LAST weekend’s 2025 Connemara Pony Sales opener showed the market for well-bred and well-produced ponies is as buoyant as ever, with strong bidding giving this two-day renewal great energy.
With 458 entries and 383 through the ring, the clearance rate was an impressive 80%, up from 75% at the same sale last year.
While the top price, €12,200, was down on the February 2024 sale, when Falcon Jack (Ice and Fire D’Albran x Lady Kate) went for €13,600, there were six lots sold for very healthy five-figure sums.
The town of Clifden was flooded for the event, with some buyers making it a very successful weekend, including Hannah Taylor and Patrick O’Gorman who picked up 14 lots, Felix Burke who signed the docket on 13 and Gertie Tynan who purchased 11. The UK was where the majority of ponies leaving the country were bound for, with 78 heading across the ditch. 28 of the ponies sold last weekend are en route to Benelux countries, nine are off to Sweden, six to Germany, two each to Denmark and Poland and one each to the USA and Switzerland. 67 of the ponies sold went to online buyers.
Lot 113 Carraig Maximus and PJ Watson at the Clifden Pony Sales last weekend \ Rynes Walker
“We are delighted with how the year has started off,” Ann de Courcy, manager of the sales, said. “The first morning kicked off with the second lot fetching €11,000, which was setting the bar nice and high. We had such a big selection of riding ponies on the Saturday and there was an exceptional clearance on them, which speaks volumes.
“We’re always a little bit apprehensive in February, when we have the first sale of the year in the country, but the vendors certainly were pleased. There was no shortage of buyers and online bidding was particularly strong.
“What we found was that, after a pony went on the market, they travelled on quite well in price. In a bad market, they don’t go any further, but we found that for pretty much every lot that went on the market, they moved on €1,000 to €2,000.
“At the end of the sale on Saturday, we had a lot of half-breeds in, and a few cobs, and they made very strong money. People hung on to the very end, nearly nine o’clock at night, to bid for them and they all sold, every single one of them, which was excellent.
“On Saturday, we also held a minute’s silence for our head yard man of over 30 years, Joe McCann, who passed away recently. He was a huge loss to us. He was extremely popular, very obliging and helpful. He was the face of the yard. Everybody was asking about him and, considering the number of people who travelled from every county in Ireland to come to the funeral, or the removal, that is testament to his popularity. We will certainly miss him in the yard.
“Our next sale will be a one-day in April, unless it extends, and a three-day in May and we are looking forward to that, we feel it will be a strong year.”
Lot 368, Tumbleweed, became the highest priced unbroken three-year-old, and the highest priced pony on the Sunday of the February Clifden Pony Sales making €6,000 \ Rynes Walker
Sale-topper
Claiming the top price of €12,200 was lot 141, Meala, a five-year-old mare by King of Sagura out of Doe Daffodil (Kirrin Malachi). This 153cm grey was consigned by Mark Heslin and was described as having hunted, competed at training shows and schooled cross-country. She was purchased online by German buyer, Carolin Huckmann.
“We bought three, a mare and two geldings,” Huckmann said. “I think we will keep the mare for both myself and my children to compete and we will sell on the others. My daughter is 11 and we love Connemara ponies, we will use her for dressage and show jumping.
“I think there is a better selection of good quality ponies available at the Clifden sales than here and the prices are better than some years ago, so it’s better for reselling in Germany. A few years ago, it was impossible to import ponies, because the resale price wasn’t worth it, but now it’s better. They are so easy and calm and not complicated, they are very popular in Germany.”
Lot 145 waiting to go through the ring at the Clifden Pony Sales \ Rynes Walker
Jason Sweeney signed the docket for the second highest-priced pony, lot 148, Fidelma Curran’s Galtee Francis, a 14.2hh grey seven-year-old gelding by Kinvara Boy out of Leam Silver Rose (I Love You Melody), who went for €11,400. Described as a “real competition pony for the future” with 12 SJI points, this pony had schooled cross-country and hunted on two occasions.
Getting things off to a great start on Saturday morning was lot 2, J Naughton’s Bullaun Bobby, who went to New York buyer, Ian Michaels, for €11,000. This 161cm five-year-old grey gelding by Caherlistrane Fred out of Clover Hill Beauty (Monaghanstown Boy) was described as a traditional-boned Connemara, who has hunted with the Galway Blazers and done show jumping, cross-country and beach rides.
The fourth highest price was fetched by lot 22, Martin O’Sullivan’s Droumleap Blue Knight, a 15.2hh grey four-year-old gelding by Glencarrig Knight out of Active Beauty (Robe Earl). Described as “broken and riding very well, schooling a small track of fences and cross-country”, he was sold to Ciaran O’Neill for €10,800.
UK buyer Abigail Allen went to €10,400 for lot 53, John Gaynor’s Mochulla Rambler, a 157cm grey four-year-old gelding by the show jumping sire Danesfield Prince out of Tulla May Flower (Laerkens Cascade Dawn). He was marketed as a top event/working hunter prospect, with “a huge future ahead of him in the ring”.
The last of the five-figure ponies was lot 149, Martin Curran’s Abbeyside Durston, a six-year-old 15.2hh grey gelding by Glencarrig Sparrow out of Brooklawn Beauty (Laerkens Cascade Dawn). Patrick O’Gorman signed the docket on this smart individual for €10,000.
Topping the four-figure lots was the seventh highest-priced pony, lot 223, an unnamed half-bred four-year-old dun gelding by Loughmorne Mickey out of Shes got the Lux (Clover Hill, ISH). He was consigned by Dean Nugent and was sold to Padraic Quinn for €9,800.
The eighth highest-priced pony was lot 70, Rathcline Golden Star. This seven-year-old 151cm dun gelding is by Moyvoon Star out of Rathcline Lady Madonna (Western Star). Consigned by the Diamond family of Renvyle, he was described as a “lovely placid gelding, with the most fabulous temperament, professionally schooled, well-established flatwork and has jumped up to 1.10m”. He was sold to Patrick O’Gorman for €9,500.
Lot 191, Presto, also fetched €9,500. This 15.1hh grey five-year-old gelding by Annaghdown Island out of Watts Lady (Glencarrig Prince) was listed by consignor Conor Little as a potential performance working hunter/eventer, jumping up to 1m with ease, and went to Ciaran O’Neill.
Rounding out the top 10 was lot 232, Fintan, a four-year-old gelding by Fintan Himself (RID) out of Corlisheen Princess (RID). Consigned by Hannah Eakins and sold to Padraic Quinn this Irish Draught was described as very honest, brought on slowly and schooled over coloured poles and some cross-country.
Swanview Silver Doller at the Clifden Pony Sales last weekend \ Rynes Walker
Yearlings
Some very strong breeding appeared among the five top-priced yearlings sold on Sunday.
The topper here was lot 305, Ballinlame Ace of Hearts, a dun colt by Rocklawn Hercules out of Ruby B, with back-breeding including Westside Mirah and Silver Shadow. This yearling, consigned by Robert Coneys, was sold to Michelle Gilligan for €2,600.
Lot 274, Curryroe Pumkins Diamond, was the first of four yearlings to fetch €2,000. By Grade A jumping stallion Pumkins Pondi out of Curryroe Millrace Diamond (Garryhinch Millrace), this filly was consigned by Caoimhe Duffy and was sold to Ernest Crawford.
Lot 304, Aughnakeeragh Mr Fred, PJ McMonagle’s colt by Canal Fred out of Aughnakeeragh Dorothy (Oscar Liath), who boasts Banks Timber as a grandsire, also attracted €2,000 from Jane Kinsella.
Ballyconneely local, Pat O’Neill, also sold his lot 333, Illaunurra Oisín, a flashy colt by Ice and Fire D’Albran out of Illaunurra Molly (Castleside JJ Junior) to Hazel O’Flynn for €2,000. Noel Brett’s Lot 375, Corclough Charlie, a colt by Lisroe Charlie out of Corclough Rua, also went for €2,000 to Fiona Cork of the UK.