Having kicked off strongly in the spring and closing with a flourish earlier in November, it’s clear that the sport horse sales have delivered a remarkably robust year overall.
It finished on a high note, with the specialist sales producing some outstanding results and reaffirming both the depth of talent in the Irish sport horse industry and the confidence of an increasingly international market.
Not to be dismissed, the demand for quiet riding horses has never been stronger. At both Cavan and Goresbridge, trade for these fully warranted individuals has been unprecedented with destinations falling equally between the trade and private sector.
While the positives clearly outweigh the negatives, the year has not all been plain sailing. The market for foals (specialist sales aside) have remained two-tier, and although the figures are not alarmingly lower than those of 12 months ago, it is more unsettling to note that they remain very much in line with those from a decade ago. Despite the major shift in breeding trends over the past 10 years and the improving pedigrees, the bottom end of the market is still uneconomical.
Top returns of autumn 2025
Specialist salesMonbeg Sport Horses’ Monbeg Monaco, 4-year-old gelding by Malcomme P (dam by Emir R) €90,000 (Goresbridge Go For Gold).
RC Equine’s Milchem Giovanni, 4-year-old gelding by Tyson (dam by Silvano) €80,000 (Goresbridge Go For Gold).
MBF Sport Horses’ MBF Shadow, 3-year-old gelding by Mees VD Watermolen (dam by Hooagan de Rosyle) €60,000 (Goresbridge Go For Gold).
In the countryTomas Doyle’s Monbeg Popcorn, 4-year-old gelding by Tullabeg Fusion (dam by Zagreb) €33,000 (Goresbridge October).
Catherine Jackson Garrett’s Unnamed, 5-year-old mare by Glasgow Van’t Merelsnest (dam by Sandro Boy) €21,000 (Goresbridge September).
David Harrison’s Mosstown Milseain, 5-year-old gelding by Sligo Candy Boy (dam unrecorded) €20,000 (Goresbridge October).
The year’s sale topper
Topping the autumn sales by a distance and indeed the entire year was Tomas Doyle’s 4-year-old gelding Monbeg Monaco. The eye-catching grey realised a phenomenal €90,000 at a lively Goresbridge Go For Gold sale in November, and having been snapped up by British event horse owner Ian Barrett, is now destined to compete in England. Beautifully produced, the Dutch-bred gelding was by Malcomme P (AES) out of the Holstein mare Mutiezia (KWPN) by Emir R.
In the country The Co Wexford based husband and wife team of Marti Rudd and Tomas Doyle not only dominated the returns at the Go For Gold sale but they also landed the best price in the country when the aptly named Monbeg Popcorn realised €33,000 at Goresbridge in October. The dun, which garnered around 700,000 views on social media, astounded potential buyers when having opened at €20,000, was finally secured by a British eventing customer.
Declan Fegan's colt foal Berkleys Touch Of Sol realised €46,000 at the Cavan Elite Foal Sales. \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net
Foals
Specialist sales Declan Fegan’s Berkleys Touch Of Sol, colt foal by United Touch S (dam by Come On) €46,000 (Cavan Elite Sales).
Declan Phelan’s Unnamed, filly foal by Emerald Van’t Zuuthoeve (dam by Sheyenne de Baugy) €31,000 (Cavan Elite Sales).
JP Finlay’s Cushlas, filly foal by United Touch S (dam by Apache d’Adriers) €27,000 (Cavan Elite Sales).
Sale topper
Topping a glittering night at Cavan in August and breaking sale records in the process, Declan Fegan’s Berkleys Touch of Sol headed the elite foal sale at €47,000. Always a stand out, Declan Fegan’s sale topper was a colt foal by the highly regarded United Touch S out of Solara (Come On). A well-related sibling to the Eric Lamaze ridden Chacco Kid (1.60m) as well as to Fiona (1.30m) he was secured by Brian Cash on behalf of American customer and international rider Audrey Schulzer.
In the country Ballyv Stables’ Ballyv Ernie, colt foal by Ermitage Kalone (dam by Taloubet Z) €14,000 (Goresbridge October).
Anna Dillon’s AKD Phoenix, filly foal by Aganix du Seigneur (dam by Chacoon Blue) €11,000 (Goresbridge October).
Isabel Kenny’s Mo Chara Kalone, colt foal by Ermitage Kalone (dam by Berlin) €10,000 (Goresbridge October).
M Cummins’s Brockaghfield Conrad, colt foal by Conthargos (dam by Cassini 2) €10,000 (Cavan September).
Selling for €14,000 at Goresbridge in October was Ballyv Stables’ Ballyv Ernie, a beautifully bred colt by the popular Ermitage Kalone. A late-July foal, he was the first natural progeny out of the imported 5-year-old mare Tagine SA and as the subject of a competitive bidding exchange, was eventually secured by Ted Donohoe on behalf of Robert Kent, father of junior show jumping gold medalist, Jack.
Ponies
The demand for good ponies has been buoyant throughout the year. The sale houses of Clifden, Cavan and Goresbridge have all enjoyed a flying trade with the top autumn honours appearing at the Clifden October sale where Stephen Fay’s 5- year-old Class1 stallion Inbhear Hugo (by Glencarrig Knight) realised €13,000.
Having kicked off strongly in the spring and closing with a flourish earlier in November, it’s clear that the sport horse sales have delivered a remarkably robust year overall.
It finished on a high note, with the specialist sales producing some outstanding results and reaffirming both the depth of talent in the Irish sport horse industry and the confidence of an increasingly international market.
Not to be dismissed, the demand for quiet riding horses has never been stronger. At both Cavan and Goresbridge, trade for these fully warranted individuals has been unprecedented with destinations falling equally between the trade and private sector.
While the positives clearly outweigh the negatives, the year has not all been plain sailing. The market for foals (specialist sales aside) have remained two-tier, and although the figures are not alarmingly lower than those of 12 months ago, it is more unsettling to note that they remain very much in line with those from a decade ago. Despite the major shift in breeding trends over the past 10 years and the improving pedigrees, the bottom end of the market is still uneconomical.
Top returns of autumn 2025
Specialist salesMonbeg Sport Horses’ Monbeg Monaco, 4-year-old gelding by Malcomme P (dam by Emir R) €90,000 (Goresbridge Go For Gold).
RC Equine’s Milchem Giovanni, 4-year-old gelding by Tyson (dam by Silvano) €80,000 (Goresbridge Go For Gold).
MBF Sport Horses’ MBF Shadow, 3-year-old gelding by Mees VD Watermolen (dam by Hooagan de Rosyle) €60,000 (Goresbridge Go For Gold).
In the countryTomas Doyle’s Monbeg Popcorn, 4-year-old gelding by Tullabeg Fusion (dam by Zagreb) €33,000 (Goresbridge October).
Catherine Jackson Garrett’s Unnamed, 5-year-old mare by Glasgow Van’t Merelsnest (dam by Sandro Boy) €21,000 (Goresbridge September).
David Harrison’s Mosstown Milseain, 5-year-old gelding by Sligo Candy Boy (dam unrecorded) €20,000 (Goresbridge October).
The year’s sale topper
Topping the autumn sales by a distance and indeed the entire year was Tomas Doyle’s 4-year-old gelding Monbeg Monaco. The eye-catching grey realised a phenomenal €90,000 at a lively Goresbridge Go For Gold sale in November, and having been snapped up by British event horse owner Ian Barrett, is now destined to compete in England. Beautifully produced, the Dutch-bred gelding was by Malcomme P (AES) out of the Holstein mare Mutiezia (KWPN) by Emir R.
In the country The Co Wexford based husband and wife team of Marti Rudd and Tomas Doyle not only dominated the returns at the Go For Gold sale but they also landed the best price in the country when the aptly named Monbeg Popcorn realised €33,000 at Goresbridge in October. The dun, which garnered around 700,000 views on social media, astounded potential buyers when having opened at €20,000, was finally secured by a British eventing customer.
Declan Fegan's colt foal Berkleys Touch Of Sol realised €46,000 at the Cavan Elite Foal Sales. \ Laurence Dunne jumpinaction.net
Foals
Specialist sales Declan Fegan’s Berkleys Touch Of Sol, colt foal by United Touch S (dam by Come On) €46,000 (Cavan Elite Sales).
Declan Phelan’s Unnamed, filly foal by Emerald Van’t Zuuthoeve (dam by Sheyenne de Baugy) €31,000 (Cavan Elite Sales).
JP Finlay’s Cushlas, filly foal by United Touch S (dam by Apache d’Adriers) €27,000 (Cavan Elite Sales).
Sale topper
Topping a glittering night at Cavan in August and breaking sale records in the process, Declan Fegan’s Berkleys Touch of Sol headed the elite foal sale at €47,000. Always a stand out, Declan Fegan’s sale topper was a colt foal by the highly regarded United Touch S out of Solara (Come On). A well-related sibling to the Eric Lamaze ridden Chacco Kid (1.60m) as well as to Fiona (1.30m) he was secured by Brian Cash on behalf of American customer and international rider Audrey Schulzer.
In the country Ballyv Stables’ Ballyv Ernie, colt foal by Ermitage Kalone (dam by Taloubet Z) €14,000 (Goresbridge October).
Anna Dillon’s AKD Phoenix, filly foal by Aganix du Seigneur (dam by Chacoon Blue) €11,000 (Goresbridge October).
Isabel Kenny’s Mo Chara Kalone, colt foal by Ermitage Kalone (dam by Berlin) €10,000 (Goresbridge October).
M Cummins’s Brockaghfield Conrad, colt foal by Conthargos (dam by Cassini 2) €10,000 (Cavan September).
Selling for €14,000 at Goresbridge in October was Ballyv Stables’ Ballyv Ernie, a beautifully bred colt by the popular Ermitage Kalone. A late-July foal, he was the first natural progeny out of the imported 5-year-old mare Tagine SA and as the subject of a competitive bidding exchange, was eventually secured by Ted Donohoe on behalf of Robert Kent, father of junior show jumping gold medalist, Jack.
Ponies
The demand for good ponies has been buoyant throughout the year. The sale houses of Clifden, Cavan and Goresbridge have all enjoyed a flying trade with the top autumn honours appearing at the Clifden October sale where Stephen Fay’s 5- year-old Class1 stallion Inbhear Hugo (by Glencarrig Knight) realised €13,000.
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