THERE have been plenty of strong sale sessions at Goresbridge in recent years, but evoking memories of the Celtic Tiger days, trade during this week’s May renewal was on fire.

Described by boss Ed Donohoe as “savage from start to finish”, the demand for ponies and older horses (four-year-old report to follow next week) appeared at times insatiable. A top return of €43,000 for Gerard and Barbara Clarke’s 1.40m show jumper Drishoge Creed was the highlight of the second day, and was one of 27 older lots and ponies to make in excess of €10,000.

At the close of play, 76% of the older stock changed hands at an average of €7,487 (€6,808 in 2024), while the ponies also sold well to clear 75% and to average €6,018 (€4,970).

“It felt like half of England was here buying horses,” added Donohoe. “Trade was rocking from the outset.” While the British were unquestionably the strongest customers, buyers from Denmark, France, Hungary, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and USA also made their presence felt.

Unfortunately, space allows only a few of the sale-toppers to get a mention below, but the standard was high and credit goes to all involved. A full report of the four and three-year-olds will follow next week.

Sale-topper

Having consigned the four-year-old sale-topper at last year’s September renewal, Gerard and Barbara Clarke returned to the Kilkenny venue to try their luck with an older sibling, Drishoge Creed.

An obvious pre-sale catalogue pick and well marketed, the eight-year-old son of Hector Van d’Abdijhoeve had accumulated many placings in the IHB classes and, the winner of 123 SJI points, is currently competing at 1.40m level. In the sale ring, it came as no surprise to see the bids quickly shoot up to €30,000, with all the interest focused on in the house buyers.

Once he was put on the market at €35,000, the tussle for ownership became a two-way duel and, moving in increments of €1,000, the hammer finally fell in favour of a very determined British ‘cash’ customer at €43,000.

“I’m delighted,” said the vendor/breeder. “He’s been very well marketed by the team at Goresbridge and it’s good to see he’s going to a private show jumping home. He’s been a great horse for us the whole way through his career and, only yesterday, he jumped a double clear round in the 1.40m class at Mullingar. We did well with his half-brother here last year and, by coincidence, his dam delivered us a sister this morning!”

Older horses

Somewhat unusually, and possibly due to the calendar clash with Badminton, the eventers were less influential than usual. One exception was international rider Nicky Hill who, although competing at the Gloucestershire showcase this week, was well represented when her friend Clare Fletcher secured Syrena Van Keulen’s home-bred Danq Eile BK (Lot 198) on her behalf.

Bravely filling the gap between €18,500 and her winning bid of €20,000, Fletcher remarked: “Nicky had seen all the online videos, and was especially keen to buy him as he reminded her of her top horse MGH Bingo Boy.” Certainly, this will be one to get cracking with - as the winner of 30 SJI points, he is already campaigning at 1.20m level.

Lot 198, Danqu Eile BK, was sold for €20,000 at the Goresbridge sport horse May sale \ Sally Parkyn

Thursday produced yet another raft of notable results which, at €19,000, was headed by Higgins Sports Horses’ six-year-old mare Odessa Fomia (Lot 312) by Glasgow Van’t Merelsnest out of Philly Fomia by Voltaire.

Another with good jumping form and 10 SJI points, she was imported from Holland as a three-year-old and was, according to Higgins, “a thoroughly nice mare in every way”.

Lot 312, Odessa Fomia, was sold to the UK for €19,000 at the Goresbridge sport horse May sale \ Sally Parkyn

Once again there were a flurry of bids for this attractive sort who was eventually knocked down to Carron Nicol of European Sport Horses. One of the major players over the two days, Nicol accounted for 13 of the older horses and explained: “We have been away jumping in Oliva in Spain for two months and, having sold all our sale horses before we left, we now need to restock.

“I think there have been some exceptionally nice horses here over the two days and at good value. This certainly isn’t a case of rubbish horses making the money - they are good horses, therefore good value.”

Commercial

Despite the high prices, the commercial buyers were extremely active, citing a strong British and Swedish demand as the main driver. That said, and probably as a result of this, they were outnumbered by a significantly large British contingent of private buyers, many of whom were travelling to Goresbridge for the first time.

Consequently, a huge number of lots sold are now set to cross the Irish Sea - one who is remaining on home turf, however is Gerard Burke’s Glidawn Coco (Lot 301), a five-year-old home-bred mare with quiet jumping form. Beautifully produced by Gemma Phelan, the daughter of H & M Chilli Willi looked well-bought at €18,500 by Co Meath resident Janice Mulligan.

“She will go to Sarah Maxwell to jump,” said Mulligan. “She was expensive, but you get what you pay for and I thought she was a beautiful mare.”

Lot 301, Glidawn Coco, made €18,500 at the Goresbridge sport horse May sale \ Sally Parkyn

Well-related, Glidawn Coco is out of the 1.35m jumping mare Drumin Jacqueline who having been sold at the Go For Gold sale about 10 years ago was subsequently evented in England. In later years, Burke had the opportunity to buy her back to breed from and this is her third progeny and a sibling to the useful jumper Glidawn Gigi.

While most vendors were delighted to have the chance to sell in such a buoyant market, 11-year-old Dylan Cregan was not quite so happy when his father James’ similarly aged CNF Dynamite (Lot 192) by OBOS Quality was secured online at €16,500.

A powerful gelding with solid jumping form up to 1.40m, he was very capably showcased by his diminutive jockey, who had ambitions of partnering him in Children on Horses classes. “We’ve had him since a five-year-old and, while he has plenty of experience under Shane Goggins and Coen Williams, he has a very big jump and is just too big and scopey for Dylan at the moment,” explained Cregan.

Regular French visitor Guillame Geneste was at ringside for much of the two days and featuring as his top lot at €16,500 was Cian Melia and breeder Martin Flesk’s jumping mare Peanut Queen (Lot 332).

Another well-related individual, Peanut Queen by Tyson is out of the useful jumping mare Peanut Vendor, by Touchdown, and is the winner of 20 SJI points to date.

Dylan Cregan with Lot 192 CNF Dynamite who made €16,500 at the Goresbridge sport horse May sale \ Sally Parkyn

Ponies

Sporting the largest catalogue of ponies to date and delivering an average of €6,018 (€4,970 in 2024), Wednesday kicked off in good style when Conor McMahon’s six-year-old 148cm pony KEC Jenavive (Lot 67) changed hands for a whopping €19,000.

Sport horse bred by Vivant Van de Heffinck out of KEC Theadora (Mylord Cathargo), the bay mare was well-produced by Lily O’Dea and Clarus Mallyon and, although she had no affiliated winnings, she had plenty of mileage at training level. Such was her impressive pre-sale performance, demand was high, and bids soon flew up the scale.

Once she came on the market at €15,000, bids bounced between an online customer and successful buyer Nikki Costello Brummitt. Hailing from Hampshire, and accompanied by her young daughter Mouse, Costello accounted for a further five ponies including the €10,000 purchase of Debbie Flavin’s 13.2hh pony Star (Lot 74).

“I used to come here as a child with my late father Nick Brummitt and my sister Caris, so it was really quite emotional coming back with my own daughter,” Nikki said. “I had in my mind to buy a few and, while I hadn’t planned to spend as much, they are all very nice.”

A further four lots smashed the five-figure barrier, with Kevin O’Donnell’s five-year-old gelding Labanasigh Cupid (Lot 110) by Cullintra Bonfire heading a lively Connemara sector at €10,500. Knocked down to Fergus O’Connor for his daughter Abbie, this potential competition pony was bred by Robert Hatton, sourced from stallion owner Peadar Murphy two years ago, and well showcased on the day by Isabel Smethwick.

Rarely do American visitors just drop in at Goresbridge and go home with a pony but, much to her surprise, Colorado resident Hazel Hoff did just that. Accompanied by Brian Byrne, she had no intention of buying but fell in love with Patricia Molloy’s well-prepared four-year-old Carrowholly Bobby (Lot 123) by Fairyhill Paddy.

Signing the chit at €10,000, Hoff explained her weakness for a dun colour as the reason and intends to ride her new purchase in dressage and low level eventing classes.

Although not in the Connemara sector but worthy of a mention was Avril Doyle’s home-bred Buachaill Bui (Lot 149), a cremello gelding by Templebready Fear Bui out of Golden Bee (Glaskoph). Standing 15.3hh, the six-year-old was seriously impressive to jump and, although led out unsold at €12,000, he was quickly snapped up by Louise Lyons for €14,000.

Since retiring from politics, his vendor breeder Avril Doyle has taken up breeding Connemara ponies as a hobby and this one hails from the maternal line of Park Cherry B, who was a major winner under Avril’s daughters Liz and Kate.

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