LANDING the top honours of €32,000 and smashing records in the process, the 12.2hh jumping pony The Chaser was the star of the show at Goresbridge last week.
The diminutive performer was the standout lot in the inaugural sale of jumping ponies, a promising new addition which was incorporated in Friday’s successful sport horse renewal.
Defying the onslaught of Storm Darragh, the well-supported one-day edition proved to be among the strongest of the year, closing with an overall 74% (60% in 2023) clearance, together with an average of €5,955 (€4,322) and with 14 individuals realising in excess of five figures.
These figures peaked to a heady 92% and €6,312 in the four-year-old sector and, while the demand steadied in the final session of three-year-olds, a still satisfactory 67% of those on offer changed hands at an average of €3,570.
Reflecting on the recent trade and indeed that of the year as a whole, Ed Donohoe was understandably upbeat. “It’s been a fantastic year and we have a lot to look forward to in 2025,” he commented. “At the start of the year, the general feeling was that trade would be back, but as things have turned out it was anything but. Our entries have been significantly up over the course of the year and the trade, which culminated at last month’s Go For For Gold sale, has been unprecedented.”
Donohoe was also very positive about the feedback from Friday’s new pony show jumping sale which, sale topper aside, delivered a number of smart returns. “It was great to see so many children around the sales complex,” he added. “With that in mind and if the demand is there, we may run this sale as a standalone day, which will allow plenty of time for children to the try the ponies before buying.”
Top return
There have been plenty of good prices paid for jumping ponies at Goresbridge over the years, but in the smaller ranks, none has come close to matching the €32,000 paid for Cian Melia’s The Chaser, a six-year-old 128cm gelding by Gladiator out of Lady Gane (Gerry Got Talent).
An obvious pre-sales pick, this smashing performer had already competed in the six/seven-year-old class at the RDS this year and, eligible again next season, has a career total of 115 SJI points.
Sourced in Clifden last year, and beautifully produced by Melia’s 11 year-old cousin Tim Hawkins, he looked an ideal candidate to progress. “I saw this sale advertised and thought it was worth giving it a go,” said the vendor.
“I thought he would make a good price, but certainly not this much! I’m just glad it all worked out!”
The writing was on the wall, when both Tim Hawkins and British pony rider Conor Barnes gave The Chaser an impressive trial and, although Conor’s father Steve (Barnes) tried his hardest to secure the gelding, the hammer finally dropped in favour of Co Limerick’s Carl Dore.
“For me, he was the stand out today,” he said afterwards. “He has an impeccable record, and performed super. I have bought him on behalf of an Irish customer to compete next year. I thought this special sale was a very good idea and is the way forward.”
Older stock
With a 79% clearance and average of €6,575, demand for the older stock held up well. Both hunters and competition stock reaped good returns, among which was the €14,200 sale of Diarmuid Ryan’s British-bound Francis (Lot 98), a seven-year-old by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet out of the grade B jumping mare Miss Cruising Lux (Olympic Lux).
Described as easy in all respects, the Francis Connors-bred gelding had hunted, show jumped and competed in working hunter classes.
“He was well-produced and had x-rays,” remarked the Graiguenamanagh-based vendor. “There is great trade here for one you can stand over.”
Another with recent showing form was Jamie Smyth’s Austenaco (Lot 88), an attractive gelding by Orestus out of Castleside Y2K (Rimilis). Knocked down to a British online buyer at €13,500, the slowly produced six-year-old had racked up top three placings at both the RDS and Tattersalls this year.
Smyth sourced this eyecatcher as a three-year-old, buying him direct from his breeder, Eileen Carlin.
As one of the busiest vendors in the country, Co Clare’s Vincent Meaney will have been satisfied to realise €13,000 for his five-year-old mare Paddys Vivant (Lot 72). Bred by Jim Seymour, she was the subject of a lively exchange before Caron Nichols of European Sport Horses (UK) secured her at €13,000.
Four-year-olds
By far the strongest group in terms of clearance, and despite the worsening weather, the four-year-old trade was lively throughout. Three lots realised in excess of €10,000, the best of which at €18,000 was Tom Hearne’s Errigals Super Mario (Lot 149), a son of Sligo Candy Boy out of the jumping mare Errigals Little Gem (Cavaliere).
A recent purchase by Hearne, the Rosalind Collier-Hindley bred bay impressed a number of potential customers, before eventually selling to a British ‘Cash’ customer.
Lot 149, Errigals Super Mario, was sold for €18,000\ Sally Parkyn
Keith Wilson is another regular sale-topping vendor at the venue, and flying the traditional flag, his unnamed Irish Draught mare (Lot 131) by Knock Morris was secured by British-based trader Harvey Drea for €14,500. Bred by Michael English in Tipperary, this grey has been introduced to a variety of activities and was fully warranted in all respects.
At €13,000, the final five-figure return fell to Aedanair McCaughey’s striking coloured gelding Roundthorn Pilgrim (Lot 118) by Vittorio. Bought as a foal, and another to be prepped by Tom Hearne, the Patricia Connon-bred gelding, was secured online.
Three-year-olds
Despite running late into the evening, the three-year-olds delivered a number of notable returns. As expected, trade was inconsistent, but as always, it was good for the nice ones.
Two broke the five-figure barrier, the best of which at €14,000 was Aoife Dooley’s unnamed gelding (Lot 185) by Lucky Luck out of Madges Lane Karol (OBOS Quality). A real head-turner, with breeding going back to Master Imp, he was knocked down to Shane Shortall.
A few lots later, Co Wexford-based Victoire Von Schoen was at ringside to secure Pierce Doyle’s well-related Kilcoltrim Imperius (Lot 171) for €12,500. A home-bred son of Komme Casall, the chesnut was out of Cavimperius (Cavalier Royale) and, from an instantly recognisable family, is a half-brother to the British Nations Cup horse and Hickstead Derby specialist A Touch Imperious (1.60m), as well as to Kilcoltrim Blue.
Ponies
Rarely has the sale’s complex been so full of young pony riders and, as a result, business was strong in both the general sector and the special sale of registered jumping ponies.
Sale-topper aside, a further two lots realised €15,000, both belonging to the locally-based Aylward family. Beautifully presented, the two dun ponies (Lots 2 and 22) are by the family’s own unnamed but successful jumping stallion out of unrecorded mares.
Coppenagh Kansas (Lot 22) was sold for €15,000 at Goresbridge \ Sally Parkyn
First up, and sold online at the second time of asking, was the six-year-old mare Coppenagh Freya (Lot 2), who had been lightly produced through training shows. The similarly aged Coppenagh Kansas (Lot 22), had had the same production and, a sibling to €12,500 sale-topper back in September, was secured by Anne Marie O’Gorman, for her son Alex Owens to compete next year.
Top Sport Horse returns