Isabel Hurley

SOME 478 ponies changed hands at Clifden’s three-day pony sales held last weekend with lively trade for the better quality lots resulting in a top price of €5,100.

There were 710 ponies catalogued and some 645 passed through the ring at the Connemara Pony Sales auction house. Some 85 ponies of all ages were sold overseas with the largest number (29) sold to French buyers, followed closely by British buyers who accounted for 22 lots with Dutch buyers splashing out for 17 ponies.

Saturday’s sale of broken and ridden ponies, along with some unbroken geldings and a number of yearlings colts, produced the sale-topper, a five-year-old 148cms dun gelding, bought by T. Hamilton from Britain.

Another British buyer paid €4,500 for an unbroken grey three-year-old gelding. Sales manager Padraic Heanue commented: “The general price for broken and ridden geldings was from €1,500 to €2,750 while broken and ridden mares fetched from €1,250 to €3,500. Unbroken geldings varied a lot in price depending on colour, height etc, fetching in the area of €1,500 while a handful of yearling colts were on sale and ranged in price from €300 to €1,000.”

DEMAND

Day two (Sunday) was the day for foals with the top price lot a €2,000 filly foal, sold by Charlie Hughes from Westport in Co Mayo and purchased by Sarah Jacob from Co Laois. The highest price colt foal sold was €1,700 for a dun colt foal, bought by a British buyer.

“Colt foals were well in demand and especially if they were dun in colour. The prices for colt foals averaged at €875 while filly foals were up on previous years, ranging in price from €300 to €2,000,’’ added Heanue.

Monday’s sale featured more foals as well as in-foal mares and young fillies aged from yearlings upwards. “Trade here was slow to start but did get going with nice three-year-old fillies selling from €800 to a top price paid for a three-year-old filly of €1,600. Overall, it was a good clearance all round. Connemara Pony Sales were happy with the high number of ponies sold overseas during the three days, with 22 to Britain, 29 to France, 17 to Holland, 15 to Belgium and two to Switzerland. The next sale of Connemara ponies takes place in Clifden on Saturday, February 20th 2016,” said Heanue.