STORM Boelo caused plenty of disruption to equestrian events around the country last weekend, but it didn’t deter Connemara pony vendors and buyers from travelling to Clifden in their droves for the Connemara Pony Sales which, over five days, held it’s own with a top price of €15,000.

As is the case across the board at sport horse sales, the better pony is demanding a premium price while the market for poorer stock is much more difficult. Some 1,149 ponies went through the ring in Clifden from Thursday to Monday last week, which resulted in a remarkable 83% clearance rate.

While Irish buyers were dominant at the upper end of the price range, some 146 ponies have made their way to UK buyers who continue to make their presence known in the Connemara market and a total of 262 were sold online via the MartEye platform.

Sales manager Ann de Courcey commented: “It was a positive sale overall and we are very happy with that. We’ve seen some great prices, but the lower end of the market was difficult. The clearance was unreal. We thought on Thursday it was going to be really challenging, but it took off on Friday. We were delighted with how Friday went.

“Saturday we had the storm, but it was still okay and then Sunday we had some great prices for foals; there was no shortage for the better foals. On the other end, the market for the weaker foals was tough. Overall, it was a good sale and we will have at least two days in November and may need to go to three days.”

Sale topper

The Class 1 three-year-old stallion Ballymakea Shadows Gamble (Lot 258) bucked the trend for his age category when securing the overall top price of €15,000, one of six five-figure prices. By Shadows Dun out of Atlantic Gorgeous Gamble (Spinway Atlantic Gamble), the striking dun was earmarked as one of the standout lots pre-sale after achieving the top marks of 92% at his inspection earlier in the season.

Consigned to the sale by Tim MacNamara, he was secured by leading show rider Sadhbh O’Connor, who commented: “He reminded me a bit of my other dun Connemara (Teach Mór Sparrow), who was champion in Dublin this year, so I liked the look of him. We are always kind of looking. I sold a pony at home recently and I’m always looking for the next one for next year.

“I saw him and was never planning on going to Clifden on Friday, I couldn’t get away, so we drove to Ennistymon, which is three hours from me, late on Thursday night so we didn’t get to see him until about 9pm the night before the sale. It was a bit last minute, but it all worked out.”

O’Connor has already started work on the youngster. “I have him since the beginning of the week, so I have him lunging now and he will be broken over the next few weeks.

"I definitely plan to keep him entire and will aim at the novice classes next year.

“He seems to have a lovely character so far. I was a bit like apprehensive bringing him home, because he wouldn’t probably be used to seeing a barn full of other horses. But so far, he’s taken it all in [his] stride.”

Commanding €14,800 was Trina Maguire’s six-year-old grey gelding Gillian’s Choice (by Moonlight Silver Shadow), who was described as the perfect all-rounder having done pony club, riding club, dressage, showing, working hunter and competed under ShowJumping Ireland rules. He was knocked down to Pat O’Gorman and Hannah Taylor, who bought a further 16 animals over the course of the sale.

A UK cash buyer placed the winning bid of €14,300 on Lot 342, Woodfield Ernie, a seven-year-old grey gelding by Furbo Finnard, who is jumping 1.20m and is said to have endless scope. Another seven-year-old gelding to give his owner James Hanley a good return was Lot 180, Bolt, a 148cm grey gelding by Cashelbay Chip, who has won in the show ring. Philip Morgan had the final say at €11,200.

The top-priced mare and four-year-old was Clounanna Lady Isla (Lot 114), by Doohulla Dunally out of the Boden Park Finnard mare Glenlo Lady Fiona. She had show ring experience for breeder John Coleman and was eventually bought by John McLoughlin for €10,750.

The final pony to break the five-figure barrier was Lot 262, Cool Shadow, a five-year-old 148cm gelding by Black Shadow. Consigned by Hannah Gordon and her brother Jonathan, an international show jumper, it was no surprise that he has a performance background and has hunted with the North Mayo Harriers. And he won’t be going far, as he was purchased by Liam Lynskey for €10,000.

Two ponies were sold for €9,000; the first was Annaghbay May (Lot 267), a four-year-old dun mare by Ballinlough Dandy, who is going to Germany for successful buyer Marie Pabst, a new face at the sale. Gloria Nolan paid the same price for the four-year-old dun gelding Dun Billy (by Magherafadda Lad).

Nolan also had the final say on Lot 171, Stephen Russell’s four-year-old gelding Kilclogher Ever So Fun (Dowdstown Daylight) at €8,700. He was one of 10 lots within the €8,000-€9,000 price range. One that looked well bought at €8,000 was William McMahon’s Roundstone-winning three-year-old Class 1 colt Addrigoole Aslan (Manor Duke), purchased by Sabrina McClumpha.

Foals

The foal market was notably two-tier, but vendors were there to sell as reflected in the 86% clearance rate and average price of €1,370 for fillies and €1,200 for colts.

For the better type, the buyers were plentiful and, topping the foal trade at €5,000 was Kathy Hughes’ prize-winning Lankill Hercules (Lot 944). By Riverwood Razmataz, the dun out of the CPBS bronze merit mare Lankill Lily (Starsky), was the winner of the colt foal class and reserve foal champion at the 2026 Connemara Pony Show in Clifden. Mayo breeder Cian Geoghegan signed for this smart sort.

Lot 944, Lankill Hercules, the colt foal winner and reserve foal champion at Clifden show this year, was sold for €5,000 in the ring at the October Connemara Pony Sales \ Rynes Walker

“My expectation going in was pretty much what we got; that is pretty much what I was asking for all summer,” Hughes commented. “From the very first morning he was born, there was just a wow factor, you couldn’t deny it. We brought him out a bit over the summer and he was well liked. We had a lot of interest in him after the show, but ended up bringing him here and we are happy with that.”

The O’Connor family’s shopping spree didn’t end in the older age group as Sadhbh’s father Niall placed the winning bid of €4,700 on Lot 901, Jonathan Wall’s Cong Zorro, a colt by Rogaire na Locha out of Glencarrig April. The colt won his foal class at agricultural shows in Oughterard and Roundstone, where he was also champion foal, in the summer. O’Connor gave a further €4,500 for Peter Molloy’s Dooneen Maximus (Lot 657). The colt is by Glencarrig Knight out of the show ring-winning mare Dooneen Jennifer (Dunloughan Troy).

On the foal purchases, Sadhbh said: “We recently bought some land and dad has always supported me over the years, but he’s never really bought anything of his own. So, it was nice for him to buy two foals that he can hopefully follow with a bit of interest over the years. It’s nice to keep him interested as well because he sacrificed a lot for me over the years.”

The highest-priced filly foal was Loughconn Sunshine (Lot 860), by Manor Marble out of the show-winning mare Loughconn Daisy. Consigned by Moycullen breeder Tom Clancy, Ciaran O’Brien had the final say at €4,500.

Seven foals sold for north of €3,000 including Lot 979, Michael Philbin’s home-bred filly Beechmount Diva (Castleside Mickeys Last), who was sold to Liam Lynskey for €3,700. Also making that price was Tom and Fiona Farrell’s filly Bohola Beautiful Sadhbh (Lot 1134, by Nohola Mirah), who was secured by Owen Ward.

The bottom end of the market was much trickier and one would think breeders will have to think long and hard before putting mares in foal.