Sale Clifden Oct.’11

Day 1, Ridden ponies, Colts, Geldings and Stallions.*click on pic. to enlarge*

A French transporter

The bogland colours were cheerful on the drive to Clifden.for the Autumn Pony Sales. Shades of burnt amber, gold and auburn quilted the landscape while occasional green fertile fields, rising up like beacons in the sunlight, displayed small white houses and grazing sheep. Golden gorse flowers and the Bens made it all Memorable. These Autumn Sales of Oct 2011 were the biggest since the five day format began in 2008.

Nicola & Padraig Heanue, Padraig is Mart Manager

There were 1463 Connemara Ponies listed in the Catalogue. For Day 1. the Catalogue carried the names and breeding-details of 349, geldings mainly with a sprinkling of colts and stallions. The lines of lorries, trailers, cars and jeeps lined the roadway a kilometre back in the Galway direction.

Seven groups of Traders from France, were steadily buying prospective riding ponies. Likewise potential buyers from England, Scotland and Wales were there. According to Mart Manager Padraig Heanue, English buyers tended to go for those geldings with quality and riding experience which would be immediately ready to go. (New this year the Sales were live on-line –another First for Clifden Sales – and could be accessed by going to the Sales site at http://www.connemaraponysales.com )

After a slow start, buyers began to wake up to the fact that vendors gathered here were letting their ponies go at incredibly low prices and then the business began. Prices averaged-out at €1100 or €1200 for good types of unbroken geldings and €1600 to €1700 for those broken and riding.

Lot 33, a well produced gelding Jupiter, fetched €3,400 and is probably destined for Cross Channel and an English home. Jupiter is a five year old son of Clonberne Boy and out of Summer Duchess. He carries performance blood from Westside Mirah and has hunted and done training shows.

Lot 330 Ashbrook Big Fella with Eric Walsh

Breeder/producer Eric Walsh paid a similar sum for Lot 330 Ashbrook Big Fella, a Westside Mirah gelding who has hunted and jumped.

That said, most ridden geldings (which were the best-sellers) and the few colts, attracted bids of between €400 and €1,000 with many leaving the ring, sold and unsold for less. {Of course Auctions can be a bit of a lottery anyway where you can either win or lose-out on the day.) Now, listed in age order, see some pics. and some prices (Please contact the Blog if there are errors)

Lot 114 A strong-boned yearling colt, Railway Boy by Linsfort Barney, and with good back-breeding, sold for €250.

JFK of Fairyhill Yearling colt with John Noel Mullen

For Lot 170 John Noel Mullan turned down a bid of €850 for his yearling colt JFK of Fairyhill by Kilmore Diamond and out of Cool Olive.

Inishturkbeg Storm Racer with Kirsten McDonagh

Lot 265 Inishturkbeg Storm Racer by Smokey Idea with Currachmore Cashel and Westside Mirah in his breeding did not get called into the sales ring until after 9pm and made just €450 for owner/breeders Kirsten McDonagh and Lucy Fabby, who say ‘at least he is going to a good home’.

Lot 65 Sea Biscuit by Shakleton with P.J. Watson

Lot 65 Sky Biscuit, a three year old dun gelding by Shakelton with Boden Park Finnard in the pedigree made €1,250.

Lot 82 A strong dun 3yr old colt Homegrown Furman by Gurteen Lad went for €700. Duns were much in evidence again this year and their popularity continues.

Lot 147, a well produced 3yr.old Class 2 stallion, Murvey Bertie, with bone, quality and breeding – he is by Janus and carries Abbeyleix Owen in his bloodline – was bid to .€1,800 in the ring and sold to Brittany, France. My thanks to French Sophie for this info.

Lot 66 The 4yr old gelding Loughcurra Lad by Coral Lad – Brona , well bred, ridden and jumping a small course, sold for €900.

Lot 117 A 4 yr. old gelding, Henry by Thunderball X a Loobeen Larry dam, now loose jumping, with performance on both sides, made €800.

Lot 127 Glenford Pakie (Robe Earl-Glenford Little Lady) a 5yr. old 134cms. bay gelding, bred and owned by the O’Callaghans of Grange, Athenry, gave a superb display of jumping and sold to a Galway family for E2000.

Lot 108 Drymills Bridge Boy is the sire of the 6yr. old gelding Bridge of Lissroe ex. Abbeyfield Beauty, who has some jumping experience. He rode well in the ring for Aine O’Callaghan and sold for a respectable €2,300.

Lot 73 A pretty 10yr old mare Golden Vale Rose by Catamaran – who had a foal this year and is now back under saddle and has Murphy Rebel and Village Grey in her background- made €875.

The following ponies shown below were snapped before before going under the hammer, so no prices as yet. I would be very pleased to receive any prices you may know of and also of course, I rely on my good readers to correct probable errors. Please use the comment box under this piece.