A TURNOVER of close to €2 million and a superb clearance rate of 86% marked a “phenomenal” 15th renewal of the Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale this week, the first with Ed Donohoe at the helm.

Seventy-five of the 87 horses presented at Barnadown Showjumping on Monday and Tuesday sold under the hammer at the Amber Springs Hotel on Wednesday evening, or in a private sale afterwards, when the turnover totalled €1,886,500.

Five of those sales were completed after the event, the most significant being MBF Sporthorses’ three-year-old filly MBF Qatara who, unsold on the night at €31,000, was eventually secured by US event rider Erin Strader at €40,000. The top price overall was €57,000 (€87,000 in 2023) for Dermot Considine’s (Trade Horse Ltd) unnamed four-year-old gelding.

The four-year-olds were the strongest category, with 15 of the 17 horses sold (88% clearance) at an average price of €32,266.

“It was phenomenal,” Ed Donohoe told The Irish Field on Friday morning from Dublin Airport. “I am very proud of that clearance rate more than anything. It was 62% last year and the turnover is well up on last year too. It is not about the big fancy price, it’s about the clearance rate, because people need to sell their horses.

“The quality was up again this year; the selectors (Sally Parkyn, Chris Ryan, Nicky Roncoroni and Nick Gauntlett) did a brilliant job. People are coming from all over the world and they are spending their money, we are so satisfied by that.”

International interest

Among the list of international buyers (see full results on pages 100-101) are five-star riders and Olympians including Oliver Townend (GBR), Fiona Kashel (GBR), Max Warburton (GBR), Gaspard Maksud (FRA) and Karl Slezak (CAN). “All the ‘big lads’ were there and, if not in person, they were bidding online. A lot of people came to try horses earlier in the week and went home and bid online,” Donohue said.

Siobhan and Hannah Donohoe, Max Warburton, Steve Smith and Paul Donovan at the Go For Gold sale \ Thomas Doolin/Media Sports Photographer

“Luckily for us, people want to come to the Go For Gold. I was talking to Americans and they had heard of it in America, they were told it was the best sale in Europe; they are very wealthy people and they bought three horses.”

While there were a lot of horses to get through, which led to a long evening of selling, the atmosphere was buoyant at the Amber Springs on Wednesday, when the auction started at about 3.15pm. “It worked very well. We started the day with a drinks reception and gave some awards to a couple of breeders of Go For Gold graduates, like RCA Patron Saint [who was second at Badminton this year with Lucy Latta].

“We starting selling the riding horses at 3.15pm and took a break after that for dinner. It was a long day on people, but it was a celebration, an end of season party. Vendors had their best horses for sale, then they had a party afterwards,” Donohoe commented.

Fantastic year

The Gold For Gold Sale was advertised worldwide this year in Strzegom, Poland, Aston le Walls in England and Plantation Field in the USA, all of which paid off, according to Donohoe. Ed and his wife Siobhan took over the running of Goresbridge from Martin and Mary Frances Donohoe almost 12 months ago.

Asked how the first year has gone, Ed said: “It’s been fantastic, in fairness to Martin and Mary Frances, they had built very strong foundations, all I’m trying to do is continue that with some small tweaks here and there. There are loads of things happening, new sales, we are doing a bit more in the thoroughbred game.”

A noticeable difference is the level of content Goresbridge are putting out on social media, driven by Siobhan. “Siobhan has taken the social media to a new level all together, with regards to the content, and again that has paid off very handsomely. There is more awareness; Goresbridge is a huge brand, and it’s important to make sure it gets out there.”

See Margie’s McLoone report on the sale and full results on pages 100-101.