Sally Parkyn & Tara Dunne

A beautifully-produced daughter of the Westphalian registered stallion Passion (58) was easily the star performer at Cavan on Wednesday.

Heading a significantly divided trade at €8,400, Strawberry Passion looked a picture and, having jumped impressively under her vendor Shane Quinn, was knocked down to English show jumper Di Fairclough.

The six-year-old mare had been in the same ownership for the past two years, during which time she had clocked up 29 SJI points and been placed in both the Cavan and Millstreet age finals.

“We had heard about her beforehand and seen videos of her,” explained Fairclough, who signed on behalf of Alison Croft. “Alison has a 1.10m horse at home, so this one will run alongside side him, with the aim of moving up to 1.20m classes shortly.

“There is a good sterling rate at the moment, so we certainly felt that we got more for our money here than we would have done in England.”

Once she went on the market at €7,500, bids for the mare were rapid and the good return was a well-deserved one for her Co Mayo producer Quinn.

“She’s the most lovable, friendly mare and I’ve been lucky to have had the enjoyment out of her,” he said.

Later in the afternoon, Hertfordshire-based dealer John Whinnet added to his collection when snapping up Michael Meehan’s Noreway Harry (86) for €7,000. Appearing to be an astute purchase, the five-year-old showcased well under DJ O’Sullivan, who had also partnered him to fill third place in the Discovery final at Millstreet last year. The homebred gelding is by Hannibal van Overis Z out of the well related mare Noreway No Way (Courage), who is a sister to the show jumper Kilmullen Chairlux ridden by Holly Kenny.

“He looked a nice enough horse,” remarked Whinnet afterwards. “However, I do think that prices are expensive for the better ones, as the horses here so far this week are certainly not as nice as they could be.”

Whinnett’s comments were later justified, when only another three lots on Wednesday exceeded the €5,000 mark and just a further two made in excess of €4,000.

One to buck the trend was Jarlaith Bates traditionally-bred Chester (77), a five-year-old hunter by Silver Glider (dam by Golden Cliff). A pre-sales catalogue pick, the fully warranted gelding had hunted with the Ballymacad hounds and, standing at 178cms, looked a lot of horse for €5,800.

“We bought him for our tall, rugby-playing son Jamie,” commented the successful purchaser Debbie Temple, whose husband Brian is master of the Farmers Bloodhounds in Northamptonshire. “Jamie will use him to whip in, and in the summer I might pinch him to go showing.”

The day opened promisingly when the ponies produced not only a solid trade, but a healthy top price of €5,200.

Listed in the supplementary catalogue, Sandra McLoughlan’s sale topper was Balnashallog Diamond (21a), a five-year-old 148cms gelding by Castleside Carrig (dam by Seafield Silver).

Carrying a jumping record of 25 SJI points, the grey will now head for the event track in the hands of first-time Scottish visitor David Lawson.

“I thought he was a lovely model and stamp,” he said afterwards. “My wife will probably take the ride at first, but we do have four children so hopefully he will be with us for the long haul.”

Another from the supplementary sheet to sell well was Darren Ryan’s seven-year-old (34a) by Warrenstown U2 (dam by Clover Hill). The well-mannered gelding had been competed to 1.20m level by Co Waterford’s Mark O’Sullivan and was secured by an English cash buyer for €5,500.

Trade for the day’s younger age groups was disappointing, both in term of quality and prices achieved.

The home-bred Ardnacashel Ramiros Choice (96) by Ramiro B changed hands privately at €4,100 to head the four-year-old trade, while a son (127) of Womanizer (dam by Chillout) topped the three-year-old figures at €3,100.

Of the 162 horses catalogued for the opening day of the sale, 141 went through the ring and 85 were sold, giving a clearance rate of 60% (same as 2013) and an average price of €1,967 (€2,151 in 2013).

Thursday’s sport horse performance sale saw very little difference in trade comparing with 2013. A marginal decrease in the clearance rate was negated by a significant increase in prices with Thursday’s average price at €2,375 in comparison with only €1,880 in 2013.

While no animal came close to Wednesday’s top price, several made decent money in the ring and no doubt contributed to the higher average price. The top price of the sale came at the latter end of the day when a Ballymoney Park Stud owned four-year-old went under the hammer for €6,700.

WELL RELATED

By Jack of Diamonds, the bay gelding is exceptionally well related on its dam’s side. The four-year-old is out of the Cruising-sired mare Go Brath, a full sister to Mo Chroi a successful international campaigner with the Irish Army Equitation School and the two-star eventer Hilltop Cruiser.

The gelding was bought by Michael Kelly, who had also purchased two others on the day, Knightfield Ella, a five-year-old Luidam-sired mare at €2,700 and the five-year-old Mullagh Ciaran at €3,000.

Making money in the early stages of the day was the Bungowla Stables owned Trickin Around, which changed hands for €6,300 to D Healy. The nine-year-old Olympic Lux-sired gelding has accumulated 38 SJI points to date and jumped up to 1.35m level, contesting the Connaught Grand Prix league with Cian Melia while more recently placing third in a 1.30m at the Cavan Indoor Championships with Shane Goggins. Trickin around will now be competed by junior rider Nano Healy.

Athlone’s Jim Derwin accounted for a number of lots on Thursday. Catching his eye enough to warrant a price of €6,300 was Siobhan Dunne’s Dexter C.

By Hold Up Premier, the four-year-old gelding has been produced by Shane O’Reilly and is another to feature proven ability on his dam’s side. Dexter C is out of the Cruising-sired Leaving Cruise Mount who has already produced the 1.40m showjumper Condi.

The majority of notable returns had come earlier in the day with trade quieter for the three-year-olds, with only five lots selling in the ring. The top priced of these was Ballymoney Park Stud’s Heritage Fortunas-sired grey gelding, bought by Derwin for €4,500.

Speaking to the Irish Field after the sale Stuart Clarke said: “I did expect the sale to be a little stronger but overall the turnover is up which is good. It’s been a pretty active month and the whole thing is definitely improving so I’d be quite positive heading into the final sale of the year and into 2015.”

The registered Connemara sale was going ahead at the time of print with a full report to follow in next week’s edition.