Harness: Shaffer Equine makes a debut of sorts at Harrisburg this year - Daily Racing Form

Shaffer Equine Steps Into the Consignor Ring at Harrisburg

After three decades of raising and selling yearlings in the Keystone State, Shaffer Equine LLC is stepping into a brand-new role at the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. While the farm has operated near the West Virginia border since 1994, the 2026 auction marks the first time the family-run business will appear on the catalog pages as official consignors, as reported by Daily Racing Form.

Shaffer Equine LLC. has a consignment under their own name @standardbred for the first time. Learn more about the Shaffer family and their yearlings in this report by editor @HarnessEyeGuy that appeared in Harness Digest.https://t.co/PN2DM7OLM5

— https://x.com/DRFHarness/status/2117030478104728016

Located in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania, Shaffer Standardbreds built its foundation on mare and yearling services. But a steady expansion of its broodmare band over the last few years pushed the operation to a tipping point. With roughly 30 mares currently on the property, the farm simply accumulated too many homebreds and client horses to rely entirely on outside consignors like Anvil And Lace or Midland Acres.

“We’ve been in business for a long time but not to this scale. We definitely grew over the past couple of years,” Jacob Shaffer told Daily Racing Form. “And this year, going forward, we just started to get too many mares and yearlings, so we decided to start taking our own consignment to Harrisburg.”

Logistics, Family, and a 34-Horse Catalog

Run by Jacob Shaffer alongside his brother Kolt and grandfather Alan, the operation remains tightly knit following the passing of Wayne Shaffer nearly two years ago. Transitioning to a full consignment model did not radically alter their daily routine on the farm, where breaking yearlings and prepping for the sales ring are standard operations. The primary hurdle involved workforce logistics.

Fortunately, the farm managed to secure experienced temporary staff from neighboring agricultural operations to help manage the workload in Dauphin County. “It takes an army, that’s for sure,” Shaffer noted regarding the staffing demands of handling a 34-head consignment just a three-hour drive east of their home base.

The Shaffer draft features 24 trotters and 10 pacers, reflecting a trotter-heavy bias while maintaining geographic diversity. The yearlings represent breeding eligibility across Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ontario, New York, New Jersey, and Ohio. Selling 12 homebreds alongside 22 individuals consigned as agents for a select group of clients, the farm launches its debut on Tuesday during the second day of the Harrisburg sessions, which spans HIPs 185 through 595.

Client Highlights and First-Crop Stallions

Among the clients’ entries drawing early attention is HIP 269, Caribbean Coast, a Pennsylvania-eligible black filly slated to sell on Tuesday. Bred and owned by Paul Hershberger, she is just the second foal out of the $1.3 million earner Costa Rica and is sired by Captain Corey. Having temporarily housed the filly during a client relocation, Shaffer pointed to her fluid movement and clean conformation as standout traits.

“I think she reaches really far for a medium-sized horse like her, and she’s really clean-legged and straight,” Shaffer told Daily Racing Form. “I think her gait really is something you really want to grasp onto.”

Later in the catalog at HIP 273 comes Lillit Grace, a dual-eligible Pennsylvania and Kentucky filly consigned for Pleasant Hill Farm and Patrick J. Hoopes. Sired by first-crop stallion Volume Eight, the filly is the third foal out of Credit For Gab, a sister to $561,000 earner Branded By Lindy.

Harness: Shaffer Equine makes a debut of sorts at Harrisburg this year - Daily Racing Form

Volume Eight and Tactical Approach yearlings make up roughly one-third of the entire Shaffer consignment, offering a clear study in contrasting equine builds.

Volume Eight Yearlings: Six individuals displaying a finer-boned, racy aesthetic that resembles Chapter Seven.
Tactical Approach Yearlings: Five individuals characterized by larger, heavier muscular builds and strong athletic presence.
Homebred Standout: HIP 478, Karats Are Divine, an exceptional Captain Corey filly from the family of $778,000 earner Personal Style.

For the Shaffer family, the Harrisburg debut is merely the opening chapter of a broader evolution. With roughly three dozen mares anchored on their Pennsylvania farm, the operation plans to maintain a direct presence at future sales while keeping an eye toward returning to the mixed sales arena.