May Select Sale of Eventers: [Website] [Catalogue] [Performance footage]

Find your next superstar and enjoy an Irish vacation – May Select Sale of Eventers

Oscar Wilde once said “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.” And so it is that some of the most discerning people involved in the sport of Eventing will make their way to the Goresbridge May Select Sale of Eventers (May 29th), in search of future equine stars.

Goresbridge Horse Sales is perhaps the most synonymous name associated with travelling to Ireland to purchase a horse. Martin and Mary Francis Donohoe run a number of performance sales every year, as well as bloodstock and youngstock sales, and also a monthly sale. Buyers and sellers from every corner of the world and with all types of budgets and requirements are catered for at the County Kilkenny sales complex.

This is only the second renewal of the May Select Sale of Eventers but last year’s young graduates are already performing impressively. Most notable among them are the Obserton 4-year-old finalists Emerald Jonny (ridden by Tom March), Innislusky Paddy (ridden by Oliver Townend) and Newmarket Cobbler (ridden by Jackie Harvey Knight).

Goresbridge has always consistently achieved its aim of bringing the best young event horses in Ireland to one venue. The most notable success story amongst very many others has been Cooley Rorkes Drift, who was a graduate of the Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale and showed his immense class at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio with an individual 9th place finish with his regular rider, Jonty Evans.

This year’s sale will again be held in county Wexford, with horses being showcased at Barnadown. This fabulous venue boasts all-weather competition arenas, a championship grass arena and an all weather cross country course-ideal trial facilities for all potential purchasers. The auction will be staged at this facility.

Viewing schedule
The selection panel for the 2017 sale is made up of some of the most respected names in the business. The regular judges Clare Ryan, Chris Ryan and Sally Parkyn will be selecting the horses. At 10:00 AM on Monday, May 29th all the horses will be showcased in numerical order at the Goresbridge Sales Complex. Then at 4:00 PM, all lots will be auctioned off at the same location. Horses may be viewed prior to sale by strict appointment only; please contact Martin Donohoe (Tel: +353 87 2569496). All lots for the sale will be fully vetted in advance.

Find YOUR horse of a lifetime
With four top 6-year-olds, 11 exceptional 5-year-olds and 10 exciting 4-year-olds to pick from, buyers will find themselves spoiled for choice. Looking through the catalogue, you will struggle to pick just which horse is your favourite. All of the horses have stellar breeding, lovely paces and powerful jumps.

Lot 11 – Kiltubrid Oscar. A gorgeous 5-year-old gelding out of the y the popular event horse sire, Shannondale Sarco.

Add some tourism to your shopping trip
A trip to the Emerald Isle is truly a special occasion for any visitor. With warm and hospitable charm and a penchant for fun, the Irish people are amongst the best in the world when it comes to making sure that visitors enjoy a truly unique and authentic experience. For those who are hoping to sample some Irish culture whilst staying for the Go For Gold sale, flying into Dublin airport is the perfect travel plan. With Barnadown little more than an hour from the airport, there is no excuse to not visit the capital city. Dublin is a melting pot of art, industry, education and rich heritage, and at the top of the visitor, attraction list is the Guinness Storehouse. Here you can learn all about the world famous brewery, and sample a pint of the legendary ‘Black Stuff’ at the roof top bar.

For animal lovers, Dublin Zoo comes highly recommended. The zoo is involved in worldwide species conservation, and the animal enclosures are as close to nature as is achievable for animals kept in captivity. The elephants are a sight to behold, sea foodand last year the zoo welcomed two new elephant calves. With everything from giraffes to domestic farm animals, Dublin zoo is an incredible experience.

For those who love city life, Temple Bar has it all. Clubs and restaurants provide a social experience to suit all tastes. Temple Bar is also a hub of art and culture, boasting institutions such as the Gaiety School Of Acting, the Irish Film Archive, the Project Arts Centre and the Irish Stock Exchange, amongst its quirky and vibrant streets.

The motorway journey to Barnadown will take you past Avoca village in County Wicklow. Home to Avoca Hand Weavers and restaurant, this beautiful place is a little slice of heaven on earth. Avoca throws and blankets are world famous and are hand crafted on site, where the looms have been producing finest luxury items for over 300 years. With a range of women’s and men’s fashion, as well as Irish horse purchasing must-have items such as scarves, hats and gloves, you will simply adore Avoca. With a wide variety of perfect gift items for sale, you can even spoil the folks back home.

For the foodies amongst us, the restaurant at Avoca does not disappoint. The Amber Springs Hotel also has a fantastic menu full of the best of Irish – Our beef is the finest on earth, after all-but for those who enjoy fresh seafood, Kilmore Quay is the ultimate eatery venue. Not far from Barnadown, this opportunity to view the beautiful Wexford countryside and experience fresh, sseafood, is a truly luxurious indulgence.

Why you should buy Irish
Year on year, the Irish horse goes from strength to strength. We produce some of the best horses and riders in Eventing, showjumping and racing, and for a very small country, we punch a long way above our weight. Our rugby players, golfers and boxers are amongst the best in the world. We boast a fine heritage of scholars, writers, musicians and artists. For a tiny, rainy, rocky outcrop in Westernmost Europe, Ireland has so much to offer to so many. A chance to view our wonderful horses whilst enjoying our cultural and culinary delights will truly be the trip of a lifetime. What are you waiting for?! Come on over.

May Select Sale of Eventers: [Website] [Catalogue] [Performance footage]