PADDY O’Donnell’s standout sale topper was one of an impressive 39 five-figure returns at a buoyant Goresbridge this week. Landing a healthy €35,000 for his Co Waterford-based owner/breeder, the son of Grandorado TN was the clear front-runner in the three-day autumn edition, which closed on Thursday night.
Buoyed by the strength of sterling and seemingly not too concerned by the current economic climate, English buyers were a strong match for those on home soil, as well as others from mainland Europe and the USA.
The figures themselves make for interesting reading. The marginally larger catalogue contributed to a hike in turnover to €1,799,550 (€1,671,350 in 2025) and, while the overall clearance matched last year at 71%, the average rose slightly to €5,749 (€5,553).
The older horses were once again the market leaders, closing with a strong 83% (84% in 2025) clearance, albeit with a lesser average of €6,885 (€7,589). This deficit was soon balanced when a lively session of four-year-olds saw 74% of those forward change hands at an average of €7,416 (€6,930).
As expected, the final sale of three-year-olds was notably two-tier and, almost mirroring the 2025 returns, 63% (64%) found new homes at an average of €3,700.
“Overall, we have to be very pleased,” reflected Ed Donohoe. “The figures were up and there was a good buzz from start to finish. Vendors are definitely bringing better horses to us and they are getting well paid for them - as was shown by the sale topper.”
Sale topper
The exchange for the sale topper at €35,000 was strongly contested, and one which ultimately fell in favour of the telephone bid of American customer, Patrick Snijders. The Seattle-based resident had already seen the performance videos of the four-year-old and, as a long-term client of vendor Paddy O’Donnell, was armed with every confidence. Beautifully ridden on the day by Izzy Bergin, the home-bred Kilfarassy Ben was by Grandorado TN out of Lucy Penny (White Clover) - a mare who was ridden by O’Donnell to 1.45m level.
“I’m delighted. We had this sale earmarked for him,” said the Co Waterford show jumper and coach. “He has only done two shows, one of which was the RDS qualifier at Barnadown where he jumped clear to finish 12th.
"I’ve bought a few expensive three-year-olds recently, so I thought I needed to sell something!”
Older horses
Consistently solid, as illustrated by the clearance, trade for the older stock was pleasing. The top returns fell to horses of all disciplines and, while the performance animals garnered some of the better prices, the demand for hunters and quiet, safe riding horses was very solid indeed.
The large catalogue made for a late finish on the opening night and one sale that was finalised at the close of play was the age sale-topping lot of GCS Horses’ MHS Attractive (Lot 238). Although led out unsold, the well-related son of Numero Uno, was later snapped up by Lisa Kelly for €23,000. A full-sibling to the 1.60m mare MHS Attraction, he was sold to make way for youngsters coming on.
Busy filling his order books was an active Jim Derwin, who accounted for six smart lots over the course of the day. Heading these at €16,500 was Alan Dunnes’s DHS Elcristo (Lot 104) a seven-year-old all-rounder by Cristo out of Tavira by No Limit. Sourced unbroken four years ago, the well-produced gelding had clocked up 17 SJI points, as well having added mileage eventing and showing.
The Athlone man also snapped up Rachel Counihan’s Dundrum Candy Cruise (Lot 178) for €13,800. Sporting similar credentials to the above, this gelding by Sligo Candy Boy was a finalist in the Eventing Ireland Starter series, has show jumped at the Mullingar international and had been lightly hunted with the South West Meath hounds.
Echoing the comments of many, Derwin remarked: “Although trade is quiet enough on the whole, it’s very good for the eventing and jumping horse.”
Having moved into semi-retirement, Martin Donohoe is renewing his role as auctioneer with relish. His handling of the prolonged exchange for Andrea Finnerty’s top-class all-rounder Hectors Oreo (Lot 115) was pure theatre and appreciated by a round of applause. As the bidding progressed in small increments, the tension grew until eventually Austrian buyer George Wels deservedly got the nod at €13,400.
“I have bought him for a show jumping customer,” he revealed. “He is everything you could wish for in an amateur horse.”
The history was solid. Co Mayo-based Finnerty had produced the fully warranted six-year-old to win 14 SJI points and had supported this with eventing mileage and experience in the hunting field.
Four-year-olds
Sale topper aside, the demand for four-year-olds was encouragingly solid. Buyers were plentiful for the correct, well-produced individuals and setting the ball rolling as the second lot of the day, Paul Seymour’s home-bred Paddys Rockstar (Lot 245) realised a healthy €20,000.
Ridden and produced by Liam O’Meara, who also competed the dam, the filly is a daughter of Rock n’Roll Ter Putte out of Paddy’s Queenie (OBOS Quality). She had already competed to 1.20m level to win 46 SJI points and sporting a smart blacktype pedigree, looked well bought by a determined German visitor Imke Harms. “We love the breeding, the temperament and the jump and it’s important to us that the history is good,” said Harms.
Lot 245, Paddys Rockstar, was sold to Germany for €20,000 at the Goresbridge October Sale \ Sally Parkyn
While there was a glut of returns between €10,000 and €12,000, the next best price of €15,000 emerged towards the end of the day. This fell to Vincent Meaney’s home-bred Million Dollar Chance (Lot 388), a gelding by the locally-based Chance Casall out of EPM Elusive (Russel).
Busy British trader James White added this smart sort to his final tally of 16 lots, commenting afterwards: “Nice horses are selling very nicely at home, whereas the trade horses are slow. There is no doubt that this is due to the fact that money is tight in the current climate, so I’m here buying more upmarket stock and leaving anything less so behind.”
Three-year-olds
Running over two sessions, the trade for three-year-olds was not dissimilar to that of the foals two weeks earlier. The sales yard was busy throughout and, from start to finish, buyers were prepared to pay the premium for the better individuals.
One who really caught the eye was Shane Carey’s home-bred gelding Clooney Boy (Lot 526) by the popular Chacoon Blue out of Georgina by Berlin. Carey, who is a Master Farrier in Co Clare, sent his charge to Thomas Quigley to break and produce for sale and was well rewarded when Malcolm Keys secured the sale at €17,500.
“Although we came with an open mind, we had spotted this one in the catalogue,” said the Co Tyrone-based Keys, before adding that he was buying for his show jumping daughter Zara.
Lot 526, Clooney Boy, was sold for €17,500 at the Goresbridge October Sale \ Sally Parkyn
Seeking their next possible RDS champion, the showing fraternity was particularly active and indeed it was showman Brian Murphy who accounted for Jimmy Lawler’s well-related Real Dream (Lot 543) at €11,000. A home-bred son of Carrabis Z, the bay carries top-drawer jumping bloodlines being out of Real Caroline (Luidam), who is a half-sibling to Iron Dames Just A Dream (1.60m) and has already produced this year’s Breeders’ Classic champion BGS Jimmy, as well as JM Forever Red (1.45m) and JM All For Luck (1.45m).
It has been a season to remember for the Ballyhale breeder, who this year alone bred last week’s Munster National winner Kings Hill, as well as White Noise who won the Ryanair mares race at Cheltenham in March.
For now, however, the show ring beckons, and Murphy was delighted to have secured him. “He has that bit of showmanship about him,” he said. “As well as great limbs and bone, which is lacking in so many these days.”
A further four lots realised five figures, the first of which at €10,500 was Donnacha Dermody’s Contiki VD Berghoeve Z (Lot 480), a gelding by Conthargos out of Aganix Hero Z (Aganix du Seigneur). Sourced in Ireland as a yearling, he was knocked down to an online buyer.
Realising the same return was Valerie Davis’ Dream Master (Lot 520), a Beach Ball-sired gelding out of Dream Maker (Master Imp). Another high-class individual, the Patricia Hoey-bred Dream Master qualified for the potential event horse class at the RDS this year and, well related, looked well bought by Co Meath buyer David Byrne.
This smart sort will initially be produced as a show horse, before turning to eventing in later years. A few lots later, Ralph Morgan’s unnamed son of Diablue (Lot 540) changed hands for €10,000, while just before close of play, showman Kieran Ryan secured Derry Rothwell’s handsome son of HHS Cornet (Lot 619) for the same amount.
Ponies
Standing out in a trade which could be better described as solid rather than spectacular, the top return of €10,000 fell to Laura Collins’ six-year-old jumping pony/all-rounder JTK Rainbow Light (Lot 39). Ridden on the day by Katie Tobin Walsh and the winner of 41 SJI points, he was knocked down to TG Horses.
Earlier in the session, Adam Ferris paid €9,000 for Sam Widger’s Lucky Luck-sired Metalbridge Coving (Lot 27), while Ruari Aylward’s attractive home-bred dun Coppenagh Dutton (Lot 56) was secured by the Italian-based Omnia Srl for the same amount.
Overall, the figures illustrated that 70% of those on offer changed hands at an average of €5,482.
Top returns