Arqana officially cancels May breeze-up date as it seeks alternatives

Arqana has confirmed that its breeze-up sale won’t take place on its original dates of May 8-9 after Emmanuel Macron's official announcement on Monday that France will remain under strict lockdown until May 11.

The company's CEO Eric Hoyeau and executive director Freddy Powell, along with all the bloodstock team, have been consulting with vendors on a new time-frame and logistical scenario for maximising trade opportunities within the constraints that look likely to remain in place over the summer.

Life in lockdown Q&A: Freddy Powell tells us more about the challenges Arqana is facing in reorganising its calendar

Hoyeau said: “Our endeavour is to offer the best possible working conditions for vendors and buyers despite the unprecedented level of uncertainty we're all confronted with.

"The early June slot (2-3 or 3-4 of that month) remains an option for our breeze-up, however there is a risk that hotels and restaurants in Deauville might still be closed as well as travelling restrictions to and within Europe remaining in force.

"Therefore, and depending of how the situation pans out over the next few weeks in France and abroad, we are alternatively considering merging the breeze-up with the Summer Sale, which would then expand from 29 June to 4 July, or postponing it to a later date in July.

"Regardless of the date, we will offer online bidding solutions – we are lucky that we already own an online sale platform, Arqanaonline.com, which we are adapting to the situation."

Hoyeau added that Arqana is enhancing its digital offering ahead of the sales resuming.

"We will also make as much information as possible available remotely to buyers," he said. "Looking ahead, the August Yearling Sale currently remains on track to take place on August 15-17, followed by the V2 Yearling Sale on August 18.

"However, we are very aware of the trying times all industry players are faced with and how fast things are evolving. Should it become necessary, we will adopt a very outside-the-box approach to come up with the best possible date and logistical organisation for our flagship sale.

"Once again, I would like to extend my deepest compassion and support to all those who are suffering personal or professional hardship. More than ever, we are all living in hope.”

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