Margie McLoone

THE figures published here from Tuesday’s Traditional Irish Horse Association Hunter Show And Go at Scarteen make for disappointing reading with just 14 of the 70 lots catalogued changing hands during the afternoon’s auction.

There is no better place to display the varied talents of Irish hunters than over the Derby track at the Ryan family’s famed venue but there were far fewer horses selected for the three previous renewals of the Show And Go when vendors and purchasers conducted their negotiations privately.

Having introduced the auction this year, the organisers say they are determined to continue with the format, which will require a major change of approach by vendors and buyers alike. There was much talk of deals taking place ‘outside’ which is little benefit to the sale and, of course, cannot be verified.

Locally-based Eamon Gleeson, one of the organisers and joint-selector along with Rosemary Connors, said that providing a platform such as this involves a lot of effort and that the auction format should make it fairer for all.

“Vendors know this is a great place to showcase a hunter but they need to put realistic reserves on their horses, while buyers must be prepared to deal in the ring.

“Even after the sale, we had people on asking if horses they had seen on the videos had been sold or not so we also provide a follow-up service.”

Co Westmeath’s Jim Derwin, who made a dozen or so purchases at last year’s sale, had two lots knocked down to him in the sale marquee and admits to securing three more horses in later deals. “I think the older format without the auction was far better,” he commented.

“People selling on Tuesday were looking for unrealistic prices. Everyone I spoke to prior to the auction was looking for 10 grand or so, which makes the horses very hard to sell on.

“I think I got very good value for the horses I bought which, between those in the ring and those outside, cost between roughly four and seven grand, which I think is enough to pay for any hunter.”

Dutch buyer Rene Trooster gave the afternoon’s top price of €11,400 for Lot 48, Felim MacEoin’s Barra, a nine-year-old Sir Rivie gelding who has hunted with the Galway Blazers for four seasons.

In addition to his other roles, Gleeson was one of the most active buyers at the sale, securing Mountain Robin (Lot 34) for English client Benson Edward. The eight-year-old Mountain Diamond gelding was sold for €10,000 by Scarteen joint-master Richard Dungworth.

Acting on behalf of champion British National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls, Gleeson signed the €7,000 docket for Ballycoolan Buffet (Lot 14), Kevin Donohue’s seven-year-old French Buffet gelding who was third in the TIHA performance class at this year’s Limerick Show.

The auction was conducted by Kilkenny’s George Candler with a ‘guest’ appearance by Richard Botterill, auctioneer for Tattersalls at their Ascot and Cheltenham sales.