Campions Launch Debut Consignment at F-T Fall Sale

Although Campion and Campion is a new name in Thoroughbred sales, the team behind the banner brings decades of experience. Lesley Campion spent 20 years with Paramount Sales, and her son, Paddy, has worked alongside her full time for nearly three. Lesley expressed her gratitude toward Paramount's Pat Costello and Gabriel "Spider" Duignan, who have been very supportive of her decision to go out on her own, as well as her work colleagues Liz Mahoney and Andrea Greathouse, who are "near and dear" to her. "I thought it might be time for me to hang up my own shingle; it's a move that has been absolutely applauded by the guys at Paramount," she said. "I have learned a ton with Pat and Spider and Liz, Andrea the past 20 years, but it's just at a time in my life where I need to do something for myself and my son." On Oct. 12, the mother-son duo will present its debut consignment at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale. The two will offer a draft of 23 horses, including broodmares and weanlings. Both Campions expressed excitement about launching their independent venture, noting that the Saratoga Fall Mixed sale is the perfect sale for their debut. Lesley said they came to the sale last year with a handful of clients, selling under Garrencasey Sales. "It was a great success, so hence we're doing it again this year," she said. "We loved it last year; it's a great time of the year to be in Saratoga. "It's a nice, concise little catalog, and I think if you're coming up with some Kentucky pedigrees to sell in the New York market, they're attractive." Paddy said the evolving New York-bred program is very appealing to breeders and sellers alike. "New York has always been innovative. To me, it's right up there with Kentucky," he said. "There's good state programs; you have the new Belmont opening with the new surface and able to keep horses year round, purse parity. There are a lot of reasons to be involved in the New York-bred program." Lesley expects a robust market since this auction offers the season's first public opportunity to acquire North American weanlings, a major draw for pinhookers. "This sale is very well situated as people have just taken in their harvest, selling their (Keeneland) September yearlings," Lesley explained. "This is the first opportunity for pinhookers to stock up." The Campion's draft includes the debut crops of Chewing Gum, Kingsbarns, 2024 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey, and Timberlake. In addition to the first-crop weanling sires, they will also present weanlings by prominent New York sire Bucchero, as well as Cyberknife, Hard Spun, Tacitus, Taiba, and Up to the Mark, among others. Lesley is also excited about the broodmares they have on offer, in addition to the weanlings. "We have a nice young Malibu Moon mare (Maria Moon) carrying a Complexity, a stallion that has had great success in New York. We've also got a young mare (Gypsy Bird) with a nice page underneath her carrying a Candy Ride." Gypsy Bird, consigned as Hip 206, is a half sister to two-time stakes winner Venetta (Yaupon). "(The consignment) is something that I've had in my head for quite a while and now that my son is on board full time, we want to put our shoulder to the wheel. "I would also like to say that we're only as strong as the folks who choose to sell with us, and we appreciate the support that we've been getting and have been given." Lesley said the Campion duo will become a fixture of the North American sales scene, expanding its reach across every sector of the Thoroughbred market, bringing an unmatched enthusiasm and deep-rooted expertise to every corner of the industry. "If it's a basic sale or a key sale, we'll be there. If it's a digital platform, we'll be there," she said.