TOP RETURNS

  • Maralees Carey’s Higgins, six-year-old gelding by Anbally Storm (dam by Heigh Ho Dubh) €19,000.
  • Lucy Morgan’s Ahare Dott, five-year-old mare by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet (dam by Olympic Lux) €14,600.
  • Áine O’Neill’s Cappas Class Act, 11-year-old 148cms gelding by Tulira Robuck (dam by Moy Johnny’s Pride) €14,500.
  • Robert Harrison’s Chelsea Z, five-year-old mare by Cardento (dam by Caretano Z) €14,000.
  • John Conroy’s King, 10-year-old gelding by Coolcronan Wood (dam by Creggan Emperor) €13,700.
  • JP Meegan’s unnamed eight-year-old gelding by Kannan (dam by Heartbreaker) €12,500.
  • Pre-pandemic, five-figure prices were a rarity but these days they appear with increasing regularity. This was again evident at Cavan last week, where a strong one-day renewal saw fourteen lots reach the €10,000 benchmark.

    These were divided between the ponies and the older horses, and contributed to a very successful day’s trading, which closed with an average of €6,744 (€5,898 2021) accompanied by a clearance of 77% (83% 2021).

    While the large crowd of buyers on site accounted for the bulk of the sales, there was significant activity through the online bidding platform. Private sales also boosted the returns, and if the buoyancy had continued through to the four and three-year-old sectors, these figures would have been higher still.

    However, the trade tailed off during the evening, when demand lessened and the prices fell largely in line with the quality on offer.

    Among those who were successful were customers from Belgium, Finland, Germany, Norway and Sweden, as well a large number from the home turf and the UK.

    SALE TOPPER

    Topping the day’s trade by some distance at €19,000 was Maralees Carey’s traditionally bred Higgins, a Connemara cross Irish Draught gelding by Anbally Storm.

    Standing just 155cms, the six-year-old was bred by Patrick Ryan out of the Irish Draught mare Hollyfort Dreamer (Heigh Ho Dubh). Knocked down to an Irish cash buyer, this useful and commercial sort was sourced by his vendor one year ago, and has since clocked up winning mileage in both dressage and the working hunter ranks.

    OLDER HORSES

    Older horses with competition form were in big demand.

    One such example was Ahare Dott, a five-year-old jumping mare with 12 SJI points. Consigned by her Co Wexford vendor Lucy Morgan, this daughter of Dignfied Van’t Zorgvliet (dam by Olympic Lux) was bred by Ella Lazenby and is a half-sister to the grade A jumper, Ahare Olympic Flamenco (Je T’Aime Flamenco).

    Having been impressed both on the video footage and by her performance on the day, Summerhill buyer Richard Hunter signed the winning docket at €14,600. He disclosed afterwards that he already has a mare of similar breeding at home, and was buying this one for his children Shannon and Kyerin.

    Next in line at €14,000 was Robert Harrison’s five-year-old Chelsea Z, an imported German-bred mare by Cardento out of Catho Z (Caretano Z). Another with jumping form and the winner of 22 SJI points to date, she was knocked down to Oxfordshire producer Nicole Browne.

    Enjoying a good trade in England, Browne went on to buy Sam Sloan’s Ecclesville Allo Allo at €12,500. This five-year-old jumping mare is by Hiello out of Ecclesville Lady (Clover Echo) and competed in her age classes last season.

    Standing out among them was John Conroy’s traditionally bred King by Coolcronan Wood out of Kentucky Blaze

    Clustering well to realise the same return, was JP Meegan’s unnamed eight-year-old gelding by Kannan (dam by Heartbreaker). Very well related, and a sibling to several international jumpers, he is set to travel to America with new owner Alan Griffin.

    Another with a good SJI record was Joanna Kunc’s Lottie van’t Zorgvliet, a five-year-old by Dignified van’t Zorgvliet out of Ms Bella (Grange Bouncer). Owner ridden and competed, this mare has racked up 92 SJI points and was knocked down to Isle Of Man buyer James Hinchcliffe at €11,800.

    It was not just the competion horses that reaped the rewards, as proven hunter also made their mark. Standing out among them was John Conroy’s traditionally bred King by Coolcronan Wood out of Kentucky Blaze (Creggan Emperor).

    A full Irish Draught, bred by William Lynch in Co Cork, this 10-year-old had hunted with the Shillelagh Hounds for four seasons and at €13,700 was secured by Northern Irish buyer Adrienne Stewart.

    PONIES

    Five of the smaller species broke the €10,000 barrier, the best of which at €14,500 was Aine O’Neill’s experienced 148cms Cappas Class Act. A full Connemara by Tulira Robuck out of Galway Cyrstal (Moy Johnny’s Pride), the eleven-year-old had been ridden and competed by Ruairi O’Neill, and was knocked down to pony trader Tiernan Gray.

    Lot 22 cappas Class Act was sold to Tiernan Gray for €14,500 / Cavan EC

    FOUR and THREE-YEAR-OLDS

    Vendors will have been disappointed to see the prices dip in the evening session. Demand for both three and four-year-olds was muted, with the top return at €7,200 going to Katie Crozier’s diminutive Mountview Quality Street.

    Another with traditional breeding, this four-year-old daughter of Casnova (by Castana) is out of an unnamed mare by Glenayre Silver Fox, and was bought by Suffolk based trader Mark Kelly.

    It was a similar story in the three-year-olds, and of the five who found new homes the best price at €4,800 fell to a gelding by O-Piloth out of Coirban Lady Lux (Lux Z). A half-brother to two international horses, he was secured by Northern Ireland buyer K. Johnston.