UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 17th annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale was the most successful in the equine program’s history, bringing in just over $100,000, according to organizers.

The horse sale, held this year on April 27 at the University Park campus, is the equine program’s biggest public event. During the spring semester, more than 60 students are involved in all aspects of preparing for the sale — from getting outside sponsorships and creating advertisements to working to get the horses broke and ready to be ridden. This year, approximately 400 spectators attended, and 82 bidding numbers were given out.

Twelve 2-year-old horses and one 3-year-old — all raised at the University Park farm — crossed the auction block. The sale also included a 4-year-old horse born at the State University of New York at Cobleskill that was sired by Penn State’s PSU Dynamic Krymsun.

The previous high-selling horse went for $10,000 in 2017, and the average for 2018 was $3,400. However, this year saw three horses sell for more than the $10,000 mark, with two selling for $12,000. After a bidding war that left students and spectators alike breathless, the top-selling horse, PSU Summertime Rockn, went for an eye-popping $19,000. This year’s average sale price was $7,000.

Horse farm coordinator Brian Egan, assistant teaching professor of equine science in the College of Agricultural Sciences, said the event is designed to integrate the entire program into one day, allowing the public to learn more about the farm, horses, breeding and undergraduate programs.

Along with merchandise and silent auction items, the success of the sale was unparalleled. “It was an incredible sale," said head herdsman and veterinarian Ed Jedrzejewski. "Compared to the first few years, I never expected to see one of our horses sell for almost $20,000.”

With the death of PSU Dynamic Krymsun in 2017, this sale marks his second-to-last crop of foals. Egan said this could be one factor in the success of the sale, although there are several others.

“This group of horses was very good across the board,” Egan said. “Instead of having one or two really nice horses, we had eight or more that easily could be big show horses. Secondly, a larger percentage of these 2-year-olds had brothers and sisters that have been very successful, and people are recognizing that.”

He added that the sheer volume of high-quality animals in the sale brought a larger number of serious buyers to the sale as well. “When you put that together with the state of the industry, maybe even the state of the economy, it just all worked out.”

Egan also said the breeding industry in the area has been downsizing, meaning there are not as many good, young horses available. That low supply and a high demand helps drive the prices up.

“Our students work hard, and this sale in particular proved how that work can pay off,” Egan said. “We’ll be talking about this sale for many years to come, and we couldn’t have done it without the support staff at the horse barn and in the Department of Animal Science.”

The 18th annual sale will be held Saturday, May 2, 2020, in the Snider Agricultural Arena at University Park.