Writer Robert Smith takes a look back at one of the earliest large horse auction sales which was held in London over 60 years ago
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The huge auction sales that have been a part of the sport of harness racing for many years have not been with us forever. At one time most horses changed hands at private terms or were sold a few at a time based on newspaper or trade paper advertisements. Sixty years ago, large auctions of horses had not yet started in Canada.
The first, or at least one of the first large Canadian auction of horses took place on Saturday, February 12, 1949 in London, Ont. It came about as a result of the passing of the well known London sportsman and horse breeder and owner W.J. Hyatt. It was organized by another Londoner, hotel owner Alex Parsons, a man well known in the sport and the city. He was also the purchaser of several horses that day.
The sale boasted a list of 38 horses and included about everything a prospective buyer could ever want. Heading the sale was one of the country's best rising four-year-olds in Sam Hy who was coming off a solid three year old season. Also on the auction block was the noted sire Bob Lee as well as several broodmares, aged horses, yearlings and weanlings. One oddity this sale featured was the fact that the sale headliner Sam Hy was sold along with both his sire Bob Lee and dam Volie Lee as well as his siblings. The sale attracted a huge crowd of over 1,000 people who travelled from as far away as Maine and Ohio as well as many Canadian destinations. The 38 head sold for a total of $40,750.
The sale topper was Sam Hy who fetched a hefty $10,500. His new owner was Stratford-based J. Wesley Litt, proprietor of the Windsor Hotel and a long time horse fancier. At the time it was believed that Litt would take his new purchase to the U.S. where enjoyed considerable success in the past .
If anyone is curious as to whether or not Mr. Litt made a wise investment in his purchase of Sam Hy please stand by for a report somewhere down the road.
Listed below are the details of a few of the horses sold that day, along with their purchaser and the price.
Sam Hy - 4 y.o. colt - Sold to Wesley Litt, Stratford - $10,500
Bob Lee - 13 y.o.stallion - Leo Charlesworth, Strathroy - $1,150.
Volie Lee - 14 y.o.broodmare - H.Birmingham, Houlton, Maine - $2,500
Margaret Hy - 2 y.o.filly -Russell Miller, Dutton - $1,575.
Carter Hy -2 y.o.gelding - Marshall Moore, Sarnia - $1,200.
White Sox - 7 y.o broodmare -Ellis Dell, Becher - $425.
Golden Hy - Ch filly Al Leverington, St. Thomas - $600.
Calgary Hy - Alf Moore, Sarnia - $900.
Jessie Evans - broodmare -W. Topping, London - $350
Chocolate Bars - 6 y.o. broodmare - J.W. Brown, New Liskeard - $1,500