THOSE who witnessed yet another extraordinary trade at Goresbridge last week will have been left in no doubt that the sport horse industry is experiencing a purple patch not seen since the days of the Celtic Tiger.
Turning over just shy of €1.5 million, and with a further two sessions left to run, the opening two days of ponies and older horses produced returns never seen at the venue in nearly 60 years of business. Enjoying great depth of demand, 39 individuals smashed the five-figure benchmark, which led in turn to an overall average of €6,915 (€5,769) and clearance of 82%.
Breaking these figures down further, the older horses averaged €8,003 (€6,718 in 2024), while the ponies, who had their own dedicated day of trading, closed at €5,326 (€4,702).
“The big thing for us is the clearance and to close the two days with 82% overall is immensely satisfying,” commented Ed Donohoe. “This clearance, together with the huge turnover figure is unprecedented and, for a small yard in Kilkenny, we as a team are incredibly proud.”
Sale topper
As one of the top-priced buyers at the venue last September, British customer Paul Jeary (Seren Equestrian Ltd) returned to ringside to secure Brighid O’Connor’s sale-topping mare CeCe (Lot 261) for €26,000.
A beautiful individual by Cornet Obolensky, the five-year-old was bred at Ballywalter Farms and is out of the Holstein mare Canturada 2 Della Caccia by Canturo. She had been lightly campaigned last year under Paddy O’Donnell, while this season she has been produced further and been prepared for sale by fellow Co Waterford show jumper Gemma Phelan. “She jumped absolutely class today and is very well bred,” commented Phelan.
The tussle for ownership was unsurprisingly competitive, but it was the Gloucestershire-based Jeary who finally outbid his compatriot, Caron Nicol. “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to pay that sort of money for her, but when I knew I was up against Caron, I thought I might have to,” remarked Jeary.
“I’m absolutely delighted to have bought her. The jump really caught my eye today, and the plan is for her to be ridden by my daughter Jocelyn.”
Older stock
Five-figure returns appeared with regularity and, aided by some strong online bidding, the exchanges were lively throughout. One particularly spirited tussle was for the Teagasc Kildalton College-owned and bred Kildalton Dignity (Lot 164) and this time, at €20,500, Caron Nicol (European Sport Horses) succeeded in her quest.
Lot 164 Kildalton Dignity was sold for €20,500 at the Goresbridge July sale \ Sally Parkyn
A prominent buyer at the venue, Nicol was especially pleased to have secured this well-bred gelding who, by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet, is out of the British-bred mare Armada Floriana (Latona). The second foal, he is a full-brother to the highly-rated Kildalton Destiny, who is currently competing with Lara Ferrari.
“He’s been broken and produced entirely by the students,” explained Equine Course director, Kate Solon. “Yard manager Aine Kearns and Alanah King both had a big input, while Andrew O’Dwyer rode him here today.”
A group of graded jumpers met with mixed results, but one who did change hands at €20,000 was Ollie Ward’s Ardragh Mountain Dew (Lot 220), a home-bred son of Pacino out of Lady Ardagh (Cavalier Royale). A tall gelding, with 146 SJI points and RDS puissance mileage, he was ridden by JP Meegan and secured by Damien Griffin on behalf of the American-based Declan Orpen.
“He’s been a lovely horse to have around the yard and has become part of the family, but it’s time to sell and I wish the owners the best of luck with him,” said Ward afterwards.
Having emerged on top of a lively exchange, Griffin explained that the gelding will remain at his Lissyegan Stables for the immediate future, before being exported to Florida. “He looks like a big, easy, consistent horse that should be ideal for the amateur market,” said Griffin. “I have a good relationship with the vendor, so I knew the horse prior to coming here. The idea is that he will compete on the Wellington circuit.”
Lot 328 was sold for €20,000 at the Goresbridge July sale \ Sally Parkyn
Well-produced
The day was a long one, but with prices remaining strong throughout the evening, Gina Prescott did well when her late selling five-year-old Pegasus (Lot 328) realised €20,000. A former graduate of the Hendrix foal auction, the grey gelding was well-produced for sale and looked smartly bought by Carol Gee.
“The movement initially caught my eye,” said Gee. “The immediate plan is for him to remain here in Kilkenny for Luca (Bortolemi) to event and we’ll take things from there.”
In one of the most entertaining exchanges of the day, in which two online buyers gamely took each other on, James Griffin’s jumping gelding Rosco Rolling Stone (Lot 221) was finally secured at €17,000.
Auctioneer Martin Donohoe was at his best juggling the remote bids, with a British buyer finally coming out on top. Sourced as a foal, the seven-year-old son of Tyson was bred by Joe Connaughton and had been produced by Damien Griffin to win 27 SJI points.
Realising the same return later in the day was Gerald O’Neill’s Belgian-bred mare Upsala Thor (Lot 260). Imported last year and produced by Tom Hearne in Co Monaghan, she was knocked down to Cavan resident Aine Mee.
Competition horses aside, there was a huge demand for cobs and quiet riding horses. Prices rocketed for these well-presented individuals, and one who gained a special round of applause was Oscar Wycherley’s aptly-named The Family Man (Lot 281), a 12-year-old gelding standing about 15.1 hands.
Produced entirely by the Skibbereen-based Wycherley family, and with mileage in almost every sphere, he was ridden on the day by an immaculately turned-out Grace Wycherley and secured by Harver Drea for €12,400.
Ponies
Attracting a catalogue of 157 lots and with 109 forward, Tuesday’s pony sale also broke records. On a day when children outnumbered the adults, the clearance closed at 80% while delivering an average of €5,326, eight lots made in excess of €10,000.
Topping the day’s business at €14,500 was James Cregan’s much-admired SNS Apollo (Lot 111), a six-year-old 14.2hh gelding by Amigo B out of Parkroe Lucky Lass (Tynagh Miller). Well-related to championship ponies, he was placed second in the Millstreet Young Irelander last year and has since clocked up 24 SJI points.
Very capably ridden by 11-year-old Dylan Cregan, who also produced him, he came on the market at €14,000 before he was secured by Italian buyer Omnia SRL at €14,500. “I thought he might have made a bit more. The new owner had made contact during the week, and seen videos, so we knew he liked him,” said Cregan afterwards. “He’s an exceptional pony.”
Lot 111 was the top priced pony at Goresbridge sold for€14,500 \ Sally Parkyn
Anne-Marie Hanafin’s jumping pony Butterscotch (Lot 36) was another big priced lot. The winner of 163 SJI points under Finbarr Hanifin, the nine-year-old Connemara had competed to 1.20m level and was sadly outgrown. The hammer fell at €11,800 for this smart son of Glencarraig Sea Biscuit, while a few lots later Emer Kavanagh’s elegant mare KS Little Miss Tyson (Lot 63) changed hands for €11,500.
Home-bred out of the well-related jumping dam Hot Cup (Olympic Lux), she was produced for sale by Henry and Joanne Foley and looked well bought by Cian Melia. “Henry had told me about her,” commented Melia. “She’s a type hard to find, so the idea is to keep her for my cousin Alayna Hawkins to produce on.”
Four more ponies changed hands for €10,500 and first up was the five-year-old Ballintiglea Bailey Boy (Lot 7). Having secured a sale-topping pony earlier in the year, Carl Dore was back at ringside to sign for this smart lot, while next in line trader Niall Daly accounted for Gabriella Boccaccio’s La Dolce Vita (Lot 46), a seven-year-old dun gelding with no recorded breeding.
A few lots later, British buyer Jane Abbott was thrilled to acquire Noreen O’Mahony’s experienced grade A pony Glebe Plunket Rose and was led to comment.
“I bought one here last year who has since qualified for the British novice championships,” she said. “This will also be for my daughter Janie to jump – it’s a lot of money, but I knew I would have to pay that to get her.”
A full report for the three- and four-year-old sales will appear next weekend.