A SLICK piece of marketing paid dividends for the Monbeg team of Tomas Doyle and Marti Rudd, whose eye-catching Monbeg Popcorn topped a lively Goresbridge October renewal at a whopping €33,000.
Garnering an extraordinary 700,000 views on social media, the dun astounded potential buyers when opening at €20,000, before the hammer finally dropped in favour of a British eventing customer.
His sale was one of 29 lots to attain five figures over the three days, contributing to a significantly increased turnover of €1,671,350 (€1,390,500 in 2024) together with an overall clearance of 71%. As has become expected, the latter figure was reduced by the final session of three-year-olds (64%), but was enhanced by the older stock who closed at 84% (69% in 2024) at an average of €7,589 (€6,279).
Also on an upward curve, 85% (75% in 2024) of the four-year-olds changed hands at an average of €6,930 (€5,950), while the opening group of ponies followed suit at 84% (73%) and €5,346 (€4,480). These figures showed a marked and welcome upturn not only from 12 months ago, but also from September which in some areas was unusually subdued.
“We were delighted with the clearance and the turnover, both of which were well up from last year,” summed up Ed Donohoe. “The yard was full from start to finish and people were there to buy every sort of horse from the €2,000 one to €33,000. We were particularly satisfied to see the four-year-old trade bounce back after a rather subdued September.”
Sale topper
As the talking horse of the three days, expectations were high when the aptly-named Monbeg Popcorn (Lot 296) made his appearance. An attractive dun by Tullabeg Fusion, the four-year-old gelding is out of the thoroughbred mare Polly Cailin by Zagreb, and was sourced from Brian Clinghan at the start of the year.
Bred by John Gahan, Popcorn had competed in a few training shows and, after a summer out at grass, was beautifully produced with this sale in mind. “We had close to 300 enquiries,” said a delighted Marti Rudd. “We were astounded - they came from all over the world, including Australia, South Africa, America and the Czech Republic.”
The opening bid of €20,000 stopped the online bidders in their tracks, but with a strong ringside presence, the serious buyers moved into top gear. Once on the market, these narrowed until agent Geroid Costello stuck to his task to make his €33,000 final bid.
“He will be going to a British five-star event rider,” he commented. “He’s a beautiful young horse and I hope he will be very lucky for them.”
Older stock
Producing a very solid trade on day one, the market for the older stock was highlighted by an extraordinary demand for quiet riding horses. Although the competition animal made the headlines, buyers (mainly British) clustered in their numbers for the safe, reliable conveyance - favouring temperament over performance. No less than 17 lots realised five-figure returns, many of these to the amateur/leisure market.
One who is heading for a continuing competition career however, is David Harrison’s Mosstown Milseain (Lot 175) a home-bred five-year-old gelding by Sligo Candy Boy out of the Grade A jumping mare Milltown Saoirse (unrecorded). The dam had competed on European pony teams with Harrison’s son Robert and, while this classy individual had clocked up 27 SJI points, an eventing career now beckons. Having hot-footed it from Le Lion d’Angers where he had enjoyed a great run with Kief Rhapsody Of Belline, event rider Noel Dunne signed for this smart sort, disclosing he was buying on behalf of a client.
Lot 175, Mosstown Milseain, was sold for €20,000 at the Goresbridge October sport horse sale \ Sally Parkyn
Olympic campaigner
Never far from the sale toppers, Aoife Dooley and Higgins Sport Horses successfully consigned Paddy DHH (Lot 107), a five-year-old KWPN-registered gelding by El Barone 111 Z out of Gee-Sina L (Toulon). Sourced unbroken and quietly produced by Dooley over the summer, Paddy DHH was the subject of an intense and competitive exchange.
Moving rapidly in increments of €500, he was only put on the market at €18,500 before Swiss customer Richard Harlacher made his winning bid at €19,500. The Lucerne-based owner has been a lucky buyer at the venue and, having bought numerous show jumpers across several decades, he disclosed this one will now be campaigned by Olympian Pius Schwizer. “I loved the jump, technique, the breeding and the type,” he said afterwards.
Lot 107, Paddy DHH, was sold for €19,500 at the Goresbridge October sport horse sale \ Sally Parkyn
Selling towards the end of the day and achieving the best mare return was Francis Fitzgerald’s Trailblazer Kate (Lot 158), a five-year-old by Risohorse Locorotondo out of Lux Welcome by Olympic Lux. Bred by James Ryan, and bought through the same sale ring as a three-year-old, the mare had clocked up 42 SJI points under Ellen and Katie Power.
It was Gemma Phelan who prepared her for sale however and, having been impressed by the performance, the successful buyer at €16,000 was Co Cork rider Christine Morrissey. “I know Katie who used to ride her,” she commented. “The plan is to jump her and enjoy her for a few years, and then breed from her.”
Four-year-olds
Having disappointed in September, Donohoe was delighted to see the four-year-old trade bounce back. Sale topper aside, a further eight achieved in excess of €10,000, the best being Trevor Horgan’s William H Bonny (Lot 205), who changed hands for €17,500.
Bred by Catriona Morrissey, deputy editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, the gelding is out of Templebready Jocelyn (Templebready Fear Bui) and, as a sibling to the event horse Hidden Eclipse, was sourced as a foal. British buyer Annie Dalton accounted for this smart sort, who was beautifully produced by Louise Codd. Also selling well at €15,000 was Jennifer French’s GH Vitesse (Lot 197), a well-related filly by Vittorio out of the grade A jumping mare Beach Nut by Beach Ball. A sister to the CCI3* event horse Cooley Constellation, as well as the promising jumper GH Hazelnut, she was one of four lots knocked down to the Scottish-based Hogg Equestrian.
William H Bonny (Lot 205) was sold for €17,500 at the Goresbridge October sport horse sale \ Sally Parkyn
Event riders were a strong force throughout, and it was Olympic event rider Oliver Townend who secured Colm Kelliher’s Caraghs Logan (Lot 207) by Lagans OBOS Quality for €14,200. Although not attending in person, Townend bid by telephone for this gelding who, a home-bred winner of 7 SJI points, is out of Caraghs Harley Lady, by Ringwood Harley Carol.
Co Clare pinhooker Frank Casey has enjoyed a successful few days and, having watched a former protégé Shanaghan Velvet win the HOYS hunter of the year two weeks’ ago, he scored again when his unnamed grey filly (Lot 253) was sold for €13,000. “I bought her with a bunch of thoroughbreds as a three-year-old, and stored her until Thomas O’Leary produced her for this sale. He’s done a beautiful job for me and I want to credit him for that.”
Three-year-olds
Although not on fire, there was relief that the age group produced a solid set of returns. The clearance of 64% was respectable on any terms, while the top price of €16,500 was equally so.
This fell to TR Sporthorses’ Keonan Twister (Lot 529), a gelding by Corporal VDL out of Lissavoora Russel (Russell). Bred by Keonan Stables, and sourced as a foal, he was snapped up by Elizabeth Eames and will remain with TR Sporthorses to be produced further.
Another destined to go show jumping is Gary Cusack’s home-bred HV Mowgli (Lot 420), a bay filly by For Treasure VDL out of the 1.35m jumping mare Van Cougar (Vancouver). A half-sister to the promising six-year-old Glenoran Bagheera, she looked well bought by Anne-Marie O’Gorman for €15,000.
“We used to own the dam’s sire Vancouver and I loved him,” said O’Gorman. “The idea is for my son Alex Owens to produce her under saddle.”
Ponies
A strong trade for ponies delivered an 84% clearance, together with a top return of €9,600. Co Offaly’s Claire Sheerin was the recipient of this figure for her attractive home-bred six-year-old mare Bravo (Lot 31). Having hunted the dam, Sheerin, together with her niece Katie Doyle, produced this mare through the hunting field as well as in working hunter classes and, while she has no recorded breeding is believed to be by FSS Corelli Bravo. The Co Cork-based Taurmore Stables secured the grey, as well as the next lot Ballinkingsland Zara (Lot 32) for whom they parted with €9,500.
Lot 31 was the top pony sold at the Goresbridge October sport horse sale for €9,600 \ Sally Parkyn
Solid returns came thick and fast, and closing with an average of €5,346, the next best price at €9,000 fell to Aisling McEvoy’s Ballynagilly Fergie (Lot 11), a 12 year-old gelding by Bobby Sparrow Blue. Easy in all respects, and a versatile performer with SJI points and hunting mileage, he was knocked down to British first-time buyer Helen Pullen for her daughter Willow.