Top five Connemara Ponies
Lot 364 Blackstown My Boy Blue (g) by Atlantic by Hazy Storm out of Millparks Lady Tara €13,600
Lot 29 Murphys Rebel Lightning (g) by Lightening Star out of Rebel Princess €11,000
Lot 405 Kleerwood Shadow (m) by Kilmore Diamond out of Billy’s Beauty €11,000
Lot 403 Manusmore Queen Of Scot (m) by Dunloughan Scot out of Manusmore Dasher €10,200
Lot 10 Swanview Pumpkins Brady Boy (g) by Pumkins Pondi out of Swanview €9700
Top five yearlings
Lot 589 Moanbaun Dun Deal (f) by Deelish Cruiser out of Moanbaun Coral €3,000
Lot 233 Vales Leo (c) by Gwennic De Goariva out of Kildun Eabha €2,800
Lot 597 Aughnakeeragh Gwennic Lad (c) by Gwennic De Goariva out of Aughnakeeragh Elaine €2,400
Lot 579 Gortnalea Paul (c) by Drymills Charlie out of Jims Lady €2,100
Lot 338 Ballywire Champagne (f) by Anchuil Moonlight Champagne out of Allihies Supreme €1,800
Top five two-year-olds
Lot 472 Camus Sparrow (c) by Village Sparrow out of Leitir Muca Ladybird €5,600
Lot 273 Nephin’s Blaze (c) by Mirah’s Ganty Blaze out of Rathcline Sara €3,500
Lot 9 Oldstone JJ (c) by Brad’s on Johnny out of Oldstone Molly €3,000
Lot 274 Nephin’s Kelly (f) by Poetic Kelly out of Deelish Fame €2,500
Lot 497 Derryvinnans Boy Hero (g) by Maam Hero out of Blackstown Tara Lady €2,500
Top five three-year-olds
Lot 285 Cleendaragan Timmy (g) by Lough Melvin Gorteen out of Glenvar Halley €5,700
Lot 13 Dun Buí (g) by Ferafad Melvin out of Fair Lass €5,000
Lot 332 Ballyrourke Locha (g) by Rogaire Na Locha out of Doe Eabha €5,000
Lot 333 Behy Joe (g) by Martan Phaidin Mhoir out of Bishophill Solar Eclipse €5,000
Lot 511 Knockferry Sky Fall (g) by Ross Joe out of Knockferry Rainbow €5,000
THE Connemara Pony sales in Clifden kicked off the year in fine style last weekend with a three-day renewal and the top-priced Connemara pony fetching €13,600. Extended by one day due to demand, the catalogue boasted 645 entries with 536 through the ring. Of those, 390 were sold, giving a healthy 73% clearance rate. As always, online buyers were very active with 92 lots sold via the Mart Eye app.
Overseas demand was also strong with 26 ponies en route to Benelux countries, eight to France, four to Germany, seven to Sweden, one to Norway and one to Poland. The UK was by far the biggest market with 124 ponies going to new homes across the pond.
https://foto.ifj.ie/fotoweb/archives/5006-Irish-Horse-World/Irish%20Horse%20World/2020/Lot%20472a%20copy.jpg.info#c=%2Ffotoweb%2Farchives%2F5006-Irish-Horse-World%2F%3Fq%3Dcamus%2520sparrow
Lot 472, Camus Sparrow, owned and produced by Caroline Lydon, made the highest price for a two-year-old, making €5,600 in the ring early on Sunday morning \ Rynes Walker
In terms of buyers, Burkes Bloodstock International were the most active, signing the docket for 30 lots, followed by SDV who took on 21. Patrick O’Gorman and Hannah Taylor won the bidding on 20 lots, while Gerty Tynan took home 15. Jason Sweeney signed for 13 lots, while Bryan Dagg signed for eight and Peter Dunne, TJ Maloney and Darren Walshe signed for seven apiece.
“We were very happy with our first sale of the year and believe it set a high bar for the rest of 2026,” sales manager Ann de Courcey said. “The demand from the UK was exceptionally strong, with a number of new buyers in person and online.
“The standard of riding pony on Friday was very good, and producers are clearly putting in the time to be able to really showcase the ponies in our new arena. One buyer even sat in the car watching the riding action all day and put her bids in online rather than ringside!
“We had a stronger than usual number of non-registered ponies and cobs and the market for them was healthy, but we feel that in future, we will be sticking closer to our core values and restricting the number of non-registered ponies to the last 20 lots or so on the evenings of the sales. There was a bidder for every lot, so we are very pleased.
“We have a lot of exciting plans for the year ahead, including a new venture at the end of March. To tie in with the Spring weekend organised by the CPBS on March 28th, we will hold a special interest display and sale of select breeding mares. These mares will be assessed before being presented for sale and must have a foal at foot, be in foal or have a proven history of breeding. We hope it will be a welcome addition to a great weekend.”
Top ponies
Lot 364, Blackstown My Boy Blue, was the top-priced Connmeara Pony, attracting €13,600 for Keith Wilson from Daryl Constance of Scotland. By Atlantic Hazy Storm and out of Millparks Lady Tara, this 15hh grey five-year-old gelding was described as a good model with a great presence and a super canter.
The next two top lots fetched €11,000 apiece. The seven-year-old Murphys Rebel Lightning (Lot 29) was one of these. A grey gelding by Lightening Star out of Rebel Princess and standing 15.2hh, this individual was described as having a ‘leg in each corner’ with experience in cross-country and show jumping. Consigned by Chloe Hester, he was bought by UK bidder, Susie Ellis.
Also fetching €11,000 was the top-priced mare, Lot 405, Kleerwood Shadow. This 138cm seven-year-old by Kilmore Diamond out of Billy’s Beauty was described as having hunted with the Duhallow Foxhounds and has 60 SJI points to date. Consigned by Grainne Geary, she was sold to another UK buyer, Jessica Kaye.
Gerty Tynan paid €10,200 for Lot 403, Manusmore Queen Of Scot, a six-year-old mare by Dunloughan Scot out of Manusmore Dasher.
Standing 14.2hh, this dun was consigned by Rosemaire Murphy and was described as a sporty Connemara with a careful and athletic jump and a kind and friendly temperament.
Rounding out the top five Connemara Ponies was Lot 10, Swanview Pumpkins Brady Boy, a five-year-old gelding by Pumkins Pondi out of Swanview. With Top performance breeding including Templebready Fear Bui and Kilmullen Fionn, he was consigned by Amy Finn and went to O’Gorman and Taylor for €9,700.
Gerty Tynan featured once more among the top 10 when she bid €9,500 to win Lot 88, Cloonard Duneen, a six-year-old gelding by Bog Mac Bobby out of Cloonard Pop. Consigned by Tim MacDonagh, this pony was described as having competed up to 1m, hunted a full season with the Galway Blazers and the East Galway Hunt and qualified and competed clear in the Balmoral Connemara working hunter class.
The sum of €9,500 was also paid by Karoline Heim of Norway for Lot 355, Rathcline Spot. This five-year-old 15.3hh grey mare is by Rathcline Melvin’s Boy out of Miss Fionnuala. Consigned by Noel Flannelly, she was described as extremely quiet and easy to manage. A further €9,500 was paid for Lot 404, Beechmount Hazel, a 148cm grey six-year-old mare by Dooneen Supermatch out of Killynure Rosie. Consigned by Tom Geary, she was described as having hunted two seasons with the Duhallows, super on cross-country, quiet and easy in every way. She was sold to UK buyer, Gayle Annett.
Joanna Butler paid €9,200 for Lot 353, Lislea Cracker, a 153cm four-year-old dun gelding by Lough Melvin Gorteen out of Lislea Roisin. Consigned by Dean Nugent, he was described as broken and riding well with training shows and cross-country schooling done.
Rounding out the top 10 was Lot 300, Broadoak Bella, a 150cm grey four-year-old mare by Tullaree Tomahwak out of Knockawuddy Girl. Tullaree Tomahwak has competed in the RDS and is by Dexter Leam Pondi with Cashelbay Prince and I Love You Melody in the damline. Broken and riding, she was described as having been schooled cross-country and hunted. Consigned by Irene O’Sullivan, she was sold to UK buyer, Jean Harratt for €9,000.
Other top lots
The 15.2hh five-year-old dun cob mare Muckross Flicka (Lot 459) was the top-priced lot overall and went to Gerty Tynan for €14,500. The next highest priced non-Connemara was Lot 422, Mandy Kenagh, another dun cob mare, who went to O’Gorman and Taylor for €10,500.
Rounding out the top three here was Lot 216, Toffee, a four-year-old dun cob gelding who went to Robert Roche for €10,000.
Visit connemaraponysales.com for the latest sales dates and information.