BELGIAN breeder Luc Henry’s auction of his entire Stud Hero breeding programme raised a total of €3.27 million, with a record price of €570,000 for a broodmare.

Henry, who is walking away from horse breeding to pursue other interests, had built up a world renowned stock of horses and a total of 94 animals, pregnancies and frozen embryos were sold in the auction from December 18th to 30th.

Henry has a close relationship with Irish breeders and six horses were sold to Ireland. The best priced was the 2019 filly Top Lady Van’t Roosakker (Comme Il Faut – Kassandra Van’t Roosakker), who made €65,000. Henry was reluctant to reveal the new owners, saying “they are professional people and it was a private deal”.

A price of €62,500 was paid by another Irish buyer for the 2020 filly Ottoucha Hero Z, by O’Neill Van’t Eigenlo out of the 1.50m jumping mare Attoucha Hero Z (Paris Sellon), who was bred in partnership with Gerry Marron of Kinmar Stud in Co Monaghan. Attoucha Hero Z is the daughter of the sale-topper Gatoucha van’t Roosakker (Diamant de Semilly x Darco), who was sold for €570,000 to a consortium from the Czech Republic, after a tussle with an Irish bidder. The 15-year-old mare is a sister to 1.60m performer Electra van’t Roosakker and has already produced horses jumping at 1.50/1.55m in Tinkoucha Hero Z (Leonie Peeters) and Alana Hero Z (Melanie Gelin), among others.

Also making her way to Ireland is the six-year-old mare Esrela Heureka Z. By Exxon Hedonist, she is out of the Woods Rosbotham-bred ISH mare Calgot Valent (by Valent) and her second dam is Dermott Lennon’s 2002 world champion Liscalgot. She was sold for €27,000. Liscalgot’s 16-year-old ISH daughter Calgot Pleasure, who began her career with Lennon, was sold for €50,000 to The Netherlands.

The 12-year-old stallion Vivald’ick was purchased by an Irish buyer for €29,000, as well as two pregnancies – one by Aganix Du Seigneur out of Gatoucha van’t Roosakker for €30,000; and the other by Comme Il Faut out of Kassandra van’t Roosakker (€25,000), who herself was sold to France for €150,000.

Speaking to The Irish Field, Henry said: “I feel it’s a big relief, it was something that was in my head since a few years. All the organisation, and all the work that it took, the result brings me a good feeling. I feel happy and free,” adding: “I thought it would be between €2.5 million and €4 million, and it was just in the middle. I am very happy.”