CARLOW Farmers’ whipper-in and farrier Jodie Skelton and his veterinary surgeon wife Emma Hosey were absolutely delighted with the €47,000 they received for the athletic and well-balanced Borris Two Point Oh (Lot 13) at this week’s Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale.

The Borris-based couple purchased the now four-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding as a foal at Goresbridge from his Co Laois breeder, Colm Delaney. The bay, by Pointilliste out of the Mullentine Cavalier mare Clonin Princess, was purchased by Britain’s Vicki Irlam and will be campaigned by Emily King. The latter rode the horse at Barnadown but her partner, Sam Ecroyd, who also competes for Irlam, came over to Ireland to try him before the sale.

“Emma broke this fellow at the back end of last year,” Skelton told the Irish Horse World. “She has brought him along slowly doing a few unaffiliated events and a bit of show jumping, certainly not killing him. He was a proper foal and we think he is the real deal. It was great to see him go to such a good home, where he will be given every chance to realise his potential. While we were being realistic (the horse went on the market at €28,000), we quietly hoped that he would make a good bit of money.”

The Co Limerick operation Bulimba Sport Horses received €35,000 from the US- based MJ Equestrian for Bulimba Edition Uno (Lot 10), an ISH gelding who has jumped at 1.10m level with D.J. O’Sullivan. A four-year-old by Van Gogh, the grey was bred in Co Monaghan by Paul Flanagan out of the Cruising mare Leestone Key To Cruising, a half-sister to the Tlaloc M/Dollar Dela Pierre gelding Mullentine Loughgall (1.50m) and to the Mylord Carthago mare Leestone Mylord Trumps (1.45m).

The USA’s Tara Richardson went to €38,000 to secure another four-year-old grey ISH gelding, Sundaysession (Lot 18), who was put on the market at €28,000 by consigner Alice Griffin. By Phil vd Wezelse Heihoeve, he was bred in Co Galway by Frank Creaven out of the Aldatus Z mare Rosslodge Pearl, whose previous produce include the KEC Maximum Joe gelding KEC City Limits (1.50m). This is the family of Hildare Amun Ra (CCI4*-S).

Star power

The recent MARS Maryland CCI5*-L winner Austin O’Connor, whose presence in the sales room was marked by a round of applause, made a number of purchases, starting with Urbalreagh Limelight (Lot 5) who he secured for €24,000. A four-year-old ISH gelding by Echonix, this chesnut was consigned by James Connors-Smyth, who jumped him at seven affiliated shows this season, twice at 1.10m level.

Bred in Co Tyrone by Peter Smyth, Urbalreagh Limelight is out of the Limmerick mare Wellan Limelight (EI115), a half-sister to the Grafenstolz mare Wellan Graffiti (CCI4*-L) and to the Mermus R mare Wellan Summertime (CCI3*-L). This is also the family of one of the stalwarts of the Irish eventing scene Magennis (CCI5*-L), who has only recently retired from top level competition, Tullybee Holly Golightly (CCI4*-S) and the Grand Prix dressage mare Sambuca, who Heike Holstein competed at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

O’Connor gave €37,000 for Equine Evolve and Arion Ltd’s Kilim de la Vigne (Lot 25), a three-year-old bay Selle Francais gelding by Jarnac out of the Gentleman Platiere mare Native de la Vigne (CCI3*-L), dam previously of the Black Jack 175 gelding Black Pearl Z (CCI4*-S) and a half-sister to the Desir du Chateau gelding Oregon de la Vigne (CCI5*-L). This is also the family of Vinci de la Vigne (who finished fourth for Japan at the Tokyo Olympics) and Elipso de la Vigne (CCI4*-L).