Louis Baudron - 'The online platform is the future of the selling system'

Louis Baudron comes from a family steeped in racing history - both thoroughbreds and trotting - as a grandson of Roger Baudron and Jean-Pierre Dubois. A multiple Group 1 winner as a driver, he then switched to training and has had success in both equestrian disciplines. Baudron is also the president of French online auction house Auctav, which recently passed its one-year milestone.

Auctav has just had its first birthday. How would you sum up the first year of business?

We are very happy with how the first year has gone. We have sold 155 horses, 22 were sold for more than €100,000, and our turnover is €6,700,000. Those figures are from thoroughbreds and trotting horses.

We also had two horses running at Cheltenham too, which was very pleasing. More people are confident with the online system and it seems to be working very well. It had been very intense in the first year as we've started from scratch, including designing the branding, so it's been a lot of work.

What has been the highlight?

The Arabian sale we organised for Shadwell because it's a really big deal to do something with these kind of entities. We are really proud to work for them. We also organised their broodmare sale in December and also a yearling sale afterwards. We had good photos and videos, so it helped to give clients confidence.

What encouraged you to be involved in the company?

It came about because a couple of years ago we organised a private sale, but we found it wasn't easy to just have one date and so we had to find a better system to sell horses of all ages. The online platform is the future of the selling system as you want to sell a performer when he's in his best form, and online you don't have to wait.

The idea was to sell the horse at the right time, with this we can organise a sale in less than a week so it's very attractive for the vendor and easier for the buyer.

Established and new auction houses have been staging online auctions. Do you think it’s still a growth business?

Selling online is increasing so it's really important to have the right support, either from the market, customers or the media. If you don't have that then there isn't the trust in your solution, but if you provide the right information then the people can buy with confidence.

You can't fight against progress and you have to follow what is going on around us, the online auctions being provided will allow the industry to move forward.

Have there been many particular challenges?

We were facing Covid altogether this time last year, but now it's not just about organising one sale a year, we do it every day and so you've got to break the rules and make people confident. It has been challenging.

And are there any big ambitions?

We are organising an obstacle sale [for National Hunt horses] at Haras de Rouges Terres at the end of August, while we have a trotting horse sale a few days before [August 25]. It's the first time for us, but we're confident a couple of big owners and breeders will be at the sales.

Auctav is also heavily involved in the trotting sales. Is the market similar to thoroughbreds at the moment?

The main difference is the value but in the trotting business not so many people want to sell their horses in training. We are one of the biggest sellers of horses who are ready to run so it's a big part of our business.

We organise our own private sales for trotters because people are confident with the horses we sell. Vendors are really happy to be part of the new system, even [though] it's online and they're not very young, they just seem to love it!

You’re also a trainer in your own right. How’s the year started and are there any horses you’re excited about?

With thoroughbreds I work with David Cottin and we have Sans Bruit, who was a Grade 3 winner last year and hopefully this year too. He won at Auteuil two weeks ago and I think he's a horse to look forward to, especially as he's by my stallion Triple Threat.

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