ALMOST €2.5 million worth of Irish-bred and Irish-produced horses changed hands this week during the two Goresbridge flagship sales, the Supreme Sale of Showjumpers and the Go for Gold event horse sale.

Buyers from Canada, America, Britain and Europe descended on Barnadown for the two sales, which were held in quick succession on Tuesday and Wednesday night.

Goresbridge’s Martin Donohoe expressed delight with the results of both sales. “There was a very lively buzz for both nights of the sales. Many horses have been sold to America.

“We advertised and promoted both sales extensively and undertook a few overseas trips to meet prospective clients. A lot of people put a lot of effort including our whole team at Goresbridge, Ronan Rothwell and the Irish Breeders Classic team, the vendors of course and the riders who got behind it.

“It was no mean feat for the sale-topper of the Supreme (showjumping) to sell for almost half a million euros. While the show jumping sale is very much in its infancy, we believe it will continue to grow and has a huge future. It’s a matter of getting the high profile horse from owners who entrust us with getting the best possible price for them.”

Topping the show jumping sale was Nickoletta E, the five-star Grand Prix mare owned by brothers Cameron and Carl Hanley. She was snapped up by Michael Kearins for €460,000.

The mare by Nintender (KWPN) out of Lady Capriola was produced by Cameron and Carl from the age of six and was placed in the 1.50m JLT Dublin Stakes at the RDS in July.

The next highest price of the night was paid for the reigning six-year-old world champion Killossery Kaiden (Lot 112) who was sold for €270,000.

US buyer Adrienne Dixon signed the docket for the Irish Sport Horse by Lux Z (HANN) out of Killossery Kruisette (ISH), by Cruising (ISH). The Lanaken winner produced the only double clear of the Lanaken final for his owners John Kearney and Hugh Martin of KM Sport Horses under rider Ger O’Neill.

Dixon also paid €130,000 for Lot 119, J’Adore Flamenco. The grey gelding by Je T’Aime Flamenco out of Conafino Z (by Corofino) was the only four-year-old in the sale. A multiple winner of age classes in Britain, he was sold by Greg Broderick and Bill Twomey.

Dixon is currently training with Broderick at Ballypatrick Stables and the Thurles yard featured in multiple deals on the night.

Canadian Lee Kruger paid €80,000 for Matthew Birch’s Mise Le Meas, successfully campaigned by John Floody. Another Broderick client, Californian Molly Tracy, paid €64,000 for the Jason Higgins three-year-old I’m Special LVS Z (Lot 120) and €42,000 for Shane Hanley’s CSF Sir George, a gelding by Sir Shutterfly.

Irish-based rider Nicola FitzGibbon was the highest bidder on Kieran Kennedy’s Irish Sport Horse gelding Focus Vendi KBS (Lot 113), a six-year-old by Ard Vivendi. FitzGibbon paid €100,000 to take him home.

Oldtown Isle, a colt foal by Emerald van’t Ruytershof out of Oldtown Katie was sold to raise funds for the Gavin Glynn Foundation and it was Greg Broderick who dug deep to secure him at €25,000. In all, some 17 horses, including a foal and two embryos, were sold for €1,396,500 at the Supreme Sale of Showjumpers.

On Wednesday night, six-year-old Cornascriebe Glenpatrick stole the show as he set a new record price for the Goresbridge Go For Gold.

Knocked down for €160,000, the Womanizer gelding sold for almost double the price of the 2015 top-priced lot, Gorsehill Pearl, who made €85,000.

Being sold to dissolve a partnership, the Glenpatrick Stables gelding was one of just three horses selected to represent Ireland in the CCI* for six-year-olds at Le Lion d’Angers, finishing 11th under Harold Megahey.

Young British eventing enthusiast Ellie Guy is his new owner and she also bought Lot 19, Brian Flynn and Meabh Bolger’s Rehy MBF, paying €27,000 for the four-year-old by Rehy High Society.Guy runs her horses with Millie Dumas and also owns the Irish-breds Ard Cluedo, Gortglas Earl Grey and Baile Dare.

Martin Donohoe commented on the Go For Gold Sale: “The results show we can sell horses with form very strongly at this sale. €160,000 for a six-year-old eventer is a whopping price. Looking ahead, we are looking for horses with form behind them from next year’s Le Lion d’Angers for example. While we were not able to get Lougheries Quiet Man sold at €140,000, his age was a little against him but he looked super and there is not a scratch on him on his vet cert.

“Rafael Sanctuary was a very active buyer throughout, picking up quite a few horses. Our clearance rate was 77%, it was down a little from last year’s 85% but the effect of Brexit is hard to measure. Most of the vendors went away very satisfied,” he added.

Clare Abbott’s Rio 2016 and WEG 2014 partner Euro Prince opened the bidding at Barnadown and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse was being offered for sale by his owner/breeders John and Cormac McKay.

The Lougheries Quiet Man gelding was bid up to €140,000 but this was not enough to tempt his Northern Ireland owners and he remained unsold.

The second highest price of the night was paid for Lot 1, Rory Costigan’s seven-year-old Loughnavatta Cedar, the regular mount of Olympian Camilla Speirs. The Luidam bay was knocked down for €70,000 by Wexford-based Rafael Sanctuary.

Sanctuary also bought the four-year-old MBF Mandino, a former Dublin loose jumping winner by Numero Uno, for €45,000 and he paid €28,000 for John Widger’s four-year-old by KEC Maximum Joe, Poynstown Stonehaven.

Britain’s Oliver Townend paid €31,000 for M Walters’ three-year-old by Gemini CL, one of two clone stallions of the legendary Gem Twist, while another three-year-old, MBF Take Two, was sold by Brian Flynn and Meabh Bolger to Kraig Joseph for €32,000.

In all 51 horses sold at the Go for Gold sale for a total of €1,049,250.

Turn to pages A64-67 for Margie McLoone’s full sale reports and analysis.