Colts in Training Sale transitioned online amid COVID-19 concerns

March 23, 2020 – On March 16, due to the COVID-19 situation classes at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls were suspended and moved to an online delivery method through the end of spring semester. As a result, the 2020 Colts in Training Program was suspended and the sale on May 2 was cancelled. Twenty-three horses enrolled in the program that did not return to their owners as well as two UWRF aged lesson horses will be offered on an online auction April 2-4 at www.dvauction.com.

For buyers to bid and purchase horses, they will need to preregister and be preapproved. Please go to www.dvauction.com to do so. Horses can be viewed online at www.uwrfcoltsale.com (2020 horses), www.dvauction.com and the UWRF Colts in Training Facebook page (www.facebook.com/uwrfcoltsale). Each horse will have a short riding video, a profile picture, a photo of the horse and student, pedigree research, short sale summary and a video of the horse walking. Any known unsoundness that a horse may have will be noted in the horse’s sale summary.

Since the UW-River Falls campus is closed to visitors, face-to-face viewing of the horses is unavailable. If a buyer is unable to pick-up their purchased horse by April 7, boarding will be available at the UWRF Campus Farm until you are able to do so.

“I would especially like to thank all of the UWRF students that have spent the last months caring for and training the sale horses. I appreciate all the hard work they put in this year, I appreciate the dedication and passion they have exhibited, and I am so very proud of each of them,” said UWRF Colts in Training Program Director and 2020 Sale Manager Nathan O’Connor. “I am so very sad that they did not get to finish the semester and experience the live auction day experience, however, their perseverance in this stressful time gives me hope. I would also like to thank the sale consignors, UWRF alumni and horse community that have reached out and offered their assistance during this time. Their support has made this transition much easier.”

Serious buyers may email or message the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/uwrfcoltsale) if they have a question about a sale horse. Questions can also be emailed to O’Connor at nathan.h.oconnor@uwrf.edu.