THE buzz was back as buyers from England, Scotland, and home were plentiful at a vibrant and exciting Irish Draught market at Cavan on Thursday. From 64 of the 75 catalogued, 48 sold with a turnover of €72,000 in comparison to the 2014 return of €47,775.

The highest price of the session - €3,500 - was paid by breeder Anne Towe from Stourport-on Severn, in Worstershire, for Lot 108, the two-year-old filly Knockdoo Gentle Ruby (Gentle Diamond-Golden Warriors Girl).

Towe also paid €1,500 for E. Thompson’s filly foal Skipping Lady (Gentle Diamond-Skipping Pearl) (Lot 103) and €2,700 for (Lot 142), Highfield Horses’ 14-year-old Loguestown Queen (Blue Rajah-Ballysteen Queenie).

Towe was a happy customer saying, “I cannot believe the high standard of animals and the overall turnout on offer, we look forward to taking them home and working with them in the winter.”

A grey filly foal Hillview Trisha (Hillviewfarm Superstar-Dosley Limited Edition (Lot 81), offered by Gerry Quinn from Roscommon, sold to Tommy Lynch from Cootehill, Co. Cavan, for €1,600, who said: “She looked a bargain as the sire came from England and he was a grade A show jumper.”

Gerard Sweeney from Letterkenny sold his unnamed filly foal by Mountain Pearl and Uibh Fhaili Empress (Lot 83) on the bid of €1,000 from John Carlin from Raphoe, Co Donegal. Carlin also paid €3,000 for (Lot 140) from the same owner for the 13-year-old mare Hollyhill Classic (Donovan-Uibh Fhaili Empress). Carlin said: “I am delighted to get these two as they have old and established Draught bloodlines.”

Hollypark Irish Horses from Craughwell, Co. Galway, were busy and secured some very nice young stock including (Lot 94) Pairic Bohan’s colt foal Gortfada By Design (Diamond Design-Gortfada Star) for €2,000 and Roy Armitage’s unnamed colt foal by Rockrimmon Robusticus–Scarlett Anna) (Lot 92) knocked down at €1,500.

The bargain of the day was Lot 93, colt foal Cloonan Kilcotton (Kilcotton Cross-Cloonan Misty) sold by Tom Fitzgerald from Mayo bought by F. Heslin for €1,000 and his pedigree suggests, he is bred to jump.

A nice colt foal sold by Fiona Watkins was Lough Melvin Liadhnan (Dunbeggan Grey Mist-Lough Melvin Dubh) went for €1,300 from Joe Igoe from Athlone.

Cloughroe Stud in Donegal produced the well-made two-year-old filly The Lady Farmer (Tors Gentleman Farmer-Cloughroe First Lady) (Lot 111) sold to Fiona Smith from Aberdeenshire in Scotland for €2,500.

Keith Buchanan from Donegal offered his four-year-old gelding Thunder (Gentle Diamond-Milford Waterloo (Lot 117) after brisk bidding he was knocked down to K O’Connor for €2,650 who also got Gerry Quinn’s (Lot115) three-year-old gelding Hillview Toby (Hillview Superstar-Dosley Limited Edition) for €2,750.

Paddy Finnegan from Moylough, Co Galway, offered the much sought-after four-year-old mare Cooloo Clover (Mountain Diamond-My Clover Queen), a real traditional type who fetched €2,500 from buyer P. Kay.

Angela Wise from Dalcotes Stud in Cornwall paid €3,300 for Sean Scannell’s Derrynasagart Cross (Holy Cross-Sue Ann) (Lot 134). She said: “I have my own stallion at home and I bought her to breed from him.”

In contrast to the overall presentation and quality of the Draught stock in the first session, 33 Connemara ponies went through the ring and after much coaxing from the auctioneers, 23 ponies sold for a turnover of €12,685.

The top price of €1,450 was paid by Sean McLoughlin from Grange Fort Equestrian in Drumshambo for CPBS Council member Frank Quinn’s unnamed four-year-old gelding (Lot 179). McLoughlin said: “He moves like a pony that will jump, I will break him over the winter.”

Eddie Igoe from Athlone picked up a nice three-year-old gelding Kildromin Conor (Lot 171) for €750 from Ardrahan’s Frank Quinn.

Geraldine Kinahan from Clonlara Stables in Moate paid €1,050 for T. Duffy’s dun colt foal Corhoogan Dawn Shadow (Moonlight Silver Shadow-Knockadeen Lady) (Lot 149), he carries some very good jumping lines in his pedigree.

The 10-year-old mare Cummer Anna Marie (Lot 167) offered by Eddie Fallon from Mullagh, Co Galway, sold to Cornwall veterinary surgeon Kieran O’Brien for €800. “I bought her when I saw she is scanned in foal to Silver Shadow and it seems the good stallions are in Ireland.”

Tessa Collier’s nine-year-old mare Rathcoona Lara (Glencarrig Prince-Rathcoona Daisy) (Lot 160) sold to Victoria Cunningham from Co Down and looked good value at €800.