Race colt sold for 2 mln liras at first auction of year

BURSA

The auction of Arabian race colts bred by an enterprise under the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has witnessed the highest bid reaching 2 million Turkish Liras ($61,400).

Horse racing in Türkiye has sustained its status as a sport avidly followed by thousands over the years, with many enthusiasts recently watching the renowned 98th Gazi Race.

At the eagerly anticipated inaugural foal sale of the year by the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises (TİGEM), 59 race colts found new owners during the event held in the northwestern province of Bursa’s Karacabey district on July 2.

The sales culminated in a total revenue of 21.6 million liras, with the Arabian foals fetching prices ranging from 60,000 to 2 million liras.

Providing information about animals to local media, veterinarian Ali Yağcı emphasized that all the stallions are selected from horses that have competed in races within Türkiye, typically those that have achieved championship status, thus earning their pedigree.

"We offer a portion of our foals for sale annually, some at the age of 1 and others at 2. Additionally, we present a selected number of our elite foals to the equestrian and racing community at Istanbul Veliefendi Racecourse."