ON the subject of “fake news” I was prepared for arctic conditions on Thursday morning as RTÉ reported that the National Emergency Co-ordination Group had met and that local authorities in affected areas were activating their severe weather plans. For what, you may wonder?

As it turns out, an expected four to five centimetres of snow fell in some parts of the country and a cold snap is expected to last until yesterday (Friday). Not exactly deep snow until Easter. What must people from Eastern Europe, where even the sea is frozen, make of our weather warnings?

Hopefully that weather will be kind to the Goffs February Sale which has expanded to three days this year, Tuesday 7th to Thursday 9th. It features every type of animal, the start of the Ballymacoll Stud dispersal, the end of the Wildenstein dispersal, some high class National Hunt and flat weanlings and a full day of breeding stock.

It is traditionally a gathering point for breeders ahead of the season and an opportunity to make decisions about which stallions to use. It is a sobering fact that whatever choices they make might not be properly judged, for flat breeders, until the end of 2021, when the resulting animal will have completed its three-year-old season.

For National Hunt breeders it will take even longer. Even for a breeder whose main objective is a commercially profitable animal, our industry requires forward buying to match any business. Let’s hope 2017 is kind to all.