A report on the past October Sales by Padraig Heanue, manager of Clifden Mart.

The 5 day sale of Connemara ponies in Clifden over the October Bank Holiday weekend brought the usual crowds of people to the area. It was encouraging to see that while prices are considerably down on the pre-recession heights that they had reached there were still buyers apleanty for the ponies and approximately 65% of the ponies catalogued changed hands. This is in stark contrast to other areas of the horse industry where auctioneers struggle to get bids on, let alone sell the lots. For the third year running the October sales were held in a marquee erected on the grounds of the mart alongside new and improved stabling which is hired for every sale.

The sales commenced on Thursday the 22nd with riding ponies, colts and geldings. The highest price achieved on this day was €3,250 for lot number 202, a four year old dun gelding, broken and ridden by Anbally Frank. This pony, along with 48 others, is bound for the UK. A further 28 were sold to France. It was particularly encouraging to see 2 dealers from France, on of whom had attended the August sales, take home 14 of these ponies. There is no doubt that the European market has once again opened up for the Irish Connemara Pony, a positive result of the decrease in prices.

Two three year old unbroken geldings which were purchased as foals at the sales in 2006 returned to fetch €2,900 and €3,200 for their vendor, which were particularly good prices for unbroken geldings. Eleven four year old broken and ridden geldings fetched between €2,000 and €2,700. Yearling and 2 year old colts achieved particularly poor prices however, with the worst of them fetching 400 euro. Two registered Class 1 stallions were on offer, but neither was sold.

Day Two of the Sales consisted of fillies and mares. Seamus Keady from Spiddal fetched €4,500 for his 2 year old Class 1 filly by El Larry (S-5188 DE). She is bound for the UK. Lot 221, Western Doll (M1-15108), a 6 year old Class 1 mare by Glencarraig Prince (S-1073) and scanned in foal, fetched €4,000 – as did lot 307, a 4 year old Class 1 Mare scanned in foal to Catlestrange Fionn (S-1046). Lot 311, a 3 year old Class 1 mare by Glencarrig Sparrow (S-1165), found a new home at €3,900. PJ Watsons well produced 3 year old Class 1 mare by Boden Park Finnard (S-899) was sold for €3,800. Lot 345, another 3 year old Class 1 mare, scanned in foal, fetched €3,600. Yearling fillies were sold for prices between €1,200 and €2,700, while 2 year old fillies (provided they were Class 1 registered) were sold from between €1,250 and €3,250.

The next 3 days of the sales, from Saturday to Monday, consisted mainly of foals (up on 800) with a few mares also on offer. The higest price for a foal over the 3 days was €3,500 for lot 808, attractive dun filly by Starsky (S-1154) out of Dootry Lucky Lady. She was sold by James Byrne from Carracanada, Swinford, Co. Mayo and he recieved the Clifden Mart Cup for the highest priced foal. A number of filly foals fetched between €2,000 and €3,000, but in general the fillies were less in demand than colts and the majority of fillies were sold for prices between €1,000 and €1,500. There were plenty of buyers for colt foals but at much reduced prices. Prices fetched were from between €100 and €1,400, with €600 being the average.

The next sale of Connemara Ponies in Clifden will take place in February 2010 at a date yet to be confirmed.

• Photo from RuthannOC’s Flikr Photostream.
• Catalogue available from Connemaraponysales.net.

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