Stallion Auctions Online was not adapted from a general-purpose auction tool. It was built from scratch in 2007 specifically for equine associations running stallion service fundraising auctions, and every feature added since then has come from actual client feedback. What you see here is years of refinement based on real-world use.
Every feature in here came from an association asking for it. I did not dream these up. Years of real auctions did.
Tom Bruch, founder
What Features Do Bidders Get in an Online Stallion Service Auction?
Maximum Bidding
Works the same way eBay does. A bidder sets the most they are willing to pay, and the system bids on their behalf up to that amount. They do not have to watch the auction constantly to stay competitive.
Extended Bidding
If a bid comes in during the final minutes of the auction, the closing time automatically extends. This gives all active bidders a fair chance to respond and prevents anyone from winning a stallion with a last-second bid that others never had time to counter.
Mobile Bidding
The full bidding experience works on any phone, tablet, or computer. Bidders do not need an app. Everything runs in the browser.
Real-Time Bid Indicators
Bidders can see at a glance where they stand on every lot they are watching. No guessing, no refreshing to find out if they have been outbid.
Favorites
Bidders can mark the stallions they are most interested in and track only those listings. Useful when an auction has a large number of stallions listed.
Automatic Email Notifications
Bidders get an email when they register, place a bid, get outbid, and win. Everything is handled automatically without any action needed from your association.
Detailed Stallion Listings
Each listing can include unlimited photos, multiple embedded YouTube videos, a full pedigree using the built-in pedigree template, standing location, any additional fees the winner will owe, and a buy-it-now price for after the auction closes.
Your association decides how much detail to include.
Preview Browsing
Bidders can browse stallion listings and review all the details before bidding opens. This gives them time to research and plan before the auction goes live.
Buy-It-Now After the Auction
Any stallions that do not sell during the auction remain listed at a buy-it-now price until your association's set end date. Bidders can still purchase after the live auction closes.
What Admin Tools Does Stallion Auctions Online Give Associations?
Dashboard Tutorial Videos
Your admin dashboard includes tutorial videos that walk through every task. Most associations find they only need to watch them once. The data entry process is straightforward enough that very few questions come up after the initial setup.
Stallion Listing Management
Add, edit, activate, or deactivate stallion listings at any time. Set the minimum first bid, the bid increment, the buy-it-now price, and all listing details from one place.
Optional Credit Card Requirement
Require a valid credit card on file before anyone is allowed to place a bid. This is one of the most commonly used options because it significantly reduces the number of winning bidders who do not follow through on payment.
Payment Options
Accept credit cards through Stripe, checks, or both. If a bidder pays by check, you can enter the check information directly into the admin panel and the system marks them as paid.
Convenience Fee Setting
Associations that want to pass credit card processing fees on to bidders can enable a convenience fee. This is optional and fully configurable.
Post-Auction Reporting
Your reporting panel shows every bid placed, broken down by horse. You can see who won, who has paid, who has not, and any notes on payment method. Nothing falls through after the auction closes.
Excel Data Export
Pull every bidder record and every auction result into Excel. Your data stays with your association and can be used however you need it.
How Is an Online Stallion Auction Website Protected From Security Threats?
Every auction website on our platform runs through Cloudflare Enterprise. Here is what that means in plain terms.
When an auction gets close to its closing time, bidding activity can spike sharply. Hundreds of bidders may be refreshing the page at the same time, watching stallions in the final minutes. That kind of traffic, combined with the fact that online auctions can attract bad actors who want to disrupt competitors or crash a site, means the hosting and security behind your auction matters a great deal.
Cloudflare Enterprise is the same security and performance network used by major banks, large retailers, and financial institutions. It sits between the internet and your auction website and does two important things.
First, it filters out harmful traffic before it ever reaches your site. Automated bots, fraud attempts, and any effort to overload or take down your auction are blocked before they cause a problem.
Second, it delivers your pages quickly to bidders no matter where they are in the country. Instead of every page request traveling all the way to one server, Cloudflare serves your content from a location close to the bidder. For a bidder on the west coast and a bidder in the southeast both active on the same auction, the site loads fast for both of them.
For your association, this means your auction stays up and stays fast right when it matters most.
Big Sky Internet Design has handled the TQHA Race Stallion Auction for me every year since I have been at TQHA (started in 2021) and was used by the TQHA folks prior to my arrival for many, many years. It is a very user friendly and complete auction software design. I have not had any major issues with the software and some of the minor issues that popped up were easily resolved by Tom and his crew. I would recommend them to anyone wanting to host any type of auction they may have.
Scott Sherwood, Executive Director / Director of Racing, Texas Quarter Horse Association (customer since 2016)
The Texas Quarter Horse Association runs three separate auctions on our platform each season: race, barrel, and rope horse.
Is Credit Card Information Stored on Our Auction Website?
No. All payment processing runs through Stripe, which is PCI-compliant and handles all card data on their own secure infrastructure. No credit card information is ever stored on your auction website.
Does Each Association Get Their Own Auction Website and Domain?
Yes. Every association on our platform gets a custom-designed auction website on their own domain. The domain is typically the association name followed by StallionAuction.com, for example NYCHAStallionAuction.com.
The site is designed to match your existing association website as closely as possible. When a member clicks from your main website to the auction, they stay within your brand the entire time. Bidders see your name, your colors, and your look throughout the experience.
Your auction site is hosted on our servers, which is what allows us to guarantee the security, the email delivery, and the 24-hour update turnaround. It is not on a shared generic hosting account.
What Payment System Does Stallion Auctions Online Use?
We use Stripe exclusively because it integrates directly with the auction software. Stripe is one of the most widely used and trusted payment processors available, and it handles all credit card data on its own secure infrastructure. Nothing is stored on your website.
Your association sets up a Stripe account and we connect it to your auction. Payments from winning bidders go directly into your Stripe account and from there into your association's bank account on your normal Stripe payout schedule.
Common Questions About Stallion Auction Software Features
Does the auction software work on mobile phones?
Yes. The full bidding experience works on any phone, tablet, or computer through the browser. No app required.
What is maximum bidding and how does it work in a stallion auction?
Maximum bidding lets a bidder set the highest amount they are willing to pay for a stallion. The system then bids automatically on their behalf up to that limit, only going higher when someone else bids against them. It works the same way eBay's automatic bidding does.
What is extended bidding and why does it matter?
Extended bidding means the auction does not end at an exact fixed time if someone places a bid in the final minutes. When a late bid comes in, the close time extends slightly to give other bidders a chance to respond. It prevents the situation where one bidder wins simply by placing a bid at the last possible second.
What kind of support does Stallion Auctions Online provide during an auction?
During your auction we are fully available to your association for any questions or issues that come up. If something technical needs attention, we are on it right away. Bidder questions and communications go through your association rather than through us, which keeps your members connected to your organization and your brand throughout the experience.
How does Cloudflare protect our stallion auction website?
Cloudflare Enterprise filters out harmful traffic, bots, and disruption attempts before they reach your site. It also keeps the site loading fast for bidders no matter where they are in the country. For an online auction where the final minutes of bidding are critical, having the site stay fast and stay online is not optional.
Can we require bidders to have a credit card on file before they can bid?
Yes. This is one of the most commonly used options on our platform. Requiring a valid card at registration significantly reduces the number of winning bidders who do not follow through on payment.