“We have a lot planned for today.” With these words, auctioneer Bernd Hickert opened the 142nd Elite Auction in Verden. The exquisite collection of 87 riding horses was complemented by 16 carefully selected foals. At the end of the long day, an average price of 30,874 euros was recorded. The top price was achieved by the Hanoverian Riding Horse Champion Vantastica, who was auctioned for 350,000 euros.
Even before the auction, the Von Und Zu/Mighty Magic daughter Hann.Pr.A. Vet+ Vantastica (breeder: Ignaz Berger, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, exhibitor: IB Berger, Sulzbach-Rosenberg) had been considered the favourite to achieve the top price. Her preliminary bid in the hybrid auction had already surpassed the 100,000 euro mark. It has been ten weeks since her brilliant performance at the Hanoverian Riding Horse Championships for four-year-old mares and geldings. At the beginning of August, she led the lap of honour wearing the white and yellow winner’s sash under the saddle of Janina Tietze. After an exciting bidding duel between a bidder in the Niedersachsenhalle and a Swedish customer on the telephone, Bernd Hickert brought down the hammer at 350,000 euros in favour of the regular customer from Germany. “The mare is going to Grand Prix hands, we shall certainly see her again in top-level sport,” said the auctioneer with delight. Breeder Ignaz Berger will also remember the 142nd Elite Auction with particular fondness. For many years, he has been a loyal customer at the Niedersachsenhalle and, with Hann.Pr.A. Vet+ Vantastica from the dam line of Grande Price winner Toto Jr., has for the first time presented a horse he bred himself in the Verden showcase.
With head number one, the In My Mind/Desiderio daughter Infinity (breeder: Jürgen Kötter, Rullstorf, exhibitor: BG Ferry & von der Decken, Stade) opened the 142nd Elite Auction. She had been discovered four years ago at the Verden Spring Foal Auction in May. Now the black mare has matured into a top dressage horse and was worth 110,000 euros to a buyer from Panama. The third horse to clear the magical 100,000 euros hurdle was Einfach Imposant. The Escolar/Westernhagen son (breeder and exhibitor: Daniela Burkhardt-Robert, Breitenbach-Gehau) impressed with his outstanding quality. The black gelding was sold for 140,000 euros and will continue his training in North Rhine-Westphalia. Only a short time later, excitement returned when Secret Skyline by Secret/Sandro Hit (breeder: Willi Sauerland, Rhade, exhibitor: Ann-Carolin Grotheer, Worpswede) entered the Niedersachsenhalle. The extravagant young dressage horse impressed the operators of a Belgian Grand Prix stable, who made the final bid of 130,000 euros and can now call the highly rideable black gelding their own.
Exceptionally talented is Chapawee by Chacfly PS/Balou du Rouet (breeder: Dr. Ellen Bartels, Braunschweig, exhibitor: Sportpferdezucht Dr. Bartels, Braunschweig). The chestnut mare from the dam line of Odalga already has a long list of victories and top placings in show jumping competitions. One of Germany’s most successful competition and training stables currently secured this exceptional show jumper for 52,000 euros.
The highly interesting collection of foals, which was auctioned in several blocks between the riding horses, lightened the atmosphere of the auction. For 22,000 euros, a Hanoverian enthusiast from Hungary secured the extremely powerful Venturo/Scolari daughter Viva Scanina (breeder and exhibitor: Anke Wuttke, Kiel) from the dam line of Nebside, which has already produced numerous Grand Prix horses. On average, 8,016 euros had to be invested for a representative of the 2025 crop at the last foal auction of the year.
The Verden auction calendar continues with top-class events. The final bid-up for the youngsters at the Verden auction is already scheduled for this coming Saturday, 18 October, online. The collection includes two-year-old dressage horses, which can impress with free-running and lunging videos, as well as show jumpers in free jumping. This is an excellent opportunity to discover a high-quality young horse at an early stage. The dressage and show jumping horses at the High Level Auction OnLive, which will take place in Verden on 8 November, are already well trained. One of the highlights of the collection is the Bundeschampionesse of seven-year-old show jumping horses, Supergirl PvB. She will open the auction with head number one.
