Top returns

Nuala Hartford’s Tabita Gemini, eight-year-old 138cm mare by Hillin Sea Captain (dam by Jobanker Mystic Mint) €10,000.

Brian Duff’s BEC Time Out, six-year-old gelding by Quality Time (dam by Guidam) €10,000.

Noel Boyle’s Mullen Hill Quality, seven-year-old gelding by OBOS Quality (dam by Captain Carnute) €9,800.

GFW Sport Horses’ Master, five-year-old gelding by Master Rivie (dam by Gortfree Hero) €9,800.

T. Murray’s unnamed five-year-old mare by Kaiden Leva WD (dam by Ard VDL Douglas) €9,500.

ALTHOUGH not matching last year’s outstanding sale results, the recent April renewal at Cavan produced another strong set of returns. Dominated by performance stock, and driven largely by the commercial sector, the one-day edition closed with a very healthy clearance of 82% (78% in 2025). While two lots realised five figures over the course of the day, the absence of any outliers saw the average slip to €5,448 (€6,504).

Sale toppers

Attracting a creditable €10,000 apiece were Nuala Hartford’s 138cm jumping pony Tabita Gemini (Lot 3) and Brian Duff’s well-bred performer BEC Time Out (Lot 62). First up and appearing early in the day, Hartford’s offering fulfilled her pre-sale top billing, when knocked down to producer Peter O’Donovan. An eight-year-old chesnut mare, the attractive pony was by the Welsh section B stallion Hilin Sea Captain out of Tabita Mystery Lady by Jobanker Mystic Mink. A grade A performer with 221 SJI points, she was a former winner of the TRI Ulster Region Autumn Championships for six and seven-year-olds, as well as the Mullingar young pony series. “Having previously had an earlier sibling, we bought her as a two-year-old from Mary Dooner,” said the Lusk-based Hartford. “My daughter Alice has produced her throughout, but is now out of the age group. We have had super fun with her, she’s a real rosette machine.” Delighted with his purchase, O’Donovan commented: “She came well recommended to me and has a really good record. She is a real competition pony and, while we may campaign her a little, the aim is to sell her on, probably to the UK or Scandinavia.”

Several further decent prices were received during the day, but it was not until later in the session that Brian Duff’s BEC Time Out (Lot 62) garnered the remaining five-figure return at €10,000. Home-bred by Quality Time, the well-related six-year-old was out of B by Guidam, and is a half-brother to the American-based BEC Lorenzo (1.60m), as well as to BEC Romanov Take Two (1.35m) and BEC Omar (1.20m). Busy Finnish buyer Kika Sumio signed for this smart gelding, as well as for Joanne Leavy’s schoolmaster event horse Brownstown Sansa (Lot 34) at €9,000. The latter was a 10-year-old by Island Commander out of Raheen Pride VII (Prospect Pride) who, hailing from the traditional Irish Draught thoroughbred-cross bloodlines, had won three Eventing Ireland points, and had competed in the young event horse qualifiers, working hunter and showing classes. A regular buyer at the venue, Sumio divides her time between yards in both Finland and Gloucestershire, with the latter used purely for dressage. “We run a high-end equitation centre in Helsinki, and try to find good horses that our clients would like to ride,” she explained. “In England, however, I have my dressage horses, which are aimed at Grand Prix level.”

Noel Boyle's Mullen Hill Quality realised €9,800 at the Cavan April sale

Prominent lots

Another two lots sold well when changing hands at €9,800. The first of these was Noel Boyle’s seven-year-old Mullen Hill Quality (Lot 46), a gelding by OBOS Quality out of Dromolton Rose by Captain Carnute. The winner of 21 SJI points under Jack Geaney, the gelding had been with the Boyle family for just under two years. “He has a great temperament, has hunted with the Longford Harriers and is a good jumper,” commented the Longford-based vendor. “My daughter is now at college, so unfortunately he has not been in consistent work and was being wasted.” Show jumping producer Carl Dore accounted for this smart sort, while later in the day Burke Bloodstock paid the same for Glen Walker’s (GFW Sporthorses) Master (Lot 64), a traditionally-bred gelding by the Irish Draught sire Master Rivie (dam by Gortfree Hero). A five-year-old, he had hunted with the Ballymacad foxhounds, and competed in training shows. Never far from ringside, Burke Bloodstock also secured Thomas Murray’s unnamed five-year-old mare (Lot 75) by Kaiden Leva at €9,500. Home-bred, as was her dam Douglas The Great (Ard VDL Douglas), she had competed in training shows.

Completing a good day at the office, Kells vendor Glen Walker sold his potential maxi show cob Murdock (Lot 78) to British trader Matthew Pike for €9,000. Another pre-sale pick, the latter was a five-year-old gelding by Dunbeggan Grey Mist out of an unnamed dam by Dow Jones.

The trade maintained momentum throughout the day, and another to sell well at €9,200 was Anna Kennedy’s well-related KEC Fairy Wishes (Lot 84) by Conticco out of KEC Future Wishes (Future Trend). Out of a sister to Fernhill Wishes (CCI5*-L) and from the family of Caherwisheen (1.40m), she was secured by Lena Hermann.

Heading the five lots to change hands in the age group, the top four-year-old honours went to Keith Wilson, whose diminutive dun filly (Lot 92) was knocked down at €7,800. Well marketed prior to sale, she was snapped up online by American buyer Sarah Harty. One three-year-old changed hands at €2,700.