THE Irish Horse Centre (IHC), powered by the Mayo Roscommon Breeders’ Group (MRBG), will host Edition 7 of The Breeders’ Select Foal Sale Ireland, which is now a well-established flagship foal sale, run by the group for the first time in 2018.

PRO Patrick Hester states: “The 95 selected foals in Edition 7 have once again exceeded expectation, in terms of individual athleticism and damline performance, which reflects well on both the attention to the market and the sport demands, which Irish breeders are including in their breeding programmes. I also feel the strategy behind the foal sale is leading the breeders on the right track, which seemed like a challenging task back in 2018, when the sale began.”

Foals will be presented by vendors next Saturday, October 5th, at Glenamaddy Equestrian Centre, Co Galway, with the viewing of foals from 9am and the official opening of Edition 7 by Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice at 10.25am, before the sale commences at 10.30am sharp. All foals are now available for viewing online via The Irish Horse Centre’s auction platform (www.ihc.auction), which will accommodate live bidding and streaming.

The group aims to attract the international market via a worldwide social media campaign, promotion of its contract rearing and transport services and, most importantly, sustain its mission for ‘relationship selling’ with its loyal international customer base.

Keep paying it forward

The 2024 foal selection committee, which included William Green, Peter Leonard, Susan McDonald and Joseph O’Brien have concluded: “Without doubt, the best collection of foals we have ever seen in the history of the foal sale and the results of the MRBG/IHC’S motto of ‘keep paying it forward’ are now contained in Edition 7.

“The key metrics are the positive changes in the quality, performance and production of foals, which bodes well upon the key aspirations of MRBG and IHC to create a clear and transparent foal selection process, based on biomechanical performance traits to meet the demands of the market and the sport. We are also delighted with the online grading system the group has developed and we aim in the coming years to further develop the performance pedigree evaluation and feedback to breeders at selection days.”

Lot 62 at the The Breeders’ Select Foal Sale is this Ermitage Kalone colt foal

Sires

The foal sire line up is a rich array of both well-established national, continental and up and coming young stallions in the sport and breeding. The sale features some stunning lots that have market appeal to owners and producers of event and show jumping horses in the UK, Europe and America.

Edition 7 has them all, featuring globally successful performance sires, including world-renowned sires Aganix du Seigneur Z, Zirocco Blue, Tangelo de Zuuthoeve, Conthargos, SEIC Livello and Vivant to name just a few. The collection also boasts a strong contingent of foals for eventing, with solid eventing sires such as Master Imp, Cruising, Puissance and Cavalier Royale appearing in a high percentage of dam line pedigrees, which also boast some CCI4* performers.

€3,000 for event foal breeders

Demands from horse producers finding it increasingly challenging to find quality three and four-year-old young horses, have approached the group in recent years to source potential event horses at the foal stage. To promote event horse breeding, Horse Sport Ireland (HSI), via Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) funding for Breeding Grants Initiatives, have allocated €3,000 for breeders of event-bred foals present at Edition 7. Yet again, another initiative by the group which aims to guide and reward the breeder for their breeding endeavours, while meeting demands of the market.

Collaboration has also been made by the Group via the Irish Horse Board, who have funded the printing of the catalogue for Edition 7.

Lot 65 CSF Tango, a colt by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve

Standout individuals

Show jumping:

  • Lot 15 a bay filly by Nick Skelton’s Olympic legend Big Star from a Lux Z x Cruising dam who herself competed to 1.35m level with Kevin Mackey/Peter Smyth. The Cruising dam line contains many 1.60m and 1.50m performers such as River Foyle, 1.60m with Shane Carey and Lough Foyle, 1.50m with Capt Michael Kelly.
  • Lot 22 ‘CSF Olympic Spring’ a bay filly by the fashionable and commercial sire Hard Rock Z from the steeped in Irish performance damline of CSF Olympic Spirit by Flexible x Clover Hill boasts many 1.45m to 1.60m performers including CSF Olympic Lady 1.50m (Graham Gillespie) and Clarkes Ferro 1.60m (Dag Kingrod, Norway).
  • Lot 46 Unnamed colt by the highly sought after sire Aganix du Seigneur Z from the 1.35m performance mare Verona B with second, third and fourth dams promoting many 1.40m to 1.60m performers.
  • Lot 55 by the distinguished and impactful KWPN stallion Zirocco Blue, ‘Pretty Fly RF’ is a bay colt from the dam Cayenne by Cachus x Constant with a strong performance dam line, including the second dam performer Freestyle 39 1.6Om with Bruce Goodin (NZL), and the dam of the commercial sire Comthago1.50m with Hessel Hoekstra. Certainly one to watch.
  • Lot 62 a bay colt by the inspiring young Olympic sire of the future Ermitage Kalone. The second dam is from the family of 1.60m performer Monseigneur with Matt Archer (USA) and Hector AAD1.55m competitor in the sport with Alison Robitaille (USA). This lot will attract a crowd to ring side.
  • Lot 65 CSF Tango is a grey colt by the highly regarded Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve known for his exceptional jumping ability and strong pedigree and comes from an equally strong dam line with the second dam promoting top performers at1.30m to1.50m including CSF Royal Cruz and CSF Mr Kroon at 1.50m.

    • Eventing:

  • Lot 78 ‘Whitehorn on Point’ is a rare chesnut colt with a full Irish pedigree and performance by Pointilliste XX from Puissance Jewel by Puissance x Cruising. Both CCI5* and CCI4* performers appear in the second dam with Arklow Puissance CCI5* with Oliver Townend (GBR) and CCI4* Claragh Mountain with Michael Ryan (IRE).
  • Lot 81 is a bay filly by the Carmel Ryan-bred stallion Royal Concorde from the dam Lisbrogan Grace (Tyson), going back to the profilic event sire Hand In Glove XX. The second dam yet again is from the family of CCI5* Tregilder with Oliver Townend (GBR) and Tregaverne CCI4* performer with Samantha Hobbs (GBR).

    • For any enquiries, please contact the national and international sales team members, via the website and follow the Irish Horse Centre on Facebook and Instagram.

    Information

    National Sales Team:

    Noel Kilroy: +353 (0) 87 2528473

    Mark Hester: +353 (0) 86 3572200

    John Murphy: +353 (0) 87 4183382

    Official Opening Ceremony: 10.25am

    Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice

    International and Scandinavian Team:

    Stall Patrick Hester

    (Norway): +47 96 911705

    (Ireland): +353 (0) 86 0838056

    Web: www.ihc.auction

    IHC Office: 0906 643004

    Email: info@ihc.auction

    Follow us on Instagram: irishhorsecentre

    Facebook: Mayo Roscommon Breeders Group

    Dates and start times:

    Saturday, October 5th, 2024

    Viewing from: 9am

    Sale Starts: 10.30am