want to make sure all the horses that come to me are given the proper time and consideration.”

Because the original date of the auction was January 27, 2007, almost all of the horses Garson imported have arrived and are staying at the New Jersey location of The Ridge Farm. However, she is taking the proper precautions to ensure the health and safety of all horses involved, including a quarantine in New Jersey and vaccinating all horses no less than seven days before travel. Provided that things go according the plan, the horses should arrive in Wellington around February 15.

“We’ll work with them and have a little time. They’ve been here for weeks, but we’re going to proceed a little more slowly. If conditions allow, maybe we’ll get to see some of the horses show at the beginning of circuit,” Garson said. And while some horses offered for sale are from the United States, certain precautions will be taken with the domestic horses as well. Each horse admitted to the auction must have a valid health certificate, vaccination record and the proper blood work taken.

The auction is modeled after traditional European sales, and Garson handpicks each horse. In addition, the horses have complete x-rays taken no more than three months before the auction and a complete set of flexion tests no more than 10 days before the auction by Dr. Brendan Furlong.

Interested parties will be able to view the final group of horses online at www.interconsporthorse.com, which will have breeding details, individual specifications and photos. There will be video clips available of each horse at least one week before the auction. The fourth annual Intercontinental Sport Horse Auction is open to the public. However, it is suggested that attendees register in advance. For more information, please visit www.interconsporthorse.com online or contact The Ridge Farm at (732) 2681-4379.


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