The two-day auction in London, ON grossed over $8.6 million.
New and stable government funding and a diverse lineup of Ontario stallions helped the London Classic Yearling Sale (LCYS) set a new record for average of $32,663 that was the highest in the five years the auction has been operated by the Western Fair District in London, ON.
At the two-day sale, held Tuesday and Wednesday (Oct. 13 and 14) at the J-AAR Expo Centre (formerly the Agriplex) across the street from The Raceway at the Western Fair District, 264 yearlings were sold. The total gross was $8.623 million.
The province has allocated an additional $14 million to the Standardbred industry for each of the next five years. Of that, the vast majority is going to purses and horse improvement programs such as the Ontario Sires Stakes (OSS).
“I think [the new money from the province] gives [buyers] some peace of mind to know that there’s funding out there and that things aren’t going to be pulled back and they’re not going to have to struggle,” said Karen Favacho, farm manager of Seelster Farms of Lucan, ON which led all consignors with an average of $60,542 for 25 yearlings sold.
“I think any type of announcement that there’s more funding is going to give them more confidence in the bidding circle.”
The LCYS average was up 6.6 per cent from the 2025 auction ($30,651). The gross was down 2.7 per cent from a year ago ($8.86 million), though that’s understandable given 25 more yearlings were sold in 2025. This year’s average was up 14.5 per cent from 2024 ($28,516) and up 22.4 per cent from 2023 ($26,687). This year’s gross was up 23 per cent from 2024 ($7.015 million) and up 14 per cent from 2023 ($7.58 million).
The Western Fair District took over ownership of the long-time London auction in 2022.
Sale manager Greg Blanchard said he was thrilled the average was up and the gross “flirted with $9 million.”
“I’m just happy with it overall,” Blanchard said.
“Yesterday our average was up, and today we maintained that. On day two, it’s anecdotal whether the lineup was as strong or not, but obviously the buyers said it was. Today, I didn’t think we had maybe the high-level flashy pedigrees that we saw yesterday overall. But there were some really nice pedigrees and a lot of really solid offerings that seemed to be the bidding trend.”
Two yearlings sold for $150,000 each to tie for the title of sale topper – Hip #55 North Lite, a King Of The North–Shine Bright colt that is a brother to two-time OSS Super Final champ and Breeders Crown entrant Strobe Lite and Hip #86 Vaughan Seelster, a Bulldog Hanover colt out of Violet Limelight.
Hip #55 North Lite, a King Of The North–Shine Bright colt that is a brother to two-time OSS Super Final champ and Breeders Crown entrant Strobe Lite, was the top trotter sold at the 2026 LCYS with a bid of $150,000.
Jim Bullock’s Glengate Farms of Erin, ON bred and sold North Lite out of the Preferred Equine consignment to Glenview Livestock of Arthur, ON. Bullock sold 10 yearlings for a total of $517,000 to average $51,700.
“That’s pretty good,” Bullock said. “I’m very happy with that.”
Preferred led all consignors in gross sales with $1,937,453 for 55 sold.
Seelster Farms sold Vaughan Seelster – a second foal out of a daughter of Benear who has produced Limelight Beach ($1,370,324), Manhattan Beach ($869,862), Momas Got A Gun ($509,844), Im A Lou Lou ($491,701), Southport Beach ($362,722) – to Pam Young of London, ON.
Hip #86 Vaughn Seelster, a Bulldog Hanover colt out of Violet Limelight (shown, from left, with Seelster Farms’ Tina Marie Howard, Karen Favacho, Mélina Pilon, and Jaclyn Prisciak) was the top pacer sold. He fetched a winning bid of $150,000.
Bulldog Hanover stands at Seelster Farms. He led all sires with an average of $70,267, grossing $1,124,267 for 16 sold.
“Obviously, the Bulldogs were very popular noting his recent wins in the Little Brown Jug [with Redland Rocket Man] and in the OSS Super Finals [with Redland Rocket Man, Totally Tyler and Jersey Bulldog],” Favacho said. “People wanted some hard proof [about Bulldog Hanover offspring], and they definitely got it these last few weeks. It was perfect timing [for the sale].”
Tina Marie Howard, Seelster’s veterinary technician, said Bulldog offspring are, “easy horses to sell. They’re very well conformed and look great… He’s a great horse himself to work with in the breeding shed.”
Seelster also sold the third-highest priced yearling, Hip #70 Soliloquy Seelster, a King Of The North filly out of Speak Of The Devil, for $145,000 to Ecurie CSL of Sorel-Tracy, QC. Soliloquy Seelster is a half-sister to Sprite Seelster ($323,963) and Salem Seelster ($99,760) and is out of a dam that is a sister to JL Cruze ($2,136,793).
King Of The North was the leading trotting stallion by average and second overall at $43,563. His 32 yearlings grossed $1,394,016, total.
“I think the King of the Norths were very popular,” Favacho said. “We also had a Muscle Mass, who has had a resurgence this year, which was excellent for us. We also sold a really nice Archangel, which we really liked, and a Green Manalishi. We had a representation of many of the [top] Ontario [trotting] stallions.
“You see a nice resurgence of Ontario stallions right now, and that’s great for Ontario. Cattlewash is doing excellent. It’s a nice thing to be able to sell horses that people are excited about.”
Eleven yearlings sold for $100,000 or more at the LCYS.
Still, despite improved results, several consignors mentioned that Ontario needs more horse owners to drive bidding.
“I think, generally, the sale’s been okay,” Bullock said. “It’s just that some of the bidding is a little thin. It’s always been that you have to have two bidders, and, unfortunately, a number of horses going for very low numbers is because there just isn’t the second bidder there.
“But, I’ve been fortunate, and my lowest price was $14,000. And [my trainer] John Bax bought that one. I’m not in on it… It’s a King Of The North, but it’s small.”
Complete sales results are here.