Christmas Auction.

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WELCOME, WELCOME!

It's auction time, once again! We have only eight horses in this auction, and they are bound to go fast so come and get them while you can.

Horses can be reserved for up to 24 hours, after that it's a free for all. Only two horses per member can be reserved at a time too. Stallions and foals can only be bought by students over the age of seventeen. Apart from that, enjoy the auction!

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LOT ONE

HUNLLEF DAWEL

SHOW NAME: Hunllef Dawel (Silent Nightmare)

BARN NAME: Seren (Star)

AGE: Seventeen

GENDER: Mare

COLOR: Bay with White Brindle

BREED: Dutch Warmblood

HEIGHT: 16.3 HH

PERSONALITY: Seren is a mare who just doesn’t know whether she’s coming or going. She’s in her own little world and it takes a lot for someone to get in there with her. She seems to be in a constant daze, but is also harmless. She doesn’t make noise at all, but has a very expressive face. When she goes off in her little dream world, it’s immediately obvious. She gets a goofy look on her face which is completely adorable. Her stall manners need to be worked on though, mainly because it’s hard to get her to focus. She can be quite clumsy until you pull her into reality, so you have to be careful of stray hooves that may crush your feet.

To ride, she is a completely different mare. At least in competition. In training, she can be a pain. Her nature is to get distracted, so that she does. It could be a dog, or a person strolling past with a bucket or various other items. Other horses are another thing, she has to greet them all. When she finally gets going, you can see why she’s ridden as a Puissance horse. Her jumping capabilities are world class, and in competition she really proves it. In her younger years, she was one of the highest ranking mares. Now with age, she’s lost her value but is still very capable of what she’s always done.

HISTORY: Seren was bred for a rider in North Wales, transported there as soon as she reached age to leave her mother. Originally bred in Holland, she was trained by her owner in North Wales. He adored her nature and brought her far before getting various riders to compete on her. Eventually she was bought by a Welsh woman who managed to ride her in the Olympics, winning a silver medal for her troubles. By that time, the mare was already ten. Seren was then passed around to various people, competing in various competitions before settling in the hands of a young girl. The mare remained there until a month ago, when she was sold on because her owner disappeared. Now she’s being passed around auctions, looking for someone to take her on.

DISCIPLINE: English, Show jumping - Puissance

BUYER: Angharad Landeg[/size]

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LOT TWO

LLEW AUR

SHOW NAME: Llew Aur (Gold Lion)

BARN NAME: Tirion (Gentle)

AGE: Seven

GENDER: Mare

COLOR: Palomino

BREED: Haflinger

HEIGHT: 14.3 HH

PERSONALITY: Tirion is a cheeky little mare with a huge heart. She’s more of a dog than a horse, and is completely adorable when it comes to her mannerisms around the yard. She simply loves everyone and will do anything for a fuss. She’s also a little joker, always pulling things out of peoples reach or trying to ‘hide’ from her owner when being tacked up or caught. She usually complies when she’s been ‘found’ but sometimes can have an off day when she generally just doesn’t want to work. She has a thing for hair, and pony tails, and will try to latch onto anyone who passes by with one. As much as she’s excitable, she knows when she has to behave and can stay still when needed too.

To ride, it’s a different story. She’s extremely excitable, so is prone to rearing and bucking to show it. After every jump, she’ll throw in a buck and toss her head in pure excitement. She’s not dangerous, just hyperactive. She wants to please, just takes a long time to settle. To compete, it’s touch and go. Sometimes she can be lovely, other times she can be overwhelmed and even throw a rider. She feels extremely sorry for herself when she does so, and it’s obvious she doesn’t mean it. She just gets a little too frantic.

HISTORY: Tirion was bought at three by a riding stables for a lesson horse. When the mare proved to be too difficult for the riders to use, she was offered to a young girl who had a horse boarding at the stables. The young girl delighted to take her on, and brought her on considerably. She and Seren were sadly sold on when the girl disappeared a month ago, and the pair still together as they pass through various auctions for a new home.

DISCIPLINE: English, Show Jumping.

BUYER: Angharad Landeg[/size]

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LOT THREE

QUITE CONTRARY

SHOW NAME: Quite Contrary

BARN NAME: Dotty

AGE: Five

GENDER: Mare

COLOR: Bay leopard

BREED: Appaloosa

HEIGHT: 15.2 HH

PERSONALITY: Dotty is a highly strung mare who still has a lot to learn. She can be pushy and bossy, and really needs someone to put her in her place. She will try it on with everyone, and gets completely offended when she’s told off. She is very stroppy, and will completely blank a person if she believes they’ve done her wrong. Her stall manners are terrible, she’s has little patience for anyone. She is still very young though, and hasn’t had the right person teaching her manner yet. She’s been allowed to walk all over people before now. Her riding manners are a bit better, and she’s come on a lot in what she’s been trained in. It shows how intelligent she is too, and that she is actually willing to work. The cross country mare is a dream on the course, but just hasn’t had the right rider on her back yet.

HISTORY: Dotty has been born and trained at the same yard for her whole five years. It was a large yard, so they had little time for the intelligent mare. She got fairly neglected until one trainer came along and started to work with her at three. The woman brought her on as much as she could, but spoiled her too much to go any further. Now Dotty finds herself at the auction due to the fact that nobody has enough time to bring her any further.

DISCIPLINE: English, Cross Country

BUYER: Ieuan Rees[/size]

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LOT FOUR

TRUE STRIPES

SHOW NAME: True Stripes

BARN NAME: Tiger

AGE: Eight

GENDER: Gelding

COLOR: Chestnut Overo

BREED: Mustang

HEIGHT: 15 HH

PERSONALITY: Tiger is a goof. He knows he’s not the most handsome horse, but for what he lacks in looks, he makes up in with personality. He’s a cheeky little devil who’s always up to something, and has a habit of always having his tongue hanging out in a stupid manner. He’s also not the brightest spark, and can be spooked by stupid things but he is simply adorable. He is quite clumsy, but not dangerously so. His manners couldn’t actually be better, he knows to be polite for humans and will so. To ride, he can either be extremely lazy or stupidly excitable. He has days where he just drags his feet, and then others when you can’t stop him. You just have to know when to be able to actually get him to work.

HISTORY: Tiger had been used as a pleasure horse for various young children before finding himself in the hands of a young man who adored him. They competed in various competitions around Britain, but then the man grew too old for the young gelding and moving onto university. Without anyone to properly take care of him, the boy decided to sell on Tiger. He’s been taking him to various auctions to find him a new home.

DISCIPLINE: Western, Reining and Barrels.

BUYER: [/size]

RESERVED

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LOT FIVE

MASS EXPLOSION

SHOW NAME: Mass Explosion

BARN NAME: Dynamite

AGE: Four

GENDER: Stallion

COLOR: Black

BREED: Akhal Teke

HEIGHT: 16.2 HH

PERSONALITY: Dynamite is quite a nervous stallion, little things freak him out. He’s also very affectionate, and wants to be around people as much as he can. He does prefer women to men though, but is tolerant of everyone as long as they are paying him attention. His stable manners could do with some work, but for how young he is, he’s doing well. He has a little thing about his girth being done up though, and will dance around when a person tries to. To ride, he’s advancing well. Having started his training in both Dressage and Show Jumping, he’s excelling in the jumping more than the dressage. Probably because it gives him more to think about. He’ll definitely do the right rider proud, if they can get over his nervous fits and funny five minutes where he just has to go into a full out gallop and throw in a few bucks and rears.

HISTORY: Dynamite was bred and born in Herefordshire, trained by his owner and brought on as much as he could without finding a new rider. The young stallion has been very loved, which probably isn’t the best because it kept the owner from being as strict as he should have been with him. Now Dynamite is being sold on to find someone capable of bringing him even further, and his owner is sure that someone will be found in the college.

DISCIPLINE: English, starting in both Dressage and Show Jumping.

BUYER: [/size]

RESERVED

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LOT SIX

CLARKE

SHOW NAME: n/a

BARN NAME: Clarke

AGE: 7 months

GENDER: Colt

COLOR: Dun

BREED: Highland Pony

HEIGHT: To reach 14.1 HH

PERSONALITY: Clarke is a bashful little thing, who is extremely shy. He’s not really used to people yet, and can usually be found right in the back of his stall instead of inquisitively looking for passer bys like other young horses. He does like people though, and if someone takes the time to gain a little trust from him, he’ll shower them with attention. He does adore a good cuddle.

HISTORY: Clarke was bred in Northern England, to a small yard of various breeds. It was always the intention for him to be sold, as the yard was just too small to accommodate him. Now that he’s old enough, he’s gone through a few auctions without much interest and now ending up in Park hoping to find the perfect owner.

DISCIPLINE: Unspecified

BUYER: [/size]

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LOT SEVEN

RIO

SHOW NAME: n/a

BARN NAME: Rio

AGE: Around ten

GENDER: Gelding

COLOR: Chestnut roan

BREED: Welsh pony section A

HEIGHT: 12.3 HH

PERSONALITY: Rio is a showy pony who knows he’s handsome. He has a strut instead of a walk and holds his head high wherever he goes. He’s also very sweet, and submissive to humans, though it’s unknown how he is with other horses. He loves for his back to be scratched, and also behind his ears. It’s unknown what his stable manners are like and how he rides, so it’ll be up to whoever buys him to find out.

HISTORY: Rio just appeared in a local farmers field about a week ago, grazing happily as if he’d been there all his life. The farmer rang around to find out who owned the pretty pony, but nobody came forward making the man think he must have been abandoned. Without the correct stabling to hold the pony, he’s had to sell him on which finds him in the auction, hoping that Rio gets a good home.

DISCIPLINE: Unspecified

BUYER: [/size]

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LOT EIGHT

ADVENTURE FOR TWO

SHOW NAME: Adventure For Two

BARN NAME: Zelda

AGE: Fifteen

GENDER: Mare

COLOR: Dapple Gray

BREED: Appaloosa/Percheron

HEIGHT: 16.3 HH

PERSONALITY: Zelda is an extremely chilled out mare, nothing fazes her. She’s calm and collected, and ever the lady. She likes to keep herself nice and clean and has beautiful manners that any owner would be proud of. She’s delicate in the way she holds herself and almost makes herself seem smaller than she actually is. Her stall manners are faultless and to tack up she’s an absolute dream. To ride, she can be quite lazy until she gets going. When she does get going though, she’s a lovely ride if not a bit slow. A rider really has to stick with her to get her true abilities out of her.

HISTORY: Zelda has been a broodmare most of her life, her owner wanting to produce foals as well tempered as herself. She was born in a yard in Scotland, and produced many a good foals for her owners. Now, with her age, they’ve decided to sell her on. She’s currently pregnant though, about five months along. The mare will make a lovely equine for someone at the college or in Park town.

DISCIPLINE: Western, Pleasure

BUYER: [/size]

RESERVED

[Onzy]

Bella had promised Harad she would find her horses, and find them she would. Auctions went on through the festive season, and she had been sending emails to inspectors and associates to find the two horses. Dark circles were underneath her eyes, showing how hard she had been working on this project of hers. Kian would probably flip if he found out how hard, because she hadn't been sleeping properly for a few nights already. Bella was in her dorm room, looking intently at her computer screen. She had heard back with mostly negatives to the horses, but the one's colour was distinct enough and they had promised to keep a look out. The other possibility was that the horses had been split and sent to different auctions, making it almost impossible to track them. The fact that Seren was an Olympic horse would make her more lucrative to the higher markets. One where people could afford to pay the price that the seller wanted.

Eating her cereal, Bella jumped slightly as her phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, it was one of the local dealers that Alexi had brought Foxy from. Hello, she answered the phone, and a large smile spread over her face. Thank you so much. Please don't sell them to anyone. I'll be there in an hour, she said, before hanging up. Dialling Harad, she urged the girl to pick up the phone. Once she heard the click on the other line, she didn't even wait to be greeted. We found them.

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Harad sighed from where she was curled up in the common room, her green eyes impassive as the swarming talk of the auction that had just started in town surrounded her. She couldn't help but hope that her own horses may be there, or somewhere around so that she could be reunited soon. She was grateful that Bella had offered to help find both Seren and Tirion, but it had given Harad a false sense of hope that she really didn't need right now. If everything collapsed, what did she have to look forward to? After being assaulted earlier in the week, the horses were going to be her pick me up. Sure, she had Andrew. Her feelings for the male were growing stronger as each day passed, but her horses meant the world to her. They had been her escape for many years, and missed them both dearly.

She'd been so wrapped up in her own mind that it took her a while to realize that her phone had been chiming insistently. Fumbling for it, she didn't bother to check the caller ID before answering. The words on the other side made her frown briefly, then they hit her with full force. A bright, excited smile crossed her lips. She shot out of her chair, ”I'll meet you at the auction.” she responded then hanging up. Picking up her jacket, she pulled it on and slipped from the common room under the scrutinizing gaze of the other students. All attention had been on Harad since she arrived and the students learned that she was Kian's sister. The attention had also increased in the ten fold since they heard of the assault. Ieuan and Niall hadn't been lying when they told her that nothing stayed secret for long in the college.

Speaking of Ieuan, Harad managed to bump into him as she left the dorms. "Where do you think you're going in a hurry?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest and eyeing her with concern. Harad rolled her eyes. The boys had been a lot more protective of her too, which she couldn't really blame them for. ”C'mon, you can come with me. Bella's found my mares!” she told him excitedly, taking his hand and dragging him out of the college and into town. Ieuan grinned at her enthusiasm, following her willingly. Kian would kill him if he allowed her to go alone, and plus he wanted to head to the auction himself. He fancied a new project, with Lady coming on in leaps and bounds. Keeping up with her rushed pace, Ieuan chuckled in amusement as they pretty much plowed toward the auction house. "I guess we're walking the horses back to the college?" he asked her, momentarily flooring her as she seemed to realize that they hadn't brought a horse box. Ieuan laughed. "Don't worry, a lot of students walk their purchases back. We won't be the only ones." The pair came to a stop outside the auction house. ”We've just got to wait for Bella now.” Harad grinned, bouncing impatiently on the heels of her feet. She couldn't wait to see her babies again, the sooner Bella arrived the better.

[Onzy]

Bella changed quickly, phoning ahead to the student stables for a groom to help her with the horse box. She doubted that Harad had thought that far, and she hoped that in the end it would just be her and Harad, and if push comes to shove, then Ieuan added into the mix. Once she was in her jeans, long sleeved shirt, jacket and converse, Bella made her way carefully to Andrew's Range Rover. She might have taken his spare key as a precaution, and so far it had come in handy. Driving to the stable, they had the box hitched in no time, and then it was off to the auction. Kian would obviously moan at her about driving, but there was a time when she put her foot down, and that time would be soon. She had already lost the privilege of seeing her horses, but like hell would she lose her independence of being unable to drive. She wasn't that big yet.

Pulling into the auction lot, she saw Harad bouncing on her heels and Ieuan was standing next to her. Oh well, it could have been worse. Kian could have been with him. Sunglasses still on her face, she parked the truck and made her way towards the pair. Ieuan. You're driving back, she said, grinning at him, and throwing him the keys. Turning to Harad she grinned again. Let's go. I told Greg to not sell them, so they should still be in viewing stables, she told her, and started leading away from the main auction and towards the stables. The two mares were quite distinct, and they found them easily.

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Ieuan caught the keys and nodded, returning Bella's grin before following the two girls into the auction. As soon as they were inside though, he broke away from them. "Gonna have a look around." he told them, then turning off to make his way down the aisle. He moved in the opposite direction to Bella and Harad, taking him first to a large Percheron mix. The mare didn't capture his interest for long, especially when he saw that she was Western trained. Patting her on the neck as he passed, he strolled leisurely past the next two horses, one being a Welsh pony and another a colt. Next to the Highland colt was a large Akhal Teke stallion. He couldn't deny that the horse was a handsome bugger, but Ieuan decided against purchasing the horse. He did spend a while at the horses pen though, fussing him after he'd made the effort to come forward and greet Ieuan. He'd read that the horse was a nervous one, so felt honored that Dynamite had bothered to come forwards.

The next horse was another western, though the Mustang had also captured Ieuan's attention for a while. Ieuan looked up and saw Harad fussing over two mares, so Ieuan found himself stood outside the pen of an appaloosa mare. The mare pulled a face as Ieuan stopped, causing him to smirk in response. "Aren't you a charmer." he chuckled, lifting her info sheet and scanning over it. "Dotty.. Cross country," Looking to the mare again, he shrugged. "You're young, we can work on some show jumping too." he grinned, looking to the seller who was hovering closely by. "I'll take her. 300 quid." The seller frowned, but eventually nodded. "Great, i'll come get her later. See you soon Dotty." He patted the mare, who accepted it willingly and smiled. Ieuan then made his way up to where he saw Harad and Bella.

Harad followed Bella into the auction, her eyes wide with excitement. They rounded the corner that took them to her mares and the lithe female gasped. Her eyes filled with tears, delighted ones that she could see her babies. It was definitely Seren and Tirion, the two mares stood side by side, the fence between their two pens the only thing separating them. Harad squealed slightly, causing both horses to glance in her direction. Tirion was the first to recognize her, a whinny ripping through her at the sight of her beloved owner. This seemed to set off Seren too, who's large audits began to swivel frantically and she tossed her head in pleasure of seeing Harad.

The girl rushed forward, reaching out for each mare and fussing them. "Babies, i've missed you so much!" she told them, kissing Seren's outstretched maw. Harad turned to Bella, her eyes still filled with tears. "Thank you Bella, so much. This is the best thing anyone has ever done for me." she smiled at the girl gratefully before her attention was snapped back to Tirion, who was trying desperately to wrap her lips around Harad's hair. Harad completely failed to notice Ieuan's return, she just continued to reacquaint herself with Seren and Tirion.