Sales: Swedish buyer secures smart sales topper

A strong demand for older horses led to some healthy returns at Cavan last week, where seven lots realised in excess of the €10,000 benchmark.

Another sizable group returned figures above €5,000 and while trade was selective- especially for the younger stock, the average held up well to close at €5,528.

A little surprisingly, the clearance slipped to 63% (67% in 2023), while trade customers – both at home and overseas – drove the prices throughout and dominated the better returns.

Sale topper

Crowning what was a very rewarding sale for almost the entire Kennedy family, and heading the day’s business at €12,500 was Anna Kennedy’s homebred KEC Happiness, a five-year-old gelding by OBOS Quality out of KEC Happy Boo (KEC Maximum Joe).

Typical of the sort in demand, this gelding had been to training shows and schooled across country – and carrying plenty of thoroughbred blood through the dam’s line – is ready to produce further for eventing or show jumping.

Regular Swedish trader Annike Linde was at the ring side to secure this smart sort, outbidding the opposition to finally pay €12,500.

Round up

Travelling to Cavan from Co Wicklow, Jean Morton received a healthy €11,700 for her six-year-old grey gelding Moses.

A son of Cougar, out of Kinaguire Lady, the Michael Martyn-bred Moses had been slowly produced to show jump to 1.20m level, and was the winner of two dressage classes from just three outings.

Carrying the valuable ‘uncomplicated’ tag, he was snapped up by Athlone trader Jim Derwin.

Next it was the turn of Kieran Kennedy to take the spotlight, when his 148cm jumping pony Josefina by KEC Maximun Joe realised €11,400.

Topping her sector by a distance, the mare had competed up to 1.10m level to win 21 SJI points and was thought ideal for the six-year-old/seven-year-old RDS qualifiers next year.

Regular Co Sligo pony buyer Tiernan Gray accounted for this smart sort, as well as paying €10,200 for Jimmy Dermody’s grade B show jumper Ballyquirke Paddy.

The latter, who was a catalogue pick on paper, is an 11-year-old gelding by Ars Vivendi out of Balllyquirke Brigade (Clover Brigade) and well related, is a half brother to Ballyquirke Tip Top (1.60m), as well as to Cathal Daniels’s Dartans Quality Brigade (CCI4* and 1.50m).

Business continued in the same pattern, with Kieran Kennedy’s five-year-old jumping mare TWS Sinead changing hands for €10,000.

A daughter of the stud’s resident sire Vivant Van’t de Heffinck, she was out of Lisdeem Guidam (Guidam). An ideal prospect for the age classes next year, she was secured by a British trade buyer.

Four-year-olds

Heading the four-year-old sector at €10,500 was Niamh O’Connell’s Harvey, an Irish Draught gelding by Dunbeggan Grey Mist out of Corrcullen Heirloom by Fast Silver.

Described by the vendor as a genuine, quiet horse, he was knocked down to Ballinasloe trader Niall Daly.

As buyers remained selective, another 10 of the age group realised in excess of €5,000, with the next notable return at €10,000 falling to Niall McGarry’s Dourough Blue Moon by Pic Labionics.

Jim Derwin added this one to his collection while British buyer Sharon Condron paid €9,400 for Sinead Kennedy’s Kams Wee Molly, a James Gormley-bred daughter of Landenco, out of Toujours Daisy Rapid Rainmondo.

Three-year-olds

The demand for three-year-olds was inconsistent, but Padraig Howley’s gelding by Sligo Candy Boy impressed and was sold to German customer Tino Burger for a good return of €8,400.

Other standouts included a gelding by Nixon Van’t Muelnhof who was knocked down to a cash customer at €7,800 and a HHS Cornet-sired gelding, who was secured by Tiernan Gray at €6,800.

Thirteen of the age group found new homes, with the remaining prices falling below €5,000.