The horse world and the art world have a lot in common, in relation to the economy, and brisk sales at Art Basel, which concluded today in Miami Beach, could foreshadow strong sales at the NCHA Futurity, this coming week in Fort Worth.

Art Basel annually attracts buyers of contemporary art from around the world, just as the NCHA Futurity Sales attract performance horse buyers and breeders.

The World Finals session (formerly called the Mixed Sale), held on Friday, December 4, included the gamut from weanlings through seasoned show horses.

It did not, however, include the majority of consigned 3-year-olds that have already been shown or are competing in the NCHA Futurity. Those horses are featured for the first time in a separate sale – the NCHA Futurity 3-Year-Old Sale, to be held on Wednesday, December 9.

As a stand alone sale, without prominent 3-year-olds, as in the past, the World Finals session cannot be compared to previous sales.

“When you consider that we did not include the three-year-olds in this session, the sale was actually up from last year,” said Jim Ware, pedigree expert and “voice” of Western Bloodstock at the sales.

“This was really our only mixed sale. Every other sale that we conduct this week is specialized.”

The sale averaged $5,000 on 153 head for 84% completed sales. The high sellers were two of four 4-year-old “genetic identical twins” to Smart Little Lena. They were consigned by Smart Little Lena Clone, LLC, and brought $28,000 and $27,000. The other two “twins” were sterile and sold for $3,000 and $2,400. They went to four separate buyers.

The sales resume on Tuesday, December 7 at 9:00 a.m. with the NCHA Futurity Cutting Horse Sale, followed by the Western Bloodstock Invitational Yearling Sale at 5:00.

For a complete schedule of sale sessions, which continue daily through December 11, visit www.westernbloodstock.com