The Go For Gold select event horse sale in Country Wexford, Ireland (7-8 December) followed the generally strong trend seen across auctions in 2020, with solid prices exceeding last year’s sale total.
The top lot, Jackie, a four-year-old grey filly by Jack of Diamonds out of the Cruising mare Cappercullen Cruise, sold to John Ellard in the UK for €50,000 (£45,589), after attracting more than 30 bids. She was put forward by sellers Alice Martin-Jones and Jason Higgins.
Three lots sold above €40,000 (£36,463), including the top-priced three-year-old geldings Robinia (Ramiro B x Wizard King), who went to British eventer Sam Ecroyd for €47,000 and MBF Gambler, another son of the late Ramiro B, who was bought by K Wendall of the USA for €42,000.
Sam is a regular customer of the sale, having bought mulitiple lots in recent years, including the top lot of 2018, a three-year-old by OBOS Quality, for €59,000 (£51,000). He also bought three-year-old gelding Knockalough Poet (OBOS Quality x Cruising) on this occasion, along with four-year-old gelding Clonaderig Rebel Sixteen (Orestus x VDL Ricochet).
Two three-year-olds went to British eventer Oliver Townend for €26,000 each, including another Ramiro B son MBF Star Buster, while Nicky Roncoroni bought Dessie Gibson’s three-year-old gelding Cullintra Digger for €24,000.
Seven horses topped the €30,000, mark, although one of these remained unsold. They included the three-year-old geldings Mon Ami Brilliante; MBF In Doubt; MBF Quidams Touch; an unnamed gelding and the four-year-old geldings Kilcannon Hot Shot and Derrycastle Houdini.
The average sold price was €23,111, with the total sales, including those sold privately, amounting to €1,040,000.
A spokesman for Goresbridge, who host the sale, said a “special thank you” had to go to all the vendors who put their horses forward and “patiently produced them through the uncertainty of coronavirus”.
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.“Huge credit to our selection panel of Sally Parkyn, Clare Ryan, Chris Ryan and guest selectors Nicki Roncoroni and Bridget Speirs who have the unenviable task of whittling down the masses put forward for selection to bring you a top class catalogue. It’s a job they take very seriously and we thank them for their dedication to the industry as well as Goresbridge,” they added.
Of the 54 sold lots, 21 went to UK buyers, five remained in Ireland, 17 were sold to the US — including four to US eventer Hannah Herrig — and three sold to the continent.
Although prices were robust they did not quite match the 2017 results, where top lot Gurtera Mattie Clover sold for €130,000 (£118,518).
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