ASHLAND – Morgan horse breeder Al Davison, based in Ontario, Canada, stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the Coliseum of the Ashland County Fairgrounds Friday, awaiting the sale of one of the seven horses he brought to auction.
Davison is one of thousands attending the Buckeye Morgan Horse Sale March 25 and 26. Some people, such as Davison, have attended the sale every year since its inception 19 years ago — with the exception of 2020 when the sale was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Others, such as Ryne Swope, who works at a show barn in Stephenville, Texas, attended the sale for the first time this weekend.
People attend the sale to buy horses for a variety of reasons. Some are breeders, like Davidson, while others are looking for show or driving horses.
For example, Swope was specifically looking to buy young horses to enrich his show ring.
“We’re looking at getting in on the ground floor with some of these unproven horses,” Swope said, “and see if we can make them world champions.”
The Buckeye Morgan Horse Sale features 265 horses. Event treasurer Heather Rebman said the event caps horses at 265, a number it reached months before the event this weekend.
Horses sold must be American-registered Morgan or Canadian-registered Morgan. The Morgan horse, one of the earliest breeds originating in the United States, is known for its versatility, stamina and strength.
Event president Steven Yoder said there is no minimum or maximum age requirement for horses. Some auctioned off Friday were younger than 1-year-old, while others surpassed 20 years of age. Foaling season, when mares give birth, is approaching, so some horses purchased also came along with their foals, Yoder said.
The horses are presented one-by-one, trotted around the Coliseum either by handlers on foot or riding in a two-wheeled cart, a “sulky.” Announcers highlighted characteristics such as age, size and experience for each horse.
“A ton of size and a ton of presence,” one announcer said about a horse.
The majority of those in attendance were from the Amish community, so announcers often noted whether a horse was safe for driving on the highway.
“He’s been to town. He’s been to church. He’s been out after dark. He’s ready to take you wherever you need to go,” another announcer said.
The price horses sell for varies.
“It’s changed a lot in the last couple of years,” Yoder said. “Last year, we had an average of $9,600, but we usually average $5,000 to $7,000.”
Long-time attendee Davison said the market for horse sales is currently the highest he has seen.
“The price of horses peaked in 2008 and then took a big drop,” Davison said, referring to the global financial crisis. “Then about 2011-2012 it started coming back.”
Davison has been working with Morgans for 32 years. He discovered his passion for working with the breed as a child but did not pursue breeding professionally until he was 44 years old because of the financial capital required, he said. Previously, he was a farmer, raising cattle and cash crops.
Swope, the attendee from Texas, had his eye on 12 to 13 prospects Friday and hopes to return home with one to three horses. He has been working with a show farm for five years, but the family he works for has been showing since the late 1970s.
“When I was little my mom signed me up for a summer camp, and it was a riding camp, and I fell in love with it,” Swope said. “They bought me lessons for Christmas and it just spiraled from there.”
Swope and Davison were two of several Morgan enthusiasts who traveled from out of state. Ashland also hosted visitors from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Maryland and New York.
The Ashland County Fairgrounds is the location of other horse sales throughout the year. The next will be a dutch harness horse sale on April 8 and 9.
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