NOT for the first time at the venue, it was the performance ponies who dominated the better trade at Cavan last week. Recording two five-figure returns, they outdid the horses by a distance and contributed to an improved overall average of €3,130 (€2,928 in 2016). This illustrated a successive upturn in figures, which stemmed from trade driven largely by the Swedish and domestic market. The British meanwhile, were notably light in numbers, and their absence may have influenced the reduced clearance of 61% (72%).

This was certainly not due to any lack of resolve from auctioneers Robert Hunt, and new man at the rostrum, Dennis McCarthy, however. Both men worked tirelessly to conjure bids, but despite this, many of the best sales were conducted privately.

Reflecting overall, Cavan’s Stuart Clarke was upbeat, commenting: ”It’s amazing how the Swedish trade has really developed, so really pleased about that. The clearance was decent enough too, although it may have been a little stronger had we not missed out on a few UK buyers.”

Heading the two-day figures at €14,000 was Donal Geaney’s six-year-old jumping pony Crag Vivendi (10). The mare put up a super display under the vendor’s son Dan, and although she was led out unsold at €10,000, she was finally secured by Swedish buyer Jonas Carlen later during the day. As her name suggests, the mare is by Ars Vivendi, and home-bred in Co Kerry, is out of the useful Crag Cane by Spring Elegance. “We have bred the whole family,” remarked Geaney. “It is horse breeding, and although this one came small, it suited well as I had the children coming on.”

The dam, Crag Cane jumped at the RDS with Francis Connors, and indeed in the subsequent years, she also carried Dan, Jack and Conor Geaney to accumulate a total of 111 SJI points. “I am happy to have found the right customer,” added Geaney. “The videos helped, and they knew what they were buying.”

It was the mare’s background that appealed to her eventual buyer Jonas Carlen, whose equestrian interests usually revolve around the sport of trotting. “I breed trotters at home in Sweden,” he explained. “This is my hobby. I came here a few years ago, and was lucky to buy a 138cms pony for my daughter Alma, which has turned out to be one of the best in Sweden. Now she needs to move up a level, so I saw this mare in the catalogue and did my research. I looked at videos on YouTube, and came here knowing what I was trying to buy.”

Donal Geaney’s long journey to the venue from his home in Castleisland, was further rewarded when the second of his ponies Boomboy (16a) also sold well at €8,000, and his third offering Grag Super Thunder (33) realised €3,000.

Another to change hands privately, Boomboy (by Canal Lauras Boy) had been sourced from Ginny Taggart earlier in the year, and having been produced by Jack Geaney, was secured by a Swedish cash buyer. Next in the figures was Joe McMahon’s 148cms Shannondale Brendy (118a), a jumping pony with 112 SJI points. He was omitted from the supplementary sheet due to a clerical error, but impressing to realise €10,000, the son of Hannibal Van Overis was purchased by Swedish Lotta Burholt in a private sale.

One who came close to changing hands inside the ring was Ciaran Nallon’s 148cms grade B pony Seanie For Sure (13). The winner of 196 SJI points in classes up to 1.20m, he was initially unsold at €7,800, but a deal was later finalised by Carina Bjork from Sweden at €8,000.

THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Heading the horse figures at €8,600, and standing out to top a solid enough three-year-old trade, was Mary Griffin’s smart gelding (103) by Classe VDL (dam by Olympic Lux). The eye-catching grey was the very last lot of the day, but that did not deter a successful buying team led by Sandra Westberg. As the underbidder on the previous lot, the Swedish buyer was doubly determined to buy, and was delighted when the hammer fell in her favour. “We just loved her scope and jumping ability,” she said. “We usually buy to sell, but we will keep this one to produce to show jump.”

The gelding had been sourced by the vendor and Frank Casey as a two-year-old, and having allowed him to mature, Casey commented, “He is a big horse, but I think he has the makings of a top one.”

The trade for the age group was very competitive for the better sorts, and Casey’s horse aside, a further six lots realised in excess of €4,000. Among them, was Mary Breen’s home-bred filly Rossmount Oscar Queen (101) by Oscar des Fontaines (dam by Harlequin du Carel). Northern Ireland’s James Brizzell had to battle hard to secure this one at €7,500, while in an equally competitive duel, the Frankfort Stud’s chesnut gelding (174) by Boswell Mr Heartbreaker (dam by Luz Z) was knocked down to Phil Magleave in conjunction with Brazilian event rider Rafael Marins for €6,600.

The subject of one of the liveliest exchanges of the two days was Nicky Cousin’s home-bred gelding Tullabeg Jackson (186) by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet out of a mare by Olympic Lux. Bids bounced rapidly around the ringside for this athletic sort, before the hammer finally fell in favour of Willie Lapsley at €5,700. Lapsley signed the docket on behalf of Swiss buyer Regula Wassmer, and the gelding will remain on Ireland for Lapsley’s son Kenneth Graham to produce under saddle.

OLDER HORSES

The quality among the older horses was very mixed, and the figures mirrored this quality. That said, there were a number of good sorts, among which was Dorothea Wilson’s show jumping mare Templepatrick A-Z (135). This experienced eight-year-old had jumped to 1.30m to win 67 SJI points under Peter Smyth, and had successfully evented under EI rules.

Well related, she is a half-sister to the smart Templepatrick Cooley, who headed the Berney Bros National CNC* championship under Katie O’Sullivan last year. Not quite achieving her price in the ring, her sale was secured later in the day, when she was sold at €7,700 to Yorkshire dealer Graham Sugden.

Also selling wall at €7,400 was Seamus Magee’s unnamed five-year-old (67) by Heigh Ho Silver (dam by Chillout). Well showcased by Barnadown rider Jason Fitzpatrick, the fully warranted gelding had been hunted with the Bray Harriers. He had been bought as a two-year-old by his Co Wicklow-based vendor, and was knocked down to Athlone buyer Jim Derwin

Another late sale fell to Robert Frazer’s Sonas Arestus (158a) who passed through the ring unsold, but was snapped up privately by the Aberdeen Equestrian Centre for €6,700. A five-year-old by Orestus (dam by Western Problem), he has clocked up three SJI points and two double clear rounds from only two outings under rules.

PRIVATE SALES

It is notable that six out of the top 10 lots were secured in private sales. While the organisers at Cavan make every effort to secure these deals for vendors, it slows the selling process and does not encourage either buyer or seller to commit inside the sale ring.

The bulk of the three-year-old trade however was conducted through the ring, and as a result, several lively exchanges sharpened the process and lifted the atmosphere.