Bringing the curtain down on a busy month of sales at Goresbridge, the recent renewal was a buoyant affair.

Overall, fourteen lots exceeded the €10,000 benchmark, as buyers from Ireland, Great Britain, mainland Europe and also America accounted for multiple purchases over the course of three days.

With 80% changing hands at an average of €7,004, Thursday’s four-year-old trade was particularly strong, while closing at 76% and averaging at €5,547, the market for the older horses was also lively.

Demand for the three-year-olds was less spectacular, but it was respectable enough to deliver a 63% closing, together with an average of just shy of €5,000.

Older horses

Many of the top returns fell directly to the breeders, and among these was Carrowgar Studs’s Gina Heaps, whose five-year-old Carrowgar Heraldo realised the overall top price of €23,000.

A son of Herald 111 (Heraldik) out of Equine Connect Monchie (Flagmount King), he had competed in the TRI Eventing series earlier this summer and had been professionally produced by event rider Dominic Furnell.

In addition, he had been lightly hunted with the Limerick Harriers last season and, predominantly bred to event, he will now head for that sphere in England with new owner Charlotte Hackwell.

Having picked him out online, junior rider Charlotte was able to try him at the sales, and as the most determined bidder she saw off a strong challenge by Athlone trader Jim Derwin.

Four-year-olds

On the strongest day of the proceedings, good prices came thick and fast, and heading them at €19,000 was Keith Wilson’s Rolling Biz, a gelding by the useful jumper Rolling High (High Roller) out of the traditionally bred mare The Biz (by The Bat).

Well marketed on Goresbridge’s video platform prior to sale, the gelding was eventually secured by British agent Lee Penny, buying in partnership with Clive Collins.

The Co Monaghan based seller had sourced the gelding from his breeder Gerald Hackett two years ago, and produced him quietly in the interim.

Three-year-olds

While Friday’s trade steadied, it nevertheless produced a raft of good returns, among which was Suzanne Maguire’s homebred Tomgar Freestyle at €18,000.

This well-related son of Freestyle Van Der Wolfsakker out of Ballydunne Coevers (Coevers Diamond Boy) was out of a half-sister to the recent HOYS puissance victor, Bishops Quarter (Comm. Geoff Curran) and already broken, he was another to be knocked down to Lee Penny.

The Derbyshire man accounted for eight lots over the duration, while another multiple buyer was American visitor Sharon Londono.

Attending in person for the first time, the Louisiana based Londono signed for three of the age group, which will be shipped to the States once they are broken and wintered in Ireland.

Ponies

A strong pony trade managed to set the ball rolling on Wednesday, and closed with a sale-topping return of €8,800 together with an overall clearance rate of 76%.

The headliner of the day was easily the Redmond family’s Beechmount Dee, a lightly competed seven-year-old Connemara mare by Castlestrange Fionn out of Miracle (Quilca Siver).

Another of the native breed to sell well was the four-year-old gelding Clochbui Buster (by Anbally Tiger out of Drim Daisy (Kingstown Boy) who changed hands at €6,600.