LAST week at Goresbridge will certainly be one to remember for Hans and Julia Kuenhle who, having made the headlines at Monday’s glittering show jumping sale, followed suit on Saturday when their filly foal netted €20,000 at the breeding stock renewal last week.
The sale-topping daughter of Bennys Legacy was among the standouts in the edition which, although it produced an ultimately divided market, delivered one of the best single days of foal trading for many years.
Over the two sessions of broodmares, yearlings and foals, 51% (41%) of those forward changed hands at an average of €4,163 (€2,935). In contrast, and making a significant hike, Saturday’s foal figures improved further to close at a healthier 61% and €5,433 respectively. It was also interesting to note that, while the catalogue was 80 entries lighter than 12 months ago, the turnover of €524,500 (€387,500) had increased notably.
Encouragingly, these improved returns were not overly influenced by one outlier, as the top prices clustered well with nine lots returning in excess of €10,000 in comparison to just three 12 months ago.
“The success of Monday night definitely brought a lot of positivity coming into the sale,” commented Ed Donohoe. “The strong trade for three-year-old jumpers boosted confidence in the market and this was illustrated by the competition for the better-bred jumping foals. The catalogue - especially on Saturday - was very stout, as people trusted us with their best foals and were well rewarded.
“The average was phenomenal. Unfortunately, there are still not enough buyers for the less commercial foals - and this needs to be addressed. I’m particularly delighted for our double sale-topping vendor, Hans Kuehnle, who has been such a great supporter over the years.”
As the returns illustrate, the standout prices all went to foals with performance pedigrees. The situation with the rest remains disappointing. It appears that, although there is a buoyant enough market for these animals when produced under saddle, only a few pinhookers and private buyers are prepared to buy them as foals.
Sale topper
Having topped the Goresbridge Supreme sale of Jumping foals at Barnadown a few weeks ago, and again in the three-year-old select jumping sale last Monday, Co Laois breeder Hans Kuehnle landed an unprecedented hat-trick when his filly foal (Lot 186) by the 1.60m jumping sire Bennys Legacy headed the two-day general foal renewal at €20,000.
“I nearly had a heart attack,” he said afterwards. “I’m almost speechless and it just shows that you have to be patient. I also have to look to the sky and say thank you to my late son Benny for doing so much right. Benny bought the sire unseen as a foal - I would have gelded him, but Benny and his sister Jessie made me keep him entire.”
The dam (by Lux Z) did not compete but, beautifully related, she is a full-sibling to Miss Optimistic, who jumped to 1.60m with the vendor’s daughter Jenny, and is from the immediate family of Kira 111 (1.60m) and Cicero, who is sibling to Cavalier Royale. The successful buyer was the Co Meath-based producer Trade Horses Ltd.
The day opened strongly when Shirley Hurst’s Tattygare Kalone (Lot 161) changed hands for €8,800. A show quality colt, who together with his dam Kilbrackan Cornet Queen (Cornet Obolensky) had won the breeders’ class at Clarecastle Show earlier this year, he looked well bought by Co Limerick-based show jumping owner, Lisa Griffin.
The first of the five-figure returns emerged at lunchtime, when Anna Dillon’s filly (Lot 185) by Ermitage Kalone realised a healthy €12,500. Sporting a world-class pedigree, she is the second foal out of Mosita Van de Wolfsakker (Mosito Van Het Heelehof), who has a sibling competing at 1.40m level, and is from a family full of 1.60m performers.
As another of Monday night’s successful vendors, it was Dungarvan-based Eamon Walsh, who accounted for this smart filly, commenting afterwards: “I had one from the same vendor last year. I thought she was very athletic and, while the plan is to keep her to breed, she might go into sport first.”
Almost immediately after Trade Horses paid €20,000 for the sale topper (Lot 186), a Cash buyer snapped up Pat Kehoe’s ABC Venice (Lot 195) at €17,200. The latest offering from this wonderful family, ABC Venice is by Durango VDL out of ABC Sophies Choice (SIEC Livello).
Lot 195, Abc Venice, was sold for €17,200 at Goresbridge \ Sally Parkyn
Keeps on giving
From one of Ireland’s most successful families - and one that keeps on giving - the dam is a half-sister to this year’s Lanaken finalist ABC Mayflower (Gemma Phelan), as well as to the international Grand Prix five-star winners ABC Quantum Cruise, ABC Private Jet, ABC Cortana Cruise and the former Lanaken six-year-old World Champion, ABC Saving Grace.
“She’s a June foal and a lovely filly,” commented the locally-based Kehoe. “I wanted to try Durango because he has both Lux Z and Zirocco Blue in the pedigree and I’m delighted I did!”
The strong prices continued until the close of play as one of the last through the ring, Lot 299, Ronan Rothwell’s Boleybawn Salvador changed hands for €15,000 when secured by John Breen. A smart colt by Rothwell’s resident sire Boleybawn Alvaro, he is out of In Style VK (Ard VDL Douglas). Another with a stout blacktype pedigree, he is out of a sibling to two jumpers at 1.60m level and from the immediate family of the great mare Ratina Z.
Rothwell declared himself delighted with the outcome. “Unfortunately, he was not ready for my own auction, and possibly wouldn’t have sold for this much anyway!” he jested afterwards.
Anna Dillon’s good run continued when her Dominator 2000 Z-sired AKD Dominion (Lot 262) was one of two lots to realise €14,000. From a young but already successful family, the colt is the fourth foal out of Drumiller Delilagh (Chacoon Blue).
Kilcannon Stud’s Philip Murphy outbid Henry and Joanne Foley for this eye-catcher, commenting afterwards: “For me, he was probably the pick of them and if he’s good enough, he will go jumping.”
Timely omen
Also realising €14,000 was Maurice Bailey’s Fuerty Ross (Lot 258), a July-born colt by Derryglen Stud’s popular sire Kafka VD Heffinck out of Fuerty Molly (Pollux de Muze). Very closely related to Pablo C (1.50m), Pacifico (1.60m) etc, he was knocked down to stallion handler Anne-Marie Jamieson. “I stand the sire, and also stood Pollux de Muze and Pacino - so it can’t get better than that!” she said.
Anne Marie Pender had been one of many to attend Monday night’s show jumping sale and, returning on Saturday, she looked to have bought well when securing Oliver Callery’s BJD True Love (Lot 243) by Untouchable for €13,200.
Hailing from her own equine family, the filly is out of True Self (Plot Blue) and is a sibling to the Mikey Pender-ridden Madgeslane Louis (1.60m) among others. In what she hopes will be a lucky and timely omen, Madgeslane Louis produced a clear round on the Global Tour (1.60m) class in Rome the same afternoon. “The plan is to store her and produce her, and hope she will be as lucky as the rest of the family.”
Lot 243, Bjd True Love, was purchased by Pender Sporthorses for €13,200 at Goresbridge \ Sally Parkyn
Another filly to excel was Helen Cummins’ Brockaghfield Zirocco (Lot 222), who changed hands for €12,200. From the dam’s line of CSF Olympic Lady, CSF Olympic Cruuz etc, she is out of Brockaghfield Obolensky (Cornet Obolensky), who has already bred Brockaghfield H (currently competing with Olive Clarke).
Lot 222, Brockaghfield Zirocco, sold for €12,200 at Goresbridge \ Sally Parkyn
The opening day followed the usual pattern, with both demand and prices weak for anything but the better-bred, well-made foals. Overall, not enough foals matched the model with pedigree, but one who did was Paul Horan’s Gorteenvacan Hero (Lot 63), a colt foal by the up-and-coming Kafka Van de Heffinck. The second progeny of CBI Rosa de la Cruz (Ganesh Hero Z), she looked very well bought by Killian Browne for €7,000.
Another vendor reinvesting following a successful sale the previous Monday, Cork-based Browne commented: “He is a lovely foal and, having seen the pedigree on the stable door, I decided to try to buy him. He’s well related, which gives us some chance!”
Just four of the seven broodmares forward changed hands and, with demand virtually negligible, the top price was €2,600.
Ado Moran (producer and pinhooker): “Ideally, I look for a foal to go and live the dream with and hopefully to go on to a top jumping career. Otherwise, they have to be good enough to be a select sale prospect. The quality is improving, and if the animal is right - then I will look at the pedigree - but it has to be the model first.”
Donal Lynch (pinhooker): “Model comes first. You have to pay so much as a foal to get a nice one, and then of course you’re hoping that the x-rays are okay, so that they can sell well as three-year-olds.”
Alan Wheeler (pinhooker): “The model must match the pedigree.”