THERE was a 66% clearance rate at Tuesday’s sale of performance horses and ponies in Cavan where English buyers were particularly active.

“It was a very vibrant sale,” commented Stuart Clarke. “There were a lot of people there and there was a lot of on-line activity, especially with the ridden horses. Trade got a bit stickier in the late afternoon and evening when it came to the three-year-olds but, all in all, it was a very good sale.”

One English purchaser, Edward Hammond, gave the day’s top-price of €12,200 for the Irish Sport Horse gelding Tzar (Lot 32) who was catalogued by his Co Wicklow owner/breeder, Kevin Egan, as being “a pleasure to deal with in every way”. The brown 10-year-old, who has competed up to 1.15m level, has 28 Showjumping Ireland points and has schooled cross-country.

Claire Gaffey’s Moydrum’s Sydney (Lot 64), a piebald mare by Cool Diamond Star, was knocked down for €12,000 to Eithne O’Hanrahan who, with her daughter Nat, has recently set up Milltown Stables in Dromiskin, Co Louth where they are running training and competitions. Both are members of Castle Hill Riding Club and their Cavan buy, who was bred in Co Wexford by Annie Walsh, fits the bill as a perfect Riding Club mount. The 158cms five-year-old has hunted, schooled cross-country and competed at training shows. She has also caught the eye in the show ring, winning and placing in coloured and Intermediate working hunter classes.

The preceding lot, another five-year-old mare, Molly Mary (Lot 63), was purchased by Holycross-based GVS Bloodstock for €11,800. Consigned by Alison Irwin, the grey ISH, who was bred in Co Waterford by Caroline Connors, is by Tullabeg Fusion out of Any Option (by Philip Clover). She has been hunted and taken part in training shows, as well as lining out in two-phase competitions.

England-bound

England’s Caren Nicol had the successful final bid at €10,000 on Liscarrow Jo Jo (Lot 72) who was consigned to the sale by his Co Mayo breeder, Denis Gallagher. A four-year-old ISH gelding by Eurocommerce Berlin, the grey, who has competed at training shows and schooled cross-country, is said to have an exceptional temperament, to be very straightforward and have a great attitude towards his work. He is the first Ireland-born foal of his dam, the Holstein mare Deleika (by Casall La Silla) who comes from the family of Linus (1.60m).

Two lots made €9,000 apiece, the first being Blue Mist (Lot 41), a seven-year-old 15.2hh grey gelding with no recorded pedigree who was purchased by England’s Graham Sugden. The second, who is also heading across the Irish Sea having been signed for by and English buyer, was Patrick McCaughey’s home-bred Taplagh Vito (Lot 94). This four-year-old ISH gelding by Vittorio is a full-brother to Taplagh Lady (1.35m) being out of the Carpaccio mare Derryisland Cappachino.

England’s Nicol Browne gave €8,500 for Greenvale Mischevious (Lot 43). There are no pedigree details registered for this six-year-old gelding but his vendor had plenty of information for the grey’s catalogue entry.

“He has competed at many unaffiliated competitions, show jumping and been X-country schooling numerous times. Good to hack, shoe, box, clip and load. Really nice compact model very straight and correct confirmation. Same home the last three years, sad sale as rider going to college.”

Five-star family

Co Kerry’s Lucy Scollard accepted an offer of €8,000 for Adrivilles Cheating Fire (Lot 48) who began competing under Showjumping Ireland rules on June 1st this year and was quietly produced over the summer months. Bred in Kerry by Denis Foran, the six-year-old mare by Lancelot is the only foal registered on CapallOir out of Dromulton Diamond (by Sunny Boy). The chesnut was purchased by Tiernan Gray.

England’s Amy Dunbar parted with the same amount to secure Glenaguile Harry (Lot 71a). This 158cms five-year-old bay ISH gelding by Olympic Lux was bred in Co Tipperary by Michael Ryan out of the Ars Vivendi mare Glenaguile Supreme who comes from the family of Cisero (CSIO5*).

Consigned by Wilson Equestrian, the eight-year-old mare ‘Rebel’ (Lot 36) was also sold to the UK for €7,100. The grey is a member of the second of just two crops of registered foals (2012 and 2015) by the Cruising stallion Honour Cruise who, when gelded and renamed Fernhill Fair Enough, evented at CCI2*-S level.

The preceding lot, Alison Irwin’s unnamed ISH gelding by Montender (Lot 35) was purchased for €7,000. The nine-year-old bay, who was described as “a kind and genuine horse that can turn his hoof to any job – has also been well hunted for two seasons” was bred in Co Antrim by Jill Davidson out of the Harlequin du Carel mare Harlequin Merrymaker who was Grade A when she retired to stud.

The traditionally bred ISH gelding Gold Seeker (Lot 61), who was consigned to the sale by his Co Waterford breeder, former jockey Trevor Horgan, was knocked down for the same amount to Northern Ireland’s Paddy Black.

This 170cms five-year-old chesnut was a multiple winner in-hand from his yearling days and under saddle in the show ring over the past two seasons. He is by Scrapman out of the bumper-winning Shernazar mare Golden Fantasy whose 2013 daughter by Kings Master, Queens Master, won the TIH working hunter class at the Dublin Horse Show last year.

The highest-priced three-year-old sold on Tuesday was ‘Candy’ (Lot 134), a daughter of Sligo Candy Boy, who was purchased for €6,300 by Martin Mellett. The bay, who was catalogued as having the “potential for eventing or show jumping”, was bred in Co Sligo by Alan Taylor out of the Waldo Van Dungen mare Bellscross Matties Bride. This is the family of Fernhill Dreamaway (CCI4*-L) and Roadstown Lord (CSI3*).

Lot 26, Our Classic Nellie, a five-year-old mare by Milchem Classic Edition went for €6500 at the Cavan Performance Sales

Two ponies made €6,500 apiece. The first of these was Lot 21A, an unnamed four-year-old also bound for England. For the same amount, the aforementioned Tiernan Gray purchased Michael O’Sullivan’s Irish Sports Pony mare Our Classic Nellie (Lot 26), a 147cms five-year-old by Milchem Classic Edition.