So You Want to Import a
Dressage is a sport where Warmbloods have traditionally excelled and, training Warmblood sport horses, many European countries are popula
Reese Koffler-Stanfield of Lexington, Kentucky spent two years in Germany working for Conrad Schumacher and has a long list of contacts for finding horses in Europe. An FEI competitor and USDF licensed instructor, Reese is co-host of the Dressage Radio Show and teaches a class in the Equine Management Department at the University of Kentucky on the Global Sport Horse Industry.
Reese and Elancourt (owned by Town and Country Sporthorses).
I fly over I’ll be looking at high-quality horses. I think that’s important, if you have the contacts.” Reese says whether she shops in the United States or in
“I
Europe will depend on what type of horses she’s looking for and what she plans on doing with them. She suggests anyone looking for a “middle of the road” type horse should look first in the United States. “You’re going to spend money on the horse’s flight,
vetting and insurance, which are at least $10k extra. And remember the horse is priced in euros, so consider the exchange rate,” she advises. (At the time of this writing the exchange rate is 1 euro = 1.13 US dollars.) While there are good horses to be found in the U.S., most people go to Europe because of the volume of nice horses that they can see in a short period of time, she says. “We are such a big country—there may be one in New York, one in Washington and one in Texas, and you’ll spend a lot of time and money looking, especially if you’re taking your trainer with you, so it can get expensive quickly,” she explains. “Typically I’m buying a horse for myself, or a syndi- cate, or an amateur or young professional. I think where you’ll really do well in Europe is with young horses and with really trained horses. There are a lot of young horses there, and there are generally more upper-level horses in Europe.” Importing a horse is not without risk but even with the
risk, she says it’s worth it for the right horse. “People should know it’s not all sunshine and roses; it is fun, though. As a
28 May/June 2019
’ve imported tons of horses—I go at least once a year, sometimes twice,” she says. “I have agents over there who pre-screen the horse for me, so that I know when
professional, shopping for horses for other people is really the most amazing thing ever.”
Auction vs. Private Sale One option for horse shopping in Europe is heading to a sport horse auction. Often when Americans hear “auction” they think of the local livestock auction where horses regu- larly end up sent off to slaughter. But sport horse auctions in Europe are curated to include top-quality horses, presented professionally, sometimes for a lot of money. While Reese has never bought a horse at an auction, she thinks they have a valuable place in the industry. “My husband and I went to Michael Klimke’s wedding last year and we visited some auction houses; it’s an interest- ing concept—they do the pre-purchase exam for you or have it on file. As Americans we’re wary of auctions, but that’s how they do it there. It’s similar to Thoroughbred racehorses here. Horses at auctions can be expensive, but aren’t necessarily, and they all have American representa- tives who speak English. My good friend Phillip who does the radio show had a good experience and really recom- mends it,” she says. Reese usually purchases through private sales. “I typi-
cally have an agent and I tell them what I’m looking for,” she continues. “They know my riding style and the type of horses I like. You have to be very specific to find the right horse, so I think a personal connection is preferable. People are making money off of horse sales, but they’re also taking time. You need to get off the plane, have your britches in your carry-on, and get on the horse. It is not a sightseeing trip!”
Cassandra Hummert
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