Saturday, July 26, 2008

Historic Lebanon, Ohio – Fairgrounds

Terms and Conditions of Consignment

The Great American Miniature Donkey Sale is a select sale, offering quality breeding and show trained miniature donkeys. Consign your best, for this is an excellent opportunity to showcase your breeding program by offering top quality miniature donkeys typical of your production.  With our central location, well connected air and land routes, we expect once again this year, to draw purchasers from across North America, as well as heavily from the Midwest, Southeastern, and Eastern US. The exposure you receive by participating in this sale is valuable advertising for your farm or ranch, well beyond just the sale days.

The Great American Miniature Donkey Sale & Related Activity Schedule

The Sale will be held on Saturday. Consigned donkeys arrive on Friday afternoon, please not earlier than 12:00 noon.  For those traveling considerable distances, who may wish to arrive in the area earlier, please contact us, as we will have some space available at one of our farms. 

Friday, July 25, 2008  – Pre-Sale Set-up                           Saturday, July 26, 2008  - Sale Day

Consigned Donkeys Arrive     12:00 PM                                 Sale Viewing Starts                   8:00 AM

Paperwork, Set-up, Viewing     2:30 PM                                 Consignor’s Meeting                10:30 AM

Consignor's Dinner                  6:00 PM                                 Sale Starts                             12:30 PM

Measurement                         7:00 PM

Sale General Guidelines

We are targeting to offer approximately 60 miniature donkey jennets at this sale.  It is anticipated there will be a mix of young jennets, bred jennets, and jennets with foals at their side. Due to the extreme variability of prices for quality jacks at select sales, we are not accepting jacks for this Sale.

We may accept a well trained gelding driving team or a trained gelding with a complete driving package (cart & quality harness). Potentional consignors of trained donkeys need to demonstrate their donkey team's/donkey's ability for purchasers the morning of the Sale.

Sale Location

The Great American Miniature Donkey Sale will be held at the Fairgrounds, next to the Lebanon Raceway, in historic Lebanon, Ohio, the Antiques Capital of the Midwest. Lebanon, a destination in and of itself, is located approximately 30 miles NE of Cincinnati, Ohio. Lebanon lies between Interstates I-71 and I-75, only 8 miles from each. Lebanon is served by the Cincinnati - Northern Kentucky airport (~45 miles), the Dayton, OH airport (~40 miles), the Columbus, OH airport (~85 miles), and Indianapolis, IN airport (~120 miles). Frequently, one is able very to purchase very economically priced tickets when they are booked in advance. The Warren County Fairgrounds are located on North side of town on Broadway (Rte 48).  

Consignment Fee

The consignment fee is $285, due upon acceptance of your donkey for the Sale, plus 10% of Sale proceeds above $2000.

Consignment fees include: building rental, stall, bedding, grass hay, auctioneer's fees, sale veterinarian fees for required inspections & health paper re-issue, catalog publishing and mailing, advertising, web catalog of the donkeys, including pictures of each consigned donkey, and Consigner's dinner Friday night. It is important that you plan to take good pictures of your consigned donkeys and submit them on-time for the web catalog.

Sale Details

No Pre-Sales, No Substitutions

Purchasers will expect to see donkeys sold that are listed in the catalog. No pre-sales or substitutions of consigned stock allowed.  Exceptions for health reasons.  Should any medical event arise which requires a substitution, please advise us at once, and be prepared to offer a substitute of equal or better quality.

‘No Sales’

Consignors may ‘No Sale’ a donkey if the price achieved does not meet their minimum expectations.  It is our intention that this Sale be an occasion where top quality donkeys bring a ‘fair price’ that is agreeable between a ‘willing seller’ and a ‘willing buyer’.  Remember, this will be an open sale with many qualified, willing Purchasers, so be realistic in your expectations. On the other hand, we are requesting some of your best stock, and we do not expect you to ‘fire-sale’ it.  ‘No Sale’ donkeys will incur the consignment fee on the last bid.  ‘No Sale’ donkeys may be sold privately AFTER the Sale is concluded.

Jennets with Foals on the Side

Jennets with foals on the side will be considered one lot and sold for one money.

Jennets  - Bred & Exposed

Jennets confirmed in foal will be sold as bred, others listed as exposed.

Sale Ring

Consignors may lead and show their donkey in the ring, if desired. As part of our service, we will show your donkey in the ring for you, if you wish. Consignors may make ringside announcements. Please be sure your donkeys lead well.

Consignor (Seller) Guarantees

A key aspect of a select sale is the offering of top quality broodstock by responsible breeders dedicated to improving the quality of miniature donkeys and promoting the breed. One of the distinguishing, and value added, features of the Sale, beyond the quality of the donkeys, is the degree to which breeders stand behind their offered stock. This also plays a role in achieving the maximum fair market price for any particular animal. To this end, we feel it is important, for consignors to offer registration, maximum growth height, and bred jennet guarantees, as applicable.

Miniature Donkey Registration Guarantee

All donkeys at this sale are to be Miniature Donkey Registry registered, or registerable, per the NMDA Breed Standard. Consignors are expected to have their donkeys registered in the Miniature Donkey Registry (MDR) or with the Canadian Donkey & Mule Association (CDMA) prior to the Sale. Please be sure to register your donkey(s) well in advance (allow 2 months) to ensure you receive your paperwork back before departing for the Sale.

Miniature Donkey Height Guarantee

Seller should be willing to guarantee that the miniature donkey will not exceed 36 inches at the withers at age 3 (NMDA Breed Standard). If the donkey exceeds 36 inches, the Seller should expect to be asked to negotiate other satisfactory arrangements with the Purchaser reflecting the value of the donkey. If the Seller is willing to extend this guarantee to age 4 (CDMA Breed Standard), this increases interest in the donkey to Canadians.

Bred Jennet Guarantee

Sellers consigning any jennet sold as 'bred', must have a written statement, confirming same by a veterinarian. Ultrasound or palpation pregnancy exam preferred by Purchasers, estrone sulfate acceptable. Acceptable forms of pregnancy confirmation include; a copy of the statement of pregnancy from the veterinarian, a copy of vet bill stating pregnancy check and results, or a veterinarian notation on the State health papers affirming same. If estrone sulfate, provide a copy of the report. The objective here is to guarantee the jennet is in foal on the date tested and is not a live foal guarantee.

Registration & Health Requirements Checklist

All Donkeys: Seller shall provide the following at Sale date, at sale check-in:

  1. Original Registration Papers

  2. Registration transfer papers filled out

  3. Negative Coggins, less than 3 months old at date of Sale.  IMPORTANT! Donkey markings, including the
    cross, need to be drawn on the picture of the donkey on the coggins (EIA NEGATIVE). This is required for
    export and we expect some donkeys may be sold for export.

  4. Veterinary Health Papers – valid within 30 days for transport to Ohio

  5. Influenza & Rhino Vaccination required – given in July, except for foals less than 9 months old.       Do not give the influenza vaccine to these young foals.

  6. Health History including:

      a. Vaccinations - Most recent types and dates (please be specific)

      b. Vaccinations - Optional, but Value Added - Rabies, E & W Encephalomyelitis, West Nile Virus

      c. Worming History

      d. Hoof Trimming

All Jennets: Seller shall provide these additional items, if known:

  7. Previous foal information such as offspring, date of birth, sire, sex, foal birth height, mature height, color, etc.

All Bred Jennets: Seller shall provide these additional items, if known:

  8. Vet statement confirming pregnancy (as discussed above)

  9. Completed Breeder Certificate and Application to MDR registry for the foal's registration.

10. Useful foaling information: Exposure dates, expected due date, etc.

Additional Seller Requirements

Seller is to provide a new halter that fits and a lead for each donkey, including a foal halter and lead for foals.

 Donkey Submissions

Candidates for the Great American Miniature Donkey Sale are being sought now. This is a select sale so please consider offering top quality donkeys.  Consider that your donkeys advertise your breeding program and your farm / ranch, reflect on the Sale, and the quality of miniature donkeys in general.  We know many consignors also purchase miniature donkeys at Sales, so consider how other breeders will view and bid on your donkeys.

For submissions, we need;

1. The attached consignment nomination form filled out,

2. A photocopy of both sides of the donkey's registration or, if not yet available, a photocopy of the both the sire     and dam's registration, each both sides with any info covered by the registration photo written in, and

3. Some good still pictures showing, at minimum, a straight right side view, straight left side view, back leg view,     and front view, all showing accurate color. Clipping is not required for submissions. Although not mandatory, a     short video showing each donkey from several angles and in motion would really help. If you can't provide a     video, we'll work from the still pictures.  

Donkeys should have good conformation in all aspects, including teeth (even to less than 1/8" mismatch). If a jennet will be sold with a foal, describe the color you think the foal will shed out to be. If your pictures do not show accurate color or conformation, please describe. Current height and, preferably, birth height, is needed for immature donkeys. Please inform us if there is a difference between Miniature Donkey Registry (MDR) registered height and actual current height on mature donkeys. Include show records, breeding history, and list special qualities, training. Please advise which donkeys can be stabled together.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS - - - February 22, 2008

Donkey Selection

It is our intent to bring together a group of top quality donkeys featuring diverse bloodlines, great conformation, sought after colors, and a variety of sizes and ages to attract breeders, show people and donkey and equine lovers everywhere. To meet this goal, we will select from the donkeys submitted to assemble an exciting Sale. You may want to consider submitting an extra donkey with different genetics / features from others you submitted, in case we have too many great examples of a specific bloodline or other characteristic. We may also want to visit your farm / ranch to see some of the donkeys in person.

Consignor’s Timeline

Submission Deadline (pls submit as early as possible)     February 22

Selections Made (email, followed by letter)                      March 14

Deposit & Brief Description for Catalog                            March 28

Web Catalog (special web page at www.donkeys.net)      early June

Print Catalog mailing                                                     mid June

Lodging

There are many lodging possibilities in, and around Lebanon, ranging from a historic 1804 hotel, to completely modern hotels and bed & breakfasts. Information is posted on the web page.

Camping is available at the fairgrounds, quite near the sale building. Great toilet & shower facilities.  Camping last year was $20 per night and included electric hookup and water. There is a dump station at the fairgrounds.

Other

You may display farm information, as a consignor, but please no information on other donkeys for sale at your farm.

Security

There will be someone in the building with the donkeys on Friday night. 

Risk

Donkeys are at their owner’s risk prior to the Sale.  Donkeys become the purchaser’s as soon as declared sold by the auctioneer.

Transactions

Purchasers will settle their accounts directly after the Sale. Receipts will be issued to Consignors following collection of Purchasers’ funds.  Proceeds will be mailed 10 days after the Sale to allow time for Purchaser’s checks to clear. 

The Sale Sponsors assume no liability for the validity of any Purchaser’s check.  Should any Purchaser’s check be presented as ‘good’, but be non-collectible by the Bank, the Sale Sponsors will notify the Consignor as soon as possible.  Every Purchase-Sales transaction which occurs at the Sale, is between a Consignor and a Purchaser.  This is no different than donkey sales at home on the farm/ranch or at other livestock sales. With the strict legal penalties in place for intentionally passing bad checks, it seems unlikely this will be a problem.

We hope you will consider supporting The Great American Donkey Sale by consigning some of your best donkeys. This is a great opportunity to advertise your farm/ranch and showcase your breeding program to hundreds of miniature donkey owners, breeders, and enthusiasts throughout North America.  Sales such as this stimulate the donkey industry, provide an opportunity to share experiences & learn from others, and provide a benchmark for prices you will receive on your farm/ranch in the future. 

Thank you for Your Consideration.

                                              Martha & Dowell Howard

ELMS FARM MINIATURE DONKEYS, 5600 Bethany Rd, Mason, OH 45040

513-398-3341 Fax 513-398-3341 www.donkeys.net, email: mhoward@eos.net