THERE was plenty of overseas interest in the Select Sale of Eventers held by Goresbridge Horse Sales at their Co Kilkenny complex on Monday but the top-priced lot, Gurtera Jimmy Clover, will be staying in Ireland for the immediate future.

Bred in Co Cork by James Bradley, the four-year-old was consigned by Billy Daly who stands the bay gelding’s sire, Newmarket Venture, at his Scarteen Stud in the north-west of that county and was purchased by another Cork man, Michael McGrath of Monkstown who gave €23,000 for the sales-topper.

Gurtera Jimmy Clover is out of the Clover Hill mare Kilderry Clover, dam previously of the four-star eventer Annie Clover, which was just one of the reasons McGrath was keen to buy the horse who came on the market at €20,000. “He was my primary interest at the sale,” commented the new owner of Lot 18.

“In following my own horse (Dromgurrihy Blue) in four-star competitions, I would have been very aware of Annie Clover and was impressed by her. I had seen this fellow before the sale and besides knowing his breeding and pedigree, I was struck by his scope and bravery. He has tremendous potential, showing all the traits required to perform at the highest level.

“D.J. (O’Sullivan) has done an excellent job of producing him to a high standard but he now goes to Michael Ryan who did a great job in producing Dromgurrihy Blue for me. I thought the sale was very professional and well-run and it was good to see the international interest. It was also an enjoyable day and there was a good mix of horses.”

“We were quite satisfied with the sale which had a clearance rate of 67% with an average of €12,234,” said Goresbridge’s Martin Donohoe. “It was very encouraging to see so many from overseas at the sale and, even if they didn’t buy, they now know what to expect. There was a very good atmosphere and the vendors in general seemed happy.

“It takes a bit of time to get a new sale off the ground but the format seems to work and the date is ideal.”

A producer of both thoroughbreds and Irish Sport Horses, Ger Burke consigned three mares to the sale from his Glidawn Stud in Dungarvan and got €20,000 for both Glidawn Heights (Lot 4) and CSF Olympic Lucy (Lot 16).

The former, a six-year-old Puissance full-sister to the international eventer Hoyo and a host of other eventers and show jumpers, qualified for last year’s young event horse class at Dublin with Sarah Ennis, with whom she also placed sixth in the Masterclass at Camphire, but was shown on Monday by Gemma Phelan under whom she has amassed 34 SJI points.

The 16.1hh bay, who was bred in Co Kilkenny by Stephen Lanigan-O’Keeffe, was purchased by Lindsay Newitt from Kent who described herself as a “complete amateur” with her husband Howard being more inclined to tackle stronger tracks. He finished 16th in the BE100 section of this year’s Mitsubishi Motors Cup at Badminton on a Cobra gelding they purchased at the 2015 Go For Gold Sale, Grovine Class Act

“This one is for me and I liked her because she is small, nippy and zippy,” said Newitt. “I’ll probably start her off in the BE90s.”

British event rider and coach J.P. Sheffield signed the €20,000 docket for CSF Olympic Lucy (Lot 16), a well-related Lancelot mare who won the Botanica International four-year-old section of this year’s Stepping Stones to Success League in Wexford Equestrian.

“We’ll start her off more or less straight way in Burghley young event horse classes,” said Sheffield. “I bought MHS Africa at this sale last year and I’m very happy with him.”

The Leicester-based rider could well have secured a bargain when parting with just €7,500 for Bourke’s Lux Z filly Lady Of Harlem (Lot 23) another well-related four-year-old grey produced through the Stepping Stones league by Louise Codd.

Sheffield was accompanied to Goresbridge by leading Irish young rider Elizabeth Hayden who joined his yard in March.

Immediately after the sale, Vernon d’Souza and Melanie McJannet were arranging transport to Canada for their two purchases, King Vendi (Lot 2) and Drombane Magic (Lot 21).

The former, a six-year-old Ars Vivendi gelding out of an Osilvis mare, was produced for Monday’s dispersal by D.J. O’Sullivan on behalf of Vincent Meaney. “I liked him because he is big and incredibly scopey,” said McJannet for paid €17,000 for the bay.

“He felt like a sports car when you rode him. He’s flashy but has a sweet personality. He’ll go show jumping at first and then eventing.”

The couple’s second purchase for €9,500 was Michael Ryan’s four-year-old Olympic Lux gelding Drombane Magic.

From the amount of people who tried him, it appeared that there would be no problem getting the bidding opened on Martin’s Master (Lot 8) but it was left to Bridget Speirs to get the action under way at €5,000 and it was she who signed for the Darko Nite gelding who cost €17,000 when the hammer came down.

“I never paid so much for a horse before but he was the only one I was interested in,” said Speirs who was one of the selectors for this sale last year. “He is very light on his feet and off the floor and I think he certainly looks the part. Camilla rode him on Sunday evening and really liked him. He’ll be out while we’re in Tatts and we’ll see where we go from there.”

Consigned by Martin Kilgannon, there was little pedigree information on the page about the five-year-old but he is said to be out of a thoroughbred mare by Over The River.

Sitting high up to the auctioneer’s right, England-based Canadian Kelly McCarthy-Maine bid in vain on a couple of earlier lots but finally secured Jason Higgins’s unnamed Jack Of Diamonds gelding (Lot 20) for €16,000.

Out of the Ramiro B mare Eden Breeze, the grey four-year-old is a half-brother to, among others, the three-star show jumper CSOE Camiro (by Captain Clover).

Sitting with McCarthy-Maine were fellow Canadian Rebecca Howard, who finished 10th individually in the eventing competition at last Summer’s Olympic Games, and the pair’s sponsor, Australian horse physio Megan King.

“We’ll start him off in young event horse classes,” said McCarthy-Maine. “I’ve bought from Jason before and really trust him as a producer.”

Ned Cash paid €12,000 to secure J.J. Bowe’s Harlassimo (Lot 17), a four-year-old grey gelding by Harlequin du Carel out of a Cassino mare who comes from the family of Killossery Lodge Stud’s foundation mare Jeannie, dam of Killossery, Killossery Kruistette, etc.

Although Bowe’s unnamed Emperor Augustus gelding (Lot 24) was led out unsold at €11,500, Shaun Parkyn quickly negotiated a transaction, buying the grey for €12,000.

The good-moving four-year-old, who was bred by the late Des Noctor, is out of the Colourfield mare Huntsfield Joelene.