Turkish enterprise sells Arabian foals for 22 mln liras

BURSA

An enterprise of the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, which is the breeder of a significant proportion of racehorses, has sold 15 purebred Arabian foals for a total of 22 million Turkish Liras ($798,000) at an auction.

The foals, all male and born in 2021, were raised at the Karacabey Agricultural Enterprise under The General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM).

TİGEM raises many champion horses of the future in their Bursa Karacabey, Malatya Sultansuyu and Eskişehir Anadolu branches. An average of 360 foals are born annually in these three enterprises where horse breeding is carried out.

In the auctions, where a total of 15 foals were sold, TİGEM managed to generate 22 million liras in revenue, with the foals finding buyers at prices ranging from 300,000 to 3 million liras. Notably, the foal named "Karanimo" set a record by being sold for the highest price, 3 million liras.

"This is the sixth auction of the year for the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises at the Istanbul Veliefendi Hippodrome. It is our second auction for elite foals. Today, we have successfully sold all 15 elite foals we offered for sale. This auction has marked a historic record for us, with prices ranging from a minimum of 300,000 liras to a maximum of 3 million. I believe these sales will make a significant contribution to the country's equestrian activities and sports," said TİGEM General Director Hasan Gezginç.

TİGEM, which plans to sell a total of 319 purebred Arabian foals this year, generated approximately 64 million Turkish Liras from the sale of 265 foals in 2022.