K P Sales Makes its Debut in Louisiana

Meredith Krupp and Jay Goodwin's K P Sales will offer its first consignment at the Equine Sales Company's Consignor Select Yearling Sale, with 21 head catalogued for Thursday's one-day auction in Opelousas, Louisiana. While it will be K P Sales' debut, Krupp and Goodwin have plenty of experience selling in Louisiana.

“This will be our first consignment under K P Sales, but my fiance, Jay, has gone down there for quite some time,” Krupp said. “He is one of the shareholders of Equine Sales. And we previously went as Select Sales. Now that that is no longer in operation, we are doing K P Sales down in Louisiana.”

Among the clients the consignment will be representing are Cloyce Clark, who bred GI Cigar Mile winner Sharp Azteca (Freud) and this year's GI Kentucky Derby contender and GI Belmont S. runner-up Dr Post (Quality Road), as well as Keith and Ginger Myers' Coteau Grove, which bred GI Woody Stephens S. winner No Parole (Violence).

“We have the best group we've ever taken down there for sure,” Krupp said. “We have 21 head going into it and there are some really nice horses.”

A native of Cincinnati who grew up riding sports horses, Krupp was about to graduate from the University of Kentucky in 2014, but still wasn't sure what she would do next

“I went to my first sale when I was a senior in college and about to graduate and trying to figure out what I wanted to do,” Krupp said. “I met Jay and Carrie Brogden and Andrew Cary and they really took me under their wing. They helped me get started. I graduated on a Saturday from UK and started working at Machmer Hall on a Monday.”

Krupp also gained experience working with veterinarian Arnoldo Monge and served stints in Ocala with Eddie Woods and in Kentucky with Hunter Valley Farm.

“When Jay and I got together, I started working back with Select Sales and I went working full time on Jay's farm with him,” Krupp said. “We own mares up there and Jay has his farm out in Paris.”

Krupp credits her late father for instilling in her a love of racing and the name K P Sales is a tribute to him.

“My dad always loved horses and loved racing,” Krupp said. “He passed away when I was in college and KP Sales is kind of an ode to him. He sold heavy machinery and that was the name of his company. Jay and I always say my dad would have given anything to be with us here today. He would have been right alongside us doing it with us. So when we had the opportunity to honor him a little bit, we chose the name KP Sales.”

While K P Sales makes its debut in uncertain times, Krupp said she is looking forward to the challenge.

“With Jay as my partner, I couldn't have somebody who is a better cheerleader,” Krupp said. “It's very exciting to be able to do this with your partner. Jay was a partner in Select Sales for 10 years, so he knows the drill. I think I'm just having to step up a little bit and do a little bit more and that's exciting for me.”

Krupp acknowledged the global pandemic has made for a trying year for the industry as a whole, but despite the precarious timing to start a new venture, she is hopeful for the future.

“I think everyone is having a nerve-wracking year and the unknown is very scary,” she said. “We pay for the known in this business. It's scary any time you start something new, especially this year. But I think the people who come out of this kind of economic environment are the ones who stick to their guns, don't panic and ride the wave. And that's what we want to do.”

After the dissolution of Select Sales earlier this year, Goodwin joined the team at Eaton Sales and, following the Louisiana sale, the couple will head to Texas to offer Eaton's first consignment at the Texas Summer Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale at Lone Star Park Aug. 24.

“This is going to be kind of a crazy week,” Krupp admitted. “We will be going straight from the Louisiana sale to the Texas sale. We fly in to Louisiana Tuesday and then we will show and sell and then we will drive to Dallas the next day. We have 38 horses to consign under the Eaton banner in Texas.”

Krupp said travel restrictions related to the pandemic might make for stronger regional markets this year.

“A lot of people can't leave their states, so we thought hopefully the regional market will be strong,” she said. “If people don't want to travel outside Louisiana or Texas, maybe they will just go out their back door and shop locally.”

After the Louisiana auction, K P Sales will make its next appearance in the catalogue for the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's October Sale which will be held Oct. 13 through 15 in Central Florida.

“We are just going to do Louisiana and OBS,” Krupp said. “The rest of our horses will sell with Eaton in Kentucky.”