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Presenting Nama

• There is no doubt that the racing at Tipperary yesterday will prove a good source of stars for the upcoming N/H season. There were plenty of quality horses on show at the Munster track.

• The one of most interest was - the aptly named - Presenting Nama. Locally trained in Rathvin, Tipperary by John Halley and bred by David Fenton, he won the concluding bumper very easily by 11 lengths.
  • This 5 year old Presenting gelding out of a Splendid Run mare, was following up his Clonmel win on contrasting ground and beat some well fancied runners.
  • He was bought at Tattersalls in November 2006 for the bargain price of €8,500. He is a half-brother to bumper, 2m-2m1f hurdle, chase winner Sigma Run, chase winners Deep King (2m-2m4f) and Pavey Ark (2m5f) and bumper winner Peyto Lake. His dam was unraced and is a half-sister to Sweeps Hurdle winner Hansel Rag.
  • Like many talented youngsters he started off in point to points. His 3 runs were all with cut in the ground but he still managed to fill the frame in each one. He then improved for the drop in trip and the better ground in his first start under rules (at Galway no less) and ran a huge race to finish 2nd in a 2m2f bumper, just fading in the last 100yrds.
  • After that highly promising run he then went to the Doncaster sales in August 2010 but was not sold at 34,000. He then came back and ran next in a 2m bumper on good to firm ground in Clonmel, where he duly obliged.
  • His impressive win yesterday in Tipperary proved that he handled the softer going easily. This will give him more options no doubt in the future. He is now 2 from 3 in bumpers and has never been out the first 3 in all starts.
  • He is an exciting horse to follow with his astute trainer and we all look forward to seeing him novice hurdling in the spring, after a well deserved break.

In the final part of the Good Photos series we have the final 2 tips to improve the quality of your horse photos.
 
Part 3 of 3
 
7. Camera

• If you're using a digital camera, it's better to avoid digital zoom & move closer instead as it keeps the quality of the photo up. With our zoom button on the website buyers can zoom in as close as they want to the horse to see them in more detail.
  • The find out the best way to use your camera you should read the camera manual. (I know this is hard to do but if you just flick through it you will come across a few features that you didn't even know it had!) It could make it a lot easier & help you take better quality pictures. If you know all of the features of your camera you will get much better results.

  8. Keep Clicking

  • The simple rule is this: click as many shots as you can, for as long as you can! If the horse is trotting or jumping you need to take even more. It only takes one good photo to sell your horse & show their best features but to find that will take a lot of clicking.
  • A lot of horses don't like standing still for too long so you'll have to act fast. Nearly every photo you take will have something wrong with it – ears not pricked, legs not showing properly, eyes closed etc. But if you take enough of them you will find that one that has it all. Its better to have plenty to go through later & you can delete the less quality ones.

  Conclusion

  • Yes it takes a little practice, time & effort but it will be worth it when buyers see what your horse is like & knows what is on offer. How can a buyer make a decision on just a few lines of text? If you include good photos, you will greatly increase your chances of making the sale at a higher price. We can't over-emphasize the importance of good photos.
  • Choose a good location to take it & move around to get the best angle. Try not to have any distractions in the background. Make sure you talk to the handler so they know what you want as they can't see what the horse looks like in the camera.
  • Practice. This cannot be over stated. When you understand your camera and its features, you can experiment a little to see what works and what doesn't. Take plenty photos from the side showing all 4 legs with ears pricked looking alert.

  At ParadeRing.ie, we offer unlimited photo ads so you've no excuse not to add at least one photo! Each good photo you add which will increase your chances of inquires and ultimately a sale. I hope this has helped you with your horse photography & if you have any question please feel free to make a comment below or Contact Us Here. We welcome any suggestions you may have.

  • A quality photo, with a quality ad, on a quality site, will give you some quality buyers & hopefully a sale at a good price.

  So if you have a horse for sale, don't just tell people about it - SHOW THEM!

The Good Photos series continues with 3 more tips to improve the quality of your horse photos.
 
Part 2 of 3
 
4. Conformation Shot

• Its best to take the conformation shot before any action shots so the horse won't have any sweaty saddle marks. when they are fresh they tend to hold themselves better and show more presence compared to after having finished working. If you take your conformation shots in a show halter or a bridle, use clean tack that fits well and doesn't have any tabs hanging loose.
  • Getting the horse to stand in an open stance is best. An open stance is where the two legs nearest the camera will be a little more open compared to the two on the other side. This will ensure that the buyer will be able to see all 4 legs.
  • It is useful to have another person to stand in front of the horse so as to get their attention (see more in 'Get Alert' ). You also need a handler who can setup the horse properly so that he's putting equal weight on each leg. This will show how he is well balanced. If he starts to lift a leg up slightly, you should push on his chest so that he will step back and put his weight back on it.
  • If you want to prove that your horse is a good mover you could take a trot shot. Its best to stand in the middle of the ring & keep clicking! You want to try get a shot of him when his front inside leg goes forward with a slight bend in the knee. A small bit of practice & you'll get the timing right.
  • To get a good jumping shot you should try get one where he has both his knees up together as he is jumping the flight. Again this is down to timing & practice so keep taking as many shots as you can & move around a bit if you're not getting a good angle. The best position is to stand a couple of feet to the front of the jump & point the camera so that you can see the front of the obstacle & the front of the horse, as he jumps. If you have a sports/action mode in your camera it will help you to get a sharp in focus photo.

  5. Background

  • Its best to have an uncluttered background so that there is no distractions for the buyer. There shouldn’t be anything taking their attention away from the horse (especially not other horses).
  • Its also good to have a contrasting background as having a dark background behind a dark horse will not show him in the best light. In a field or on a road on the farm are normally good places to stand them.
  • Its best if you can avoid including the handler in the picture. If they can stay a bit back so that their hands aren't in front blocking any part of the horse.

  6. Get Alert

  • The best way to get your horse looking alert is to have a few props that will grab their attention. You should have a person standing back from the handler so that the horse will be looking at them. You want the horse looking straight ahead if possible, with their head up, neck arched a bit & ears pricked.
  • There are many ways of achieving this like using as a feed bag, a mirror, whistling or even just waving your arms can work. Whatever works! Whatever creates that element of surprise without scaring him as otherwise he'll move out of position. It normally just gets them thinking whether its something they should be afraid of or something they could get to eat!

    Feel free to make a comment below or Contact Us here. Check back soon for the final part of the series... 

In the first of a 3 part series we give you some advice on how to take quality photos of your horse to help you highlight their best features and attract more potential buyers.
 
Part 1 of 3
No photo, no sale. Its proven that ads with photos are viewed more than twice as much as ads with none. A quality photo is one of the most important factors in attracting buyers. Without one you will get less views, less clicks & therefore less offers for your horse.

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