About us

ARQANA TROT was formed on 1st April 2012 as a result of the merger between ARQANA's two subsidiaries Trotting Promotion and l'Agence Française du Trot. The new agency is run by a board of directors made up of Eric Hoyeau, president director of ARQANA as well as Hugues Rousseau, who was until now commercial director of Trotting Promotion and has now become general director of ARQANA TROT.
In an ever changing market, the aim of this merger is to pool the resources of both sales agencies and to create a single united commercial entity, in a bid to offer sales which best serve the interests of industry professionals and to conquer new markets, particularly international ones.

ARQANA Trot has produced a more streamlined sales calendar made up of six yearly sales spread out to the best effect on its four sales complexes. The traditional Grand Prix d'Amérique Sales will be held at Paris-Vincennes, while Cabourg will host two of the mixed sales. The newly refurbished Elie De Brignac sales complex in Deauville will host the Spring Mixed Sale, the September Yearlings Sales and the September Mixed Sale.

 

Thoroughbred auction sales are an integral part of Deauville's identity. Indeed, they have been held there since 20 August 1887, on which date 20 horses were offered for sale. This initiative was the project of Gustave Lyon, whose father-in-law created the sales complex named « Chéri » where the first sales were held. In 1892, Lyon bought the plot of land between avenue Hocquart de Turtot and rue du Coteau (now named rue Florian de Kergorlay) at the same spot where the current Elie de Brignac sales complex, now owned by ARQANA, is situated today. In the spring of 1968, the Agence Française de Vente de Pur Sang was formed with a focus on the sale of yearlings. Philippe Augier and Elie de Brignac team up in 1977, injecting a wave of professionalism, giving birth to a period of euphoric growth without precedent. At the same time, their competitors Office du Pur Sang, based at Saint-Cloud and absorbed by Goffs France in 1979, also has its hour of glory thanks to the Arc sale.

In August 2006, ARQANA was created as the result of the merger between Agence Française de Vente de Pur Sang and Goffs France, on the initiative of several investors including His Highness Aga Khan. Its added value lies in its ability to select a quality offer, to organize sales in first class facilities and to offer guarantees to buyers and vendors. ARQANA has rapidly established itself as a leading sales aegncy, currently in second place at European level.

In 2013, ARQANA has kept up with its innovation policy by launching ARQANA Racing Club. The aim of these syndicates is to attract new owners and offer them a complete and unique experience of the racing world. The first syndiacte named Vendôme Racing Club was created in the last quarter of 2013. It brings together thirty shareholders for five horses bought at the Deauville yearling sales. More info at www.arqanaracingclub.com.