“Barring a catastrophe, we need to make it happen in some format.” That was the determined response from Chris Haynes, executive director of Bloodstock South Africa when quizzed on how the National Yearling Sale will cope with the new 100-people gathering limit.

BSA yesterday postponed its flagship sale by four weeks to May 20-22 but the new date is provisional and is to be reviewed on April 16 in order to mirror the government’s target date for the evaluation of Covid-19 and its measures to combat the pandemic.

The sales company has also put back the Cape Mare Sale and the KZN Yearling Sale by three weeks – the new dates are June 11 and July 23-24. The Emperors Palace National Two Year Old Sale will now be held on September 17-18 but the Emperors Palace Ready To Run/November Two Year Old Sale remains on November 1.

Haynes said: “On April 16 we should get more updates from the government on whether the gathering limit increases or whether they leave it the same – and at that point we will have to see if we can work around it with things like limiting people into areas.”

By Michael Clower