Russians buy U.S. horses for racing

AgExporter, May, 2002

Russian buyers purchased four breeding horses at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Mixed Auction in Maryland, in December 2001. The sale, the first one to Russia since 1995, was the result of the efforts of the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) in cooperation with FAS Moscow staff and U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc.

Prospective Russian buyers, who are currently trying to jump-start horse racing in Moscow and St. Petersburg, visited the United States in May 2001. This tour was followed by a Market Access Program-funded, MDA-organized trade mission to Russia to develop a better understanding of the Russian horse industry. U.S. exports of breeding horses have risen rapidly over the last three years and exceeded $324 million in 2001, an increase of 118 percent from the previous year.