Not for the first time at the venue, it was the four-year-olds who took centre stage at a lively Goresbridge last week. The age group not only delivered the €24,000 sale-topper, but contributed significantly to the overall clearance of 70% (79% in 2022) as well as to the average of €6,741 (€7,635). Although these figures illustrate a dip from last year’s record-breaking returns, the market buoyancy continues. At the close of the two days’ trading, a healthy twenty-nine lots returned in excess of €10,000 (33 in 2022).
Demand was competitive for the older horses, and especially for the ponies, who recorded a raft of notable returns. The weakest sector was the three-year-olds, but it is early in the year, and with a sale topper of €12,000 the division was not disgraced. While the private customers were always a force to be reckoned with, it was the trade buyers who were particularly busy, and proved a major influence on the returns.
Sale topper
Meabh and Brian Flynn of MBF Sporthorses are no strangers to sale-topping honours, and scored again when their four-year-old Ardfort MBF Avatar realised the top return of €24,000. A son of Lagans OBOS Quality out of Ardfort Dream Girl (Dream Boy by Sandro Boy), the gelding was bred by Michael J Kean, and sourced earlier in the year unbroken. Carrying a damline going back to the thoroughbred Ghareeb, he was knocked down to Scottish event horse owner David Andrew.
Ardfort MBF Avatar, four-year-old by Lagans OBOS Quality (dam by Dream Boy) €24,000. \ Sally Parkyn
Four-year-olds
Having accounted for the sale-topper back in March, fellow producers Higgins Sporthorses together with Thomas O’Leary, were well rewarded again when their four-year-old gelding Foody Fruit and Nut changed hands for €20,000.
Lot 207, Foodys Fruit And Nut, made €20,000 at the Goresbridge May sale \ Sally Parkyn
The athletic chestnut, who was sourced through the same ring last October, looked well bought by British event horse producer Annie Dalton. As the prices reflect, the quality of stock in this session was high. Sale-toppers aside, a further ten made in excess of €10,000 – among which was Johnny Widger’s Mistico filly by Malito de Reve out of Agonda (Silverstone). Bred by Richie O’Hara and sourced earlier in the year, she was secured by British trader Steve Barnes for €15,000.
Older horses
Attracting the biggest crowd of the two days, trade for the older stock was lively from the get go. Twelve lots smashed the five-figure barrier, and at €18,000 the top return fell to Joanne Sloan-Allen’s useful 1.30m jumper Sandokan Z. Boasting some good form under Sameh El Dahan, the ten-year-old was knocked down to Danish trader Jan Mortensen (JM Horses APS).
While the competition horses scooped the bulk of the better prices, Pat McDonnell’s unnamed six-year-old by Cobra is set to go hunting in the west of England.
Bred by Jacinta O’Donoghue, he was one of the last horses ever purchased by Pat’s father, the late Willie McDonald, and with added show horse potential was secured by John Spall for €17,500.
Never far from the business end of proceedings, MBF Sporthorses also turned heads with their five-year-old mare MBF Lagans Lulu by Lagans OBOS Quality. She was initially led out unsold, but quickly secured at €16,500 by British event horse owner Issy Elwes.
Realising the same figure later in the day was Julie Sinnott’s imported Nobody S (not as catalogued) by Malibu TN out of Damira (Tolan R). Sourced as a three-year-old and broken and produced by Sinnott’s son Billy, he was another secured by the Danish trade buyer Jan Mortensen (JM Horses).
Ponies
Never usually a stand out sector, the ponies bucked the trend to deliver a raft of notable returns. Several made in excess of €10,000, among which at €14,600 was Hannah Wood’s Machno High Flyer a 148cm jumping pony by the Welsh pony sire Machno Safir. A winner of 41 SJI points under Edie Codd, he was secured online by Yorkshire’s Johnathan Clarke. Also selling well at €13,200 was Claire Ryans’s Rulahisu Sparky. While realising just a little less, Seamus Greene’s Coppenagh Magic was secured for €13,000. Always an active pony buyer, Co Sligo trader Tiernan Gray signed for both of these, while Italian online buyer Roberto Di Paolo parted with €10,800 for the Power family’s Cillbhrid Candy a homebred by Sligo Candy Boy.
Three-year-olds
Closing the proceedings on Thursday evening, the younger age group delivered a clearance rate of a rather disappointing 57%, but with healthy enough top price of €12,000. This fell to a KWPN registered gelding by Classico TN (dam by Calvados) who was knocked down to Austrian buyer Claudia Kaindl.
Not for the first time at the venue, it was the four-year-olds who took centre stage at a lively Goresbridge last week. The age group not only delivered the €24,000 sale-topper, but contributed significantly to the overall clearance of 70% (79% in 2022) as well as to the average of €6,741 (€7,635). Although these figures illustrate a dip from last year’s record-breaking returns, the market buoyancy continues. At the close of the two days’ trading, a healthy twenty-nine lots returned in excess of €10,000 (33 in 2022).
Demand was competitive for the older horses, and especially for the ponies, who recorded a raft of notable returns. The weakest sector was the three-year-olds, but it is early in the year, and with a sale topper of €12,000 the division was not disgraced. While the private customers were always a force to be reckoned with, it was the trade buyers who were particularly busy, and proved a major influence on the returns.
Sale topper
Meabh and Brian Flynn of MBF Sporthorses are no strangers to sale-topping honours, and scored again when their four-year-old Ardfort MBF Avatar realised the top return of €24,000. A son of Lagans OBOS Quality out of Ardfort Dream Girl (Dream Boy by Sandro Boy), the gelding was bred by Michael J Kean, and sourced earlier in the year unbroken. Carrying a damline going back to the thoroughbred Ghareeb, he was knocked down to Scottish event horse owner David Andrew.
Ardfort MBF Avatar, four-year-old by Lagans OBOS Quality (dam by Dream Boy) €24,000. \ Sally Parkyn
Four-year-olds
Having accounted for the sale-topper back in March, fellow producers Higgins Sporthorses together with Thomas O’Leary, were well rewarded again when their four-year-old gelding Foody Fruit and Nut changed hands for €20,000.
Lot 207, Foodys Fruit And Nut, made €20,000 at the Goresbridge May sale \ Sally Parkyn
The athletic chestnut, who was sourced through the same ring last October, looked well bought by British event horse producer Annie Dalton. As the prices reflect, the quality of stock in this session was high. Sale-toppers aside, a further ten made in excess of €10,000 – among which was Johnny Widger’s Mistico filly by Malito de Reve out of Agonda (Silverstone). Bred by Richie O’Hara and sourced earlier in the year, she was secured by British trader Steve Barnes for €15,000.
Older horses
Attracting the biggest crowd of the two days, trade for the older stock was lively from the get go. Twelve lots smashed the five-figure barrier, and at €18,000 the top return fell to Joanne Sloan-Allen’s useful 1.30m jumper Sandokan Z. Boasting some good form under Sameh El Dahan, the ten-year-old was knocked down to Danish trader Jan Mortensen (JM Horses APS).
While the competition horses scooped the bulk of the better prices, Pat McDonnell’s unnamed six-year-old by Cobra is set to go hunting in the west of England.
Bred by Jacinta O’Donoghue, he was one of the last horses ever purchased by Pat’s father, the late Willie McDonald, and with added show horse potential was secured by John Spall for €17,500.
Never far from the business end of proceedings, MBF Sporthorses also turned heads with their five-year-old mare MBF Lagans Lulu by Lagans OBOS Quality. She was initially led out unsold, but quickly secured at €16,500 by British event horse owner Issy Elwes.
Realising the same figure later in the day was Julie Sinnott’s imported Nobody S (not as catalogued) by Malibu TN out of Damira (Tolan R). Sourced as a three-year-old and broken and produced by Sinnott’s son Billy, he was another secured by the Danish trade buyer Jan Mortensen (JM Horses).
Ponies
Never usually a stand out sector, the ponies bucked the trend to deliver a raft of notable returns. Several made in excess of €10,000, among which at €14,600 was Hannah Wood’s Machno High Flyer a 148cm jumping pony by the Welsh pony sire Machno Safir. A winner of 41 SJI points under Edie Codd, he was secured online by Yorkshire’s Johnathan Clarke. Also selling well at €13,200 was Claire Ryans’s Rulahisu Sparky. While realising just a little less, Seamus Greene’s Coppenagh Magic was secured for €13,000. Always an active pony buyer, Co Sligo trader Tiernan Gray signed for both of these, while Italian online buyer Roberto Di Paolo parted with €10,800 for the Power family’s Cillbhrid Candy a homebred by Sligo Candy Boy.
Three-year-olds
Closing the proceedings on Thursday evening, the younger age group delivered a clearance rate of a rather disappointing 57%, but with healthy enough top price of €12,000. This fell to a KWPN registered gelding by Classico TN (dam by Calvados) who was knocked down to Austrian buyer Claudia Kaindl.
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