The American Quarter Horse Journal, May 20, 2009 – Susie Reed, co-founder of the semi-annual Ranchers and Breeders Sale in Ardmore, Oklahoma, has ended her 16-year partnership with that entity. However, she won’t be leaving southern Oklahoma town as she is starting a new venture, The Marketplace at Ardmore, a consignment auction for performance horses slated for October 31.
As manager of Polo Ranch in Marietta for more than 12 years, Reed was in charge of all the annual production sales plus the ranch’s dispersal in 2008. Today, with partner Shane Wilson, Reed manages Polo Ranch Stallions, which include Gallo Del Cielo, aka “Rooster,” Boonlight Dancer and Soula Jule Star, all standing at Reed’s new facility in Marietta, Oklahoma.
“After the Polo Ranch dispersal last fall,” Reed said, “my time was freed up and I decided to do what I’ve wanted to do for some time — go out on my own. And, partnering with Shane on the Polo studs, means I have the time to take over full responsibility for putting on my own sale.”
However, the decision to move on didn’t mean she would leave the Ranchers and Breeders March sale without her assistance.
“When I made this decision last November, it was very important to me to finish up with Ranchers and Breeders on a positive note, and we did just that,” she said. “The last Ranchers and Breeders Sale this past March averaged $18,710 on the top 20 head, had Surely A Pepto as the high seller at $60,000 and an overall average of $4,360.”
Hardy Murphy Coliseum in Ardmore, the venue that has served Ranchers and Breeders for many years, will also be the sale site for The Marketplace at Ardmore. Auctioneers will be Don Green and Steve Friskup. And, like Ranchers and Breeders, Reed’s new sale will sell the performance horses as they work cattle.
While many things about The Marketplace at Ardmore will be familiar, Reed plans to implement some things that will set the new sale apart, especially in the areas of marketing.
“Even though July 15 is the official date to accept consignments, Dick and Brenda Pieper in Marietta have already committed 14 head as a special production sale offering, plus I have a good many additional consignments we will list in the first ad that comes out in July,” Reed said.
“I’ve been in the horse auction business for more than 25 years, and know what I like to see happen at a sale both as a consignor and buyer; so, mainly, I just want The Marketplace at Ardmore to be the kind of sale I’d want to put a horse in or know I could buy from with confidence.”
For more information about The Marketplace in Ardmore or about consigning a horse, contact Reed at (580) 490-1103.
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