A bumper trade at Cavan last week delivered a sale topping return of €13,200, but just as importantly it produced one of the liveliest days business of the past few years. Much to the delight of connections, the figures revealed a significant hike in the average to €3,714 (€2,796 in 2018) while the larger catalogue illustrated an improved turnover of €282,275 (€181,880 in 2018). Only the clearance at 71% remained in line with last year’s figure of 72%.

Sale topper

Vendor Brian Sheahan’s long journey from his home in Leap, West Cork paid dividend when his experienced gelding Keamore Lord Cruis changed hands for the day’s top price of €13,200.

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Boosted by a bidding tussle between two determined buyers, the hammer dropped a distance away from his selling figure of €7,000 and fell in favour of Newry junior event rider Natasha Breen.

Bred by Gerard Jennings, the eight-year-old gelding by Lux Z out of Miss Pearl Day (Cruising) was sourced as a foal from the same venue and, having clocked up plenty of mileage both eventing and show jumping, will be campaigned in the junior ranks next season.

Trends

Both trade and private sector customers were involved in the major sales. A shortage of suitable horses has undoubtedly heightened the competition, and especially benefitted those vendors with well-presented stock. Sale topper aside, the returns for the older stock remained solid throughout the day, while a scarcity of the higher grade three-and four-year-olds saw figures leap for the better sorts.

Notables

Two later lots shared the next best figure at €9,000 apiece. Fairview Stud’s four-year-old mare Dignified Dancer, by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet, was the first to impress. Bred by Peter Smith in Co Wexford, out of the show jumping mare Grove Street Lilly (Garrison Royale) she put up a good performance under vendor James Cregan, before she was secured by Athlone trader Jim Derwin.

“I only did three or four shows with her and she was the talk of the place,” remarked Cregan afterwards. “She’s probably top class, and even at this figure I think she was very well bought.”

Easily topping the three-year-old figures when changing hands for the same return was Robert Woods’ gelding by the recently deceased Cobra 18. One of just three Irish-bred foals out of the good Hanoverian show jumping mare Feine Perle (Feiderweisse). She was well showcased by Gareth Swaile and knocked down to Monmouth based event horse buyers GHF Equestrian.

Older stock

Horses with form carried a premium, and none more so than Patricia Foley’s Louise a six-year-old grey mare by Luidam (dam by Easy Lift). With 33 SJI points to her name, Louise looked well bought by Kent based dealers Geoff and Candy Martin for €8,400.

Eight lots realised in excess of €5,000, with the best of the remainder at €6,600 falling to Joe Flynn’s traditionally bred nine-year-old Hampton Finest by Lugduff Silver. Co Meath’s Trade Horses Ltd snapped up this good sort, while Daisy Duggan’s five-year-old Tiger Tricks by Jacks Delight realised the same figure, when secured by Kilkenny’s Carol Gee.

Just eight of the four-year-olds changed hands. Among which was the €6,000 sale of Wilson Equestrian’s chestnut filly by Paris Blue Merelsnest Z. Only four, of the younger age group on offer were sold.

Ponies

The pony trade saw a number of good returns, the best of which was Aiden Anderson’s Deelish Annie. The six-year-old grey mare by Seoigeach (dam by Fairy Hill Fort). A full Connemara, she was sold to Belgian buyer De Loof for €6,100.