An eye-catching grey described by his producers as “probably the most flawless horse” they’ve ever produced topped the results at Goresbridge Go For Gold sale (10 to 12 November).
Monbeg Monaco, from Marti Rudd and Tomás Doyle’s Monbeg Sport Horses operation, sold to Barratt Equestrian (UK) for €90,000 (£79,290). The four-year-old is by Malcomme P and out of Mutieza (by Emir R).
The sale had a total turnover of €1.765m (£1.542m) and an overall clearance rate of 84%. The average sale price was €25,955.88 (£22,867).
Five-star winners and Olympic medallists studded the buyers’ list, which included shoppers from across the world. Austin O’Connor, Oliver Townend, Gaspard Maksud, Max Warburton and Susie Berry were among the top names to go home with new horses.
“These are the best event horses the island of Ireland can showcase and put forward for sale,” Goresbridge director Ed Donohoe told H&H.
“They were very carefully screened – we ended up with around 82 horses on the night from about 500-600 who were put forward.”
The horses are selected by a committee including British event riders Nicky Roncoroni and Nick Gauntlett, Sally Parkyn and Chris Ryan. Potential buyers are able to see and trial the horses over a few days at Barnadown, followed by the sale itself at a gala evening at Amber Springs Hotel.
“The proof is in the pudding – there have been so many top horses that have come out of that sale that have gone now to event at four- or five-star level,” said Mr Donohoe, adding that the sale does not solely cater for the very top level.
“There are the potential four- and five-star horses, but we also have something for everybody, such as the real top amateur horse. It’s about horses being commercial, and the horses are screened very well from a veterinary point of view.”
He added that sale topper Monbeg Monaco is “an absolute beauty” and that the next highest priced lot – Ralph Conroy’s four-year-old Milchem Giovanni who sold for €80,000 (£70,461) – is another to watch in future.
The Tyson son finished fourth in the Burghley Young Event Horse final with Jason Doerflinger in the saddle and sold to a US buyer.
“You’ll hear tell of him again,” said Mr Donohoe.
Another who caught his eye was lot number one Monbeg Echo Bay, also from the Monbeg yard. The five-year-old sold to a UK buyer for €50,000 (£44,038).
“The most satisfying thing for me, as the owner of Goresbridge, was the reaction we got before the sale, let alone after,” Mr Donohoe said.
“Before the sale, people were coming up to me and saying, ‘This is some selection of horses’. To have this selection all in one place makes it really appealing – riders and owners can come and see the horses being showcased over two days, they don’t have to travel from one yard to another. Then it culminates with the auction; it’s very exciting.”
He added that seeing sale graduates go on to achieve success is “so satisfying for the whole team”.
“It’s a big production,” he said, name-checking its many parts – the veterinary side, the selectors, media and showcasing teams. “We’re only as good as the horses we sell. It’s just so satisfying when it happens. But so they should be [going on to do well], because they are the best of what we can find and what we can bring to the market.”
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