Crowds flock to Malvern to set record trading levels

The largest crowd ever to attend Brightwells’ Malvern sale helped to boost trade to record levels at this year’s event.

The decision to condense the sale into a one-day fixture proved popular. Of the 114 horses offered, 85 changed hands, with a solid market at the £3,000 price mark and eight horses realised more than £4,000.

The top price of £7,200 was paid by show jumping specialist Charlie Edwards for Mystic R Jay, a promising four-year-old mare by the Nimmerdor son, JR — formerly ridden by John Whitaker — out of an I Love You dam. She was second in her show class for performance horses, showing excellent technique.

An eight-year-old gelding by the Irish Draught sire Double Edition made the second-highest price of the day at £5,000. Another hunter, the Irish-bred Island King seven-year-old, Wonder King, made £4,800.

Demand was again strong for well-conformed, athletic horses with good movement, and this was borne out by the highest-priced four-year-old, Delmore Godwin, a grand sort with show ring form in-hand and now demonstrating promise under saddle. He was sold for £4,600.

Buyers of young stock were again selective, but two three-year-olds by the TB sire Still Time Left bucked the trend in the filly class to make £4,200 and £3,800, and a yearling gelding by the popular warmblood Abraham realised £3,700 after winning his show class and presenting considerable potential for sport horse classes next year.

Some reserves were unrealistic, leading to disappointment all round, but on the whole, steady trade made this sale a resounding success.