There was plenty to celebrate at Cavan last week, when the equestrian centre’s mid-week flagship sale recorded some of the strongest returns in recent years.
Boosted by an active online presence, both Wednesday night’s Elite three-year-old edition and Thursday’s performance sale illustrated a significant upturn in the figures, and injected optimism to the industry.
Confined to 78 pre-selected horses, the Elite three-year-old sale closed with a very healthy top price of €42,000, together with an average of €12,030 (€10,305 in 2020).
Overall, 19 lots realised in excess of €10,000, while 20% of those sold changed hands online. The only down side of the evening was the clearance rate, which after some private sales, closed at 53% (65% in 2020).
As a result, the sale was somewhat split, leaving Stuart Clarke to comment: “I would have liked a little more consistency, and indeed plenty of vendors came close to selling which was frustrating. Overall, however, it was a great trade and plenty of horses got some good prices.”
Sale topper
Co Cork producers Elizabeth Ahern and Felicity Ward are well known on the event circuit but, testing show jumping waters for the first time, they came up trumps when EPA Evolution headed the figures at €42,000.
A son of the Selle Francais sire Urano de Cartigny, and out of Lalors Cross by Coevers Diamond Boy, the black gelding was sourced from his Co Kerry breeder Pat Duggan earlier in the year.
“He is an out and out jumper, which is why we earmarked this sale for him,” remarked Ward.
“We had marketed him well, and knew before the sale that we had a lot of interest in him. We put a lot of work into him, and hopefully he will progress to be remarkable under saddle.”
The Co Limerick-based duo of Patrick Delaney and Robert Buckley (RP Stables) signed for this eyecatcher, who will be produced from their new base in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick.
The better returns came in the latter half of the evening, and among them was the €35,000 sale of Allana Morgan’s homebred gelding by the grand prix jumping sire Levisto Z (1.60m).
This smart sort was out of a former RDS loose jumping winner Hermes Cavalier Diamond (Hermes de Revel) and was knocked down to a cash buyer.
Next in line at €22,500 was Niall O’Doherty’s imported grey filly Anissa DH Z. Sourced from a Belgian auction in early June, this well related filly is by Andiamo Semilly, and from the immediate maternal family of the 1.60m horses Boccacio and George d’Auvray.
Another top lot to remain on home turf, she will travel to successful purchaser Karl Heron in Kildare.
The same buyer also accounted for Joe Gallagher’s gelding by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet (dam by Hannibal Van Overis) at €18,000 and Gordon Hogan’s imported gelding by Goldigger for €15,000.
One bound for the UK was the Kennedy Brothers-consigned, homebred son of OBOS Quality out of KEC Queens Corrie (Corghano).
Another well related individual, he is from the family of the Cian O’Connor ridden KEC Alligator Alley and was snapped up online by show jumper Derek Norton.
Performance Sale
Thursday’s performance sale was an equally buoyant affair. Despite drawing to a close after midnight, the edition delivered a much healthier clearance rate of 82% (76% in 2020) accompanied by an average of €5,501 (€3,691).
Although prices were more grounded, 10 lots made in excess of €10,000 and 31% of all sold did so online.
Ennis vendor Frank Casey is one of the best scouts in the business, so it was unusual to see him top this session with a homebred.
Selling for €15,000 this honour fell to the gelding Ballyknock Kings Quality a four-year-old by OBOS Quality out of an unrecorded dam Castlebanny Pride. Co Kildare based producer Shaun Ruth signed for this one, who he plans to produce on further.
Traders had things tough in the older horse sector, which proved to be the strongest of the day. Robert Hartigan’s homebred five-year-old Je Suis by Future Trend topped the group at €13,000 when knocked down to British producer Rhiannon Rowlands.
A few lots earlier Michael Duignan’s proven show jumper Niosfar also sold well at €12,500. The winner of 33 SJI points to date, the six-year-old son of Lancelot (dam by Salluceva) was secured by agent Donal Galvin.
Four-year-olds
Sixteen four-year-olds changed hands and, sale topper aside, the next best price at €10,000 went to Paddy Joyce’s Ballyheane Candy a son of Sligo Candy Boy out of the jumping mare Ballyheane Flight (Roseberry Avenue).
Brian Connell’s homebred King Cruising of Kilbeg by Royal Cruise also sold well, and is bound for Sweden at €9,400.
Although not hitting the heady heights of the previous night, Martin Conway received a healthy €11,500 for his three-year-old Cassallco Jumping Jack, a gelding by Casallco out of the grade A jumping mare Suzanna Lux (Lux Z).
The remaining returns were more modest, however, falling between €2,000 and €6,800.
Pony trade
Always strong at the venue, the pony trade was easily topped by Dylan O’Connor’s 138cms pony Humberto who changed hands for a very healthy €11,000. Others sold well as prices realised between €2,000 and €6,700.
Top prices
Elite three-year-olds
Elizabeth Ahern’s 3yo g by Urano de Cartigny (dam by Coevers Diamond Boy) €42,000.Alanna Morgan’s 3yo g by Levisto Z (dam by Hermes de Reve) €35,000.Niall O’Doherty’s Anissa DH Z, 3yo f by Andiamo de Semilly (Quasimodo) €22,500.Performance sale
Frank Casey’s Ballyknock Kings Quality, 4yo g by OBOS Quality (dam unrecorded) €15,000.Robert Hartigan’s Je Suis, 5yo m by Future Trend (dam by Crown Ace of Pearls) €13,000.Michael Duignan’s Niosfar, 6yo g by Lancelot (dam by Salluceva) €12,500.
There was plenty to celebrate at Cavan last week, when the equestrian centre’s mid-week flagship sale recorded some of the strongest returns in recent years.
Boosted by an active online presence, both Wednesday night’s Elite three-year-old edition and Thursday’s performance sale illustrated a significant upturn in the figures, and injected optimism to the industry.
Confined to 78 pre-selected horses, the Elite three-year-old sale closed with a very healthy top price of €42,000, together with an average of €12,030 (€10,305 in 2020).
Overall, 19 lots realised in excess of €10,000, while 20% of those sold changed hands online. The only down side of the evening was the clearance rate, which after some private sales, closed at 53% (65% in 2020).
As a result, the sale was somewhat split, leaving Stuart Clarke to comment: “I would have liked a little more consistency, and indeed plenty of vendors came close to selling which was frustrating. Overall, however, it was a great trade and plenty of horses got some good prices.”
Sale topper
Co Cork producers Elizabeth Ahern and Felicity Ward are well known on the event circuit but, testing show jumping waters for the first time, they came up trumps when EPA Evolution headed the figures at €42,000.
A son of the Selle Francais sire Urano de Cartigny, and out of Lalors Cross by Coevers Diamond Boy, the black gelding was sourced from his Co Kerry breeder Pat Duggan earlier in the year.
“He is an out and out jumper, which is why we earmarked this sale for him,” remarked Ward.
“We had marketed him well, and knew before the sale that we had a lot of interest in him. We put a lot of work into him, and hopefully he will progress to be remarkable under saddle.”
The Co Limerick-based duo of Patrick Delaney and Robert Buckley (RP Stables) signed for this eyecatcher, who will be produced from their new base in Pallasgreen, Co Limerick.
The better returns came in the latter half of the evening, and among them was the €35,000 sale of Allana Morgan’s homebred gelding by the grand prix jumping sire Levisto Z (1.60m).
This smart sort was out of a former RDS loose jumping winner Hermes Cavalier Diamond (Hermes de Revel) and was knocked down to a cash buyer.
Next in line at €22,500 was Niall O’Doherty’s imported grey filly Anissa DH Z. Sourced from a Belgian auction in early June, this well related filly is by Andiamo Semilly, and from the immediate maternal family of the 1.60m horses Boccacio and George d’Auvray.
Another top lot to remain on home turf, she will travel to successful purchaser Karl Heron in Kildare.
The same buyer also accounted for Joe Gallagher’s gelding by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet (dam by Hannibal Van Overis) at €18,000 and Gordon Hogan’s imported gelding by Goldigger for €15,000.
One bound for the UK was the Kennedy Brothers-consigned, homebred son of OBOS Quality out of KEC Queens Corrie (Corghano).
Another well related individual, he is from the family of the Cian O’Connor ridden KEC Alligator Alley and was snapped up online by show jumper Derek Norton.
Performance Sale
Thursday’s performance sale was an equally buoyant affair. Despite drawing to a close after midnight, the edition delivered a much healthier clearance rate of 82% (76% in 2020) accompanied by an average of €5,501 (€3,691).
Although prices were more grounded, 10 lots made in excess of €10,000 and 31% of all sold did so online.
Ennis vendor Frank Casey is one of the best scouts in the business, so it was unusual to see him top this session with a homebred.
Selling for €15,000 this honour fell to the gelding Ballyknock Kings Quality a four-year-old by OBOS Quality out of an unrecorded dam Castlebanny Pride. Co Kildare based producer Shaun Ruth signed for this one, who he plans to produce on further.
Traders had things tough in the older horse sector, which proved to be the strongest of the day. Robert Hartigan’s homebred five-year-old Je Suis by Future Trend topped the group at €13,000 when knocked down to British producer Rhiannon Rowlands.
A few lots earlier Michael Duignan’s proven show jumper Niosfar also sold well at €12,500. The winner of 33 SJI points to date, the six-year-old son of Lancelot (dam by Salluceva) was secured by agent Donal Galvin.
Four-year-olds
Sixteen four-year-olds changed hands and, sale topper aside, the next best price at €10,000 went to Paddy Joyce’s Ballyheane Candy a son of Sligo Candy Boy out of the jumping mare Ballyheane Flight (Roseberry Avenue).
Brian Connell’s homebred King Cruising of Kilbeg by Royal Cruise also sold well, and is bound for Sweden at €9,400.
Although not hitting the heady heights of the previous night, Martin Conway received a healthy €11,500 for his three-year-old Cassallco Jumping Jack, a gelding by Casallco out of the grade A jumping mare Suzanna Lux (Lux Z).
The remaining returns were more modest, however, falling between €2,000 and €6,800.
Pony trade
Always strong at the venue, the pony trade was easily topped by Dylan O’Connor’s 138cms pony Humberto who changed hands for a very healthy €11,000. Others sold well as prices realised between €2,000 and €6,700.
Top prices
Elite three-year-olds
Elizabeth Ahern’s 3yo g by Urano de Cartigny (dam by Coevers Diamond Boy) €42,000.Alanna Morgan’s 3yo g by Levisto Z (dam by Hermes de Reve) €35,000.Niall O’Doherty’s Anissa DH Z, 3yo f by Andiamo de Semilly (Quasimodo) €22,500.Performance sale
Frank Casey’s Ballyknock Kings Quality, 4yo g by OBOS Quality (dam unrecorded) €15,000.Robert Hartigan’s Je Suis, 5yo m by Future Trend (dam by Crown Ace of Pearls) €13,000.Michael Duignan’s Niosfar, 6yo g by Lancelot (dam by Salluceva) €12,500. 
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