Sales

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I just returned from the 2010 National Conference on Equine Law , held last week in Lexington, Kentucky. This was my fifth year in a row to attend the conference, and it was a great year.  The conference had a record number of attendees–180 practitioners from all over the United States. This year’s lineup of speakers and…

A lot of horse owners call in complaining of disputes with their partner in a horse.  Most disputes arise when a partner quits paying his or her share of the expenses on the horse, or when one partner wants to sell the horse and the other does not. Most predicaments arise when there is no written …

Profit-sharing arrangements between a horse owner and his or her trainer are commonplace in the horse industry. They are often referred to as “partnerships,” but a written contract is seldom used. I strongly advise my clients against doing any kind of profit-sharing or partnership arrangement without putting the terms in writing. I have seen countless relationships between owners and trainers break down over a profit-sharing deal, and it generally happens because the parties had a different idea about what the agreement was supposed to entail. These disputes can get ugly, and sometimes law enforcement even becomes involved in disputes over possession of the horse. 

Usual Scenario. The typical profit-sharing arrangement usually arises when the owner and trainer agree that the trainer will train, board, and promote the horse free of charge or at a very discounted rate to the owner in exchange for an increased percentage of the horse’s racing proceeds or a percentage of the proceeds from selling or breeding the horse.

 

Essential Documents. The following documents should be drafted to fit your specific terms and executed by the appropriated parties:

 

* A purchase and sale agreement between the owner and seller;

* A bill of sale transferring title of the horse from the seller to the owner; and

* A profit-sharing agreement between the trainer and owner.Continue Reading Legal Documentation for Owner / Trainer Profit Sharing Deals

An attorney called me last week to ask what her client, a trainer, should do about a prospective buyer who had picked up a horse from the trainer to "try out" but failed to bring the horse back after the trial period.  The trainer had been hired by the horse’s owner to find a buyer for the…

It pays to get your horse sale agreements in writing.  Both buyers and sellers should pay careful attention to the "warranties" section of any agreement. 

The Equine Law & Business Letter reports that a federal court in Arkansas ordered a seller to pay almost $100,000 in damages for breaching warranties in connection with the sale of…

1. Avoid Undisclosed Dual Agency Problems.   Sellers should enter into written agreements with their consignors or other agents, and agree upon commissions, reserve prices, and how disputes will be handled. You should also get an agreement from the consignor that all commissions will be fully disclosed to you.  If a bloodstock agent, trainer, or…

You do not have to risk being the victim of fraud or other legal issues when you set out to buy a horse at auction. Listed below are some ways prospective buyers can protect their interests and their equine investments:

1. Choose the Right Agent.  No license is required for bloodstock agents to conduct business.

When you sell a horse at a lien foreclosure sale, you will want to transfer its registration papers into the name of the buyer at auction, whether that be you or a third party.  Most breed registries have policies and procedures relating to horses purchased in a lien foreclosure. Depending on the breed registry, you…