A positive return of the sales with a €19,000 topper at Goresbridge

A bumper crowd contributed to a strong day’s trading at Goresbridge last week, where the year’s opening renewal delivered some outstanding returns.

Business was solid throughout, but really hit the heights when a lively session of four-year-olds produced the best prices of the day, together with a record-breaking average of €8,371.

When the sums were completed, nine of the age group realised in excess of €10,000, joining a further seven, five-figure returns from earlier in the day.

These prices boosted the overall average to €6,664, and led to a significant turnover of €780,000 as well as a healthy clearance rate of 80%.

While the demand was at its strongest for the competition stock, it was backed up strongly by an appetite for quiet hunters and riding horses.

These individuals appealed to both the commercial and the private buyers, but it was the former who took the lion’s share of the trade at the higher end of the price scale.

Sale topper

Co Waterford producers and pin hookers Meabh and Brian Flynn (MBF Sporthorses Ltd) have regularly appeared in these pages as sale-topping vendors, so it came as no surprise to see their four-year-old by Matisse de Mariposa (Diamant de Semilly) head the renewal at €19,000.

Well related, the imported gelding was out of the jumping mare Look At Her by Lucky Luke, and sourced by the couple two years ago.

Predictably, there plenty of bidders at ringside for this smart sort, who was eventually knocked down online to American customer Kate Dixon.

Four-year-olds

The four-year-olds were a classy bunch, and next in line at €16,500 was Joanne Curtin’s traditionally bred gelding by Flexible out of Woodhouse Gael by Gael Force.

The well-presented gelding was an obvious eye catcher, and following a lively exchange was secured by Monmouthshire event horse producer Andrew Williams of GHF Equestrian. Another with a good page, he was a half-brother to the advanced event horse MGH Regent Street, and had been bought from breeder Michael Roche as a three-year-old.

Co Clare vendor Gordon Hogan did well, receiving €15,500 for his gelding by Baltic VDL (dam by Indoctro). Sourced unbroken in Belgium just a few months ago and now riding quietly, he looked astutely bought by Fethard producer/event rider Paul Donovan.

Realising just €500 less at €15,000 was Tracy Ingle’s Coldplay, a gelding by Casallo Z (dam by Chin Chin). Claire Ricketts had produced this good type, who is now bound for the home jumping circuit with new owner Hallie Crowe.

Other vendors whose stock sold well included Nick Seal’s gelding by Bunn Berry (€13,500), Aisling Sexton’s gelding by Lagans OBOS Quality (€12,500) Jason Higgins’ gelding by Cinsey (€11,800), Rory Cleary’s gelding by Clonaslee Capatin Cristo (€11,000) and Mark O’Sullivan’s gelding by Coolkeeren (€10,200).

Older stock

Six of the older stock realised in excess of €10,000 and while the geldings had dominated the four-year-old sector, it was the mares who picked up the best returns among the older division. First up at €16,000 was Riona Finn’s homebred JR Tyson’s Diamond, a five-year-old out of Carrownagarry Lady (by Culliagh Mor). Well produced by Christine and Grace O’Donnell, she was secured by an Irish cash customer.

Another five-year-old mare to turn heads was Vincent Meaney’s Baskin Cristelle. Bought from her breeder as a two-year-old, this daughter of Christo (dam by Clover Hill) was knocked down to Co Sligo buyer Felix Burke for €14,000.

Local producer Diarmuid Ryan had a busy day with seven horses to sell, and among his consignment was Tom Fitzgerald’s five-year-old Cushlas Hecofalux (by Hector Van d’Abdjhoeve). Bred by JP Finlay out of the useful jumping mare Cushlas Benejalux (1.30m) and sourced as a foal, this grey was secured by Dublin based brothers Sam and Jamie McNaughton for €13,000.

Andrew Williams picked up three high priced lots over the course of the day, and added to his account with Natasha Philpott’s five-year-old mare Chica Naika by Creevagh Ferro who realised €12,000. The winner of 22 SJI points, she was sourced through the same sales ring two years ago, ridden on the day by Daisy Duggan.

Ponies

The small collection of ponies sold well to deliver a clearance 81% at an average of €5,271. Connemara ponies were in demand throughout, and heading both these and the sector at €10,000 was the Smylie family’s six-year-old dun mare by Coolagh Courageous out of Huntingfield Ruler (Windgap Sara).

Three-year-olds

Just 11 three-year-olds passed through the sale ring after a somewhat delayed start. To facilitate the buyers, the team at Goresbridge opted to pause the auction, in order to let them all jump before selling. This led to eight lots changing hands, and producing a top price of €6,600 which fell to GMG Colando, a gelding by Colandro (dam by Touchdown).