The Goresbridge Go For Gold Select Event Horse Sale (November 16) almost doubled its previous record top lot as Cornascriebe Glenpatrick sold for €160,000.
The Womanizer x Cavalier Royale gelding, owned by the Glenpatrick Stables, was one of two horses bought by Ellie Guy Eventing.
Ellie currently has a string of ten horses with 23-year-old eventer Millie Dumas, and both Cornascriebe Glenpatrick and the four-year-old Rehy MBF, who sold for €27,000, will now be heading to her Somerset yard.
“Ellie has bought them for me as potential Olympic team horses with Tokyo in mind,” said Millie. “A lot of people were after [Cornascriebe Glenpatrick]. He was at the six-year-old world championship in Le Lion and we spotted him there.
“When we tried him at the sale I liked him even better — he has a wonderful temperament and seems to have a very trainable attitude, he’s very exciting.”
She added that Rehy MBF is also a “really lovely model with all the right ingredients”.
Millie added that it was her first time buying at the sale, which seemed well supported by top riders from both the UK and abroad.
“We were very pleasantly surprised, there was a particularly high standard of horses of all ages from three-year-olds to ridden,” she said. “The nice thing is that the lots have been selected by professionals who have a very good eye for a horse.”
The second highest price was achieved by lot 1, Rory Costigan’s seven-year-old Luidam gelding Loughavetta Cedar, who was bought by Irish eventer Rafael Sanctuary for €70,000.
Bidding took place at the Barnadown & Amber Springs Hotel in County Wexford, where 75% of lots sold, shattering the previous top sale price of €85,000 and achieving an average of €21,000.
Star lots
One of the star attractions of the 72 lots entered did not change hands — bidding for Claire Abbott’s 13-year-old Rio Olympic ride Euro Prince, owned by John McKay, reached €140,000 but that was less than his reserve so he remained unsold.
“There was a serious buzz about the auction and we’re very satisfied,” said Goresbridge’s Martin Donahue, adding that while Goresbridge was “delighted and honoured” to have been given the job of selling Euro Prince, they were aware it might be “hard to find a customer”.
“His age is a little bit against him — even though he has plenty of mileage left people are not willing to put enough money down to tempt the owners to part with him. A lot of people are buying for the future and six or seven-year-olds have a longer future,” he said.
The Supreme Sale of Showjumpers [November 15] did not see prices matching last year’s top sale, when Holly and Graham Smith’s Dougie Douglas went to US rider Katie Dinan for €1.4million.
Of the 33 lots forward, nine-year-old mare Nickoletta E (Nintender x Calido I) achieved the biggest money, selling to Michael Kearins for €460,000.
The 2016 Lanaken six-year-old champion Killossery Kaiden (Lux Z x Cruising), one of the sale’s principal draws, was secured by Adrienne Dixon for €270,000.
Grey gelding J’Adore Flamenco (Je T’Aime Flamenco x Corofino), winner of this season’s four-year-old titles at Scope, Arena UK and Northcote, went to the same buyer for €130,000.
Sixteen lots remained unsold, including James Hughes’ 13-year-old gelding Peiter IV — who has been jumping well this season for Louise Saywell — who did not achieve his €100,000 reserve.
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“There were a few that were very close to selling but showjumping horses are making so much money that some people were maybe getting a little bit carried away with the prices,” said Martin. “What we did last year with Dougie Douglas opened a lot of doors to the big end but in future we may have to look at being a bit more selective.
“It’s been positive for the sport horse industry in Ireland and everyone is going to get a shot in the arm as a result.”
