Closing the sport horse sales season for 2021, Cavan completed its final three-day fixture with sessions of youngstock and Irish Draughts.
Pleasing all connections, the former closed with a significant improvement in the figures all round.
Both the clearance of 58% (42% in 2020) and the average €3,208 ((€2,417) hiked notably, while the turnover also increased to a much healthier €199,200 in comparison to €106,350 a year ago.
In a strong market, just nine of the 62 lots sold are bound for the UK, leaving the bulk of the remainder falling to a competitive contingent of home-based producers and pin hookers.
Sale topper
The sale-topping honours at €7,600 went to an imported four-year-old filly by I’m Special de Muze out of Dakota H by Diarado. Consigned by Co Clare producer, Lukasz Skorups and sourced in Holland as a yearling, the KWPN registered filly has already bred a colt (by Cornet Obolensky) and is currently in foal to Comme Il Faut. Featuring a progressive damline, she looked well bought by top show jumping breeder Ray Carroll.
Notables
A further nine lots realised in excess of €5,000 the best of which was Valerie Desrues’ colt foal by Take A Chance on Me Z out of Baccara de Kerglenn by Cassini II. An entrant from the Winter Collection of foals with special merit, this colt features Shana de Kerglenn (1.60m) as the second dam, as well as a further raft of graded performers. Athlone trader Jim Derwin signed for this good sort at €7,200 and later parted with €6,000 for Anna Bobel’s colt by Rock n Roll Ter Putte, out of the well related Oldenburg dam Lucie by Landor S.
During this successful patch, Ronald Morton accounted for Gillian Blanche’s colt by Air Jordan Z at €6,200 while the accolade for the best filly was shared by the €6,000 sales of Patrick Connolly’s filly by Carrera VDL out of CSF Dolores (Ars Vivendi) and Jim Tempany’s filly by Bustique out of Grand Dame E (Darco).
Traditional and thoroughbred bloodlines were scarce, but one who did achieve a good return at €5,000 was Maurice Byrne’s filly by the Grange Bouncer sired stallion BGS Ocean View. The sire has already produced several smart event horses including Michael Jung’s three-star winner Kilcandra Ocean Power and, adding blood, this filly is out of the thoroughbred dam Supreme Surprise (Presenting).
The following day, the upward trend continued with a much-improved sale of Irish Draught Stock. Once again, the figures rose to reveal a 71% clearance (60% in 2020) together with an average of €2,890 (€2,272).
Demand was especially good for the potential riding horses, with the top price of €5,500 going to Patrick Mellett’s three-year-old gelding by Rebel Flagmount out of Miss Ellie Jane by Merry Mate. Bought as a foal, and a likely show cob, he was snapped up by Co Westmeath’s Pat Maguire, a regular producer under saddle.
British traders were busy in this sector, as Cheshire show horse producer Shelley Argyle parted with €5,100 for Kenneth Bell’s two-year-old gelding by Castleview Inisfree Farmer, leaving Shropshire hunter dealer Verna Hancock to pay €5,000 and €4,500 for Victoria Kennington’s four-year-old filly by Dunsandle Diamond, and for Tanya Russell’s two-year-old gelding by Beechmnore Silver Crest.
The best foal returns fell to Maeve Baily’s attractively bred filly by Moylough Supremacy at €4,000, while heading the colts at €3,600 was another sired by Beechmore Silver Crest this time consigned by Fulton Buchannon.