DIXON, IL -- Winning bidders were in and out of Rita Crundwell's ranch all day. Pulling up trailers, showing off their pink receipts, and taking their horses 'to go'.
But how can the company handling the auction, Professional Auction Services, make sure Rita's horses are going to a good home?
"They're going to get a good home, people are going to take care of them," said Professional Auction Services co-owner, Tim Jennings. "It's a substantial investment. More than that, people do it because they love it and they love these animals." If a horse lover can spend thousands of dollars on a champion horse, Jennings said they can properly take care of that horse.
Still, not every horse on the ranch is a champion. And there was concern for some of the animals.
"Our concern from the beginning were the recipient mares," Jennings said.
Recipient mares aren't bred, but they carry embryos and give birth. "Their job and their life is just to raise babies."
The concern was that no one would buy the horses, except a horse processor. But Professional Auction Services wouldn't sell them to be slaughtered.
"We carefully vetted the bidders that were interested in these mares," said Jennings. "They're going to go raise babies for the rest of their lives and they're going to be fat and well cared for."
And just to ensure that the horses are going somewhere safe, the U.S. Marshals Service has every bidder sign a form, promising their horse won't go to slaughter.
