WITH over 70% clearance, there was a good buzz around as quality stock and plenty of buyers contributed to a vibrant market throughout the session of Horse and Pony Sales at Mullingar Equestrian Centre last Saturday.

The top price of the session of €6,900 was paid by Co Meath’s Trade Horse Ltd for (Lot 54), Hugh Fitzpatrick’s Erne Flamenco (Flamenco Erne Clover Eile). The handsome brown 17.3hh gelding has competed in showjumping up to 1.10m and is from the Clover Hill family. His grandsire competed successfully to grade A level in show jumping.

Trade Horse also paid €4,300 for Louis Doyle’s nice quality five-year-old Queens Daughter (Porsch-Kilmessan Queen) (Lot 59) who has been show jumping and hunting with both the Meath Hunt and Ward Union Staghounds.

There was considerable interest in Peter Gorman’s skewbald mare Lovely Lee (Lot 68) who was knocked down to Athlone dealer Jim Derwin for € 5,000.

Derwin was busy all day buying a total of 13 lots including €4,600 for Kerry Taggart’s four-year-old gelding by Future Trend and Kyms Fancy (Lot 52).

Gay Parkenson’s six-year-old bay gelding Carlton Cocoa (Lot 73) looked good value at €2,900. Buyer Niamh Reilly from Westport said: “I am so happy to get this one especially as he has all-round experience.”

The same vendor sold her Connemara mare Knockma Amber (Castleside Tigue - Lucy Boots) (Lot 24) for €2,000 and the black gelding Corner House Joey (Lot 30) (Corrib Prince-Headford Star) for €2,200, both went to the final bid of Jim Derwin.

Pat McGree sold the beautifully bred grey Connemara mare Slieve Bloom Dorris (Brock Lodge Buster-Slieve Bloom Gail) (Lot 34) on the bid of €3,299 from Niall Daly.

The first sale of the day was for €3,100 paid by J. Lynch for Phelim Comey’s grey 128cm gelding Dashing Mervin (Lot 4), who has 203 SJI points and good experience on the hunting field.

GOOD BARGAIN

Miley Cash got a bargain when he paid €700 for the well-bred Connemara mare Abbeylands Carlita (Carrig Thunder-Moy Cullen Rose by Abbeyleix Owen) (Lot 14), owned by Co Meath’s Genia de Souza.

Felix Burke from Sligo was busy all day and he secured five lots including Gerard Clarke’s bay nine-year-old mare Affic Melody (Jacksons Drift (USA) Affic Queen), knocked down at €1,400.

Kerry Taggart sold a nice dun mare (Lot 40A) broken, riding and showing potential over a fence for €3,100 which was purchased by Ciara O’Connor.

Anthony Quinn realised €1,700 for his skewbald 148cm gelding Shaqiri (Lot 31) and buyer Richard Fitzgerald certainly got a lovely all-round performer.

The Mullingar Equestrian team are looking forward to the visit of buyers from The Netherlands Police Force on Tuesday next April 16th. The Dutch police are seeking suitable horses, preferably Irish-bred for their mounted fleet. It promises to be an interesting new and exciting venture.