Nick & Jaqui de Meric

de Meric Thoroughbred Sales

For nearly 40 years the de Merics have revolutionized the thoroughbred industry in Ocala/Marion County. Nick de Meric grew up in England involved in activities from showing ponies to three-day eventing during his childhood.  He studied Rural Estate Management at Cirencester Agricultural College in Gloucestershire guiding him to work for well-known English trainers before moving to Australia to work for legendary trainer Tommy Smith. Jaqui de Meric, grew up mostly in Kentucky with her family where she found her love of horses and her talent for nurturing and raising orphaned animals.  Throughout her adolescence she worked for a variety of veterinary clinics and prominent farms in central Kentucky. She additionally would work at yearling and breeding stock sales when possible. In 1981 Nick and Jaqui met at Lee Easton’s fall yearling consignment. The couple spent time in Louisiana and England before returning to the United States and then Ocala where they decided to call home after the sale of their first filly together.

For the de Merics, de Meric Thoroughbred Sales is a family affair. Their son Tristan and his wife Valerie are successful consigners and live here in Ocala with their children. Ali, their daughter, and her husband Brandon Rice, who also live locally, operate a successful training and breaking business in addition to being devoted parents. The de Meric’s have made their mark internationally with their work in Korean-bred horses.  Jaqui brought evidenced-based horsemanship training methods over to Korea while discovering the Korean’s commitment to good practices and treatment of their horses sharing in the de Merics’ values.

As you enter OBS during a sale, a glance to the right will show de Meric Thoroughbred Sales at barn 12. The feeling around their stables resembles the atmosphere of their 240 acre farm in northwest Marion County. The demeanor of confidence, strength, and kindness in the de Merics and their staff is reflected in the horses they consign. de Meric Thoroughbred Sales has produced numerous graded stakes winners and OBS sales toppers most recently, at the April sale with a colt by Into Mischief out of Dixie Song for $1.3 million and a filly by Gohstzapper out of Palanka City for $445,000 at the June sale.

The de Meric’s dedicate themselves to important local organizations such as, Ocala Farm Ministries, of which Jaqui is Vice President, where she works tirelessly planning fundraising events and helping support fellow horsemen. Nick has served on the board of OBS since 2001 and never hesitated when asked to join Horse Farms Forever nearly one year ago. Nick and Jaqui de Meric are very present in and committed to the equine community here in Ocala/Marion County and know the importance of preserving the character and culture that horses, horse farms, and the horse industry make unique to our area.

For more information on Chester, explore our website www.deMeric.com and official Facebook page www.facebook.com/deMericSales/