THE final fixture of the Connemara Pony Sales for the year 2024 took place over three days last weekend in the western town of Clifden, where trade held strong. Despite not breaking the five-figure mark, the top price of €9,600 was just slightly back on last year (€10,500), while the clearance rate improved to a pleasing 73% (68% in 2023).
Commenting on the sale, Connemara Pony Sales’ manager Ann de Courcey said: “It was the first time ever having a three-day sale in December. We were very happy on Friday, there were some very nice older ponies, great demand and some good prices.
“The younger stock was harder to sell on Saturday. There wasn’t as much demand and, except for the really nice ones, the average stock were only making average money.
“On Sunday, we had a full entry of foals; some were a carry over from the October sale, when we couldn’t accommodate them all. Trade was better; there was plenty of demand for nice foals.”
On the year in general, de Courcey added: “It was a good year. We had 18 days of sales, great clearance rates and a lot of interest coming from abroad. The UK is still the biggest market and we see more and more buyers coming to Clifden, as well as growing online activity.
“The plan for 2025 will follow this year, with the same number of sales and we will be making some more improvements to the sales yard. We are very pleased and appreciate all the customers and all those who entrusted us to sell their ponies.”
Sale topper
The top price went the way of Ava McKenna’s six-year-old grey gelding Moonlight Mac (Lot 117) on Friday afternoon. By Knightbridge Prince, the gelding was described as “extremely talented” and has clocked up plenty of success to date in the show ring. Signing the docket was Padraic Quinn.
The next best price was €8,400 for the four-year-old gelding Furnish Finn, by Inis Sle Quattroporte. Consigned to the sale by Brendan Newell and purchased by regular Clifden buyers, Patrick O’Gorman and Hannah Taylor, the gelding has been successfully shown in hand and, as a three-year-old, won the Irish Shows Association and Horse Sport Ireland two/three-year-old Show Hunter Pony Challenge Championship at Ballygarvan Show in Co Cork.
He was also champion pony at the 2023 Ballinasloe Fair. Now under saddle, he has been to shows, as well as hunted with the Galway Blazers, and is ready to go on.
O’Gorman signed for eight lots in total, including the third highest priced in Illane Apple (Lot 87), a five-year-old by Ardgaineen Rebel, at €8,300. This striking dun, presented to the sale by Ronan Curram, was described as an all-rounder.
O’Gorman paid the same price for Lot 143, the 15.3hh palomino cob Mossy McGuire from his breeder, Brendan Noone. Later advertised via Facebook by O’Gorman’s partner Hannah Taylor, she said he was “just fabulous, beautifully put together with an amazing temperament”.
The pair rounded out the top five highest prices by paying €8,000 for the Caherlistrane Bay gelding Bilberry (Lot 102). The five-year-old bay is home-bred by consigner Jennifer McManamon and has competed at dressage, eventing and jumping training shows.
The two highest priced mares of the sale both made €7,000. The first was Lot 68, Silver Tara, by Silver Shadow out of the mare Cascade Tara (Laerkens Cascade Dawn). She was consigned by Michael McGuire and purchased by regular buyer Niall Daly. Making the same price was Emily Kelsey’s four-year-old Princess Scally (Lot 152), by Lightening Star, sold to Patrick O’Gorman.
Martin Keaney's Lot 423 Murvey Sloane (Silver Shadow - Castlelambert Melody) was the top priced foal when sold for €3,800 \ Rynes Walker
Foals
The top priced foal was also slightly back on the 2023 figure (€4,400), but the market held its own, with five foals making in excess of €3,000. The top price was €3,800 for Martin Keaney’s Silver Shadow-sired filly Murvey Sloane, who is out of the mare Castlelambert Melody (I Love You Melody). She was knocked down to Karol Scollon.
The best priced colt foal was Marie Jennings’ Lot 568 Ballgarris Armani (by Menlo Sparrow), sold to Kevin Reilly for €3,600. Reilly also signed for Jonathan Egan’s colt Cloonlough Barney (Lot 591, by Bog Mac Bobby, at €3,100.
Another good price for Jennings was the filly foal Ballygarris Lady Pondi (by Pumkins Pondi), who was sold to Mike Deeley for €3,500.
Heading for the UK is PJ Watson’s Rosscon King Rogaire, a colt by Rogaire Na Locha out of the show-winning mare Rosscon Hazy Mist. He was sold online to Emilie Bagnell for €3,000.
PJ Watson's Lot 383, Rosscon King Rogaire, made the highest priced foal of Saturday at the Clifden Pony Sales when sold for €3,000 \ Rynes Walker
Top returns
Ponies
Foals