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“I like this auction because there is always a collection of different horses; all of which have something special. So many nice horses in one place.”
Michael Jung
KILCANDRA OCEAN POWER (2018)
The Goresbridge Go For Gold Sale of pre-selected event horses has been the success story of recent years. Now heading into its fifteenth renewal the sale has truly achieved its aim of bringing together Ireland’s best young event horses to one venue for one sale.
Staged in November at Barnadown and the Amber Springs Hotel in Co Wexford, the sale offers around 60 -90 proven and potential event horses from the age of three, all of whom have been carefully selected by a highly experienced panel of producers and international riders.
Always affordable, the 2023 returns delivered a range of prices, among which was the year’s top auction price of €87,000. The night’s average closed at €23,000, while the stand out four-year-old sector produced the best clearance as well as an average of €32,214.
Both the Americans and the British were prolific customers, and among the top event riders to secure lots in 2023 were Ireland’s recent five-star winning hero Austin O’Connor, the world ranked number one Oliver Townend, and British internationals, Emily King, Sam Ecroyd and Max Warburton.
” The horses we have bought are proving very exciting and a couple of them exceptional. I would commend the sale to anyone seeking the best.”
Sam ECROYD
FMSH HIGHWAY (2018)
THE GODFATHER (2018)
As in 2023, potential candidates for the Go For Gold Select Event Horse Sale will be assessed by an internationally experienced panel of judges at strategic venues around the country. Pooling their wealth of knowledge in both sourcing and riding top class horses, all three, have bought and sold some of the world’s most successful event horses in recent years.
Sally Parkyn, together with her husband Shaun, has bought and sold numerous international Irish bred event horses over the past forty years – the vast majority sourced and produced as four-year olds, Included among these are the 2018 British team WEG gold medalist Arctic Soul, the former world’s top Irish bred event horse campaigner Cambalda, the Olympic bronze medalist and CCI5* winner Tankerstown, and the dual Olympian Lorgaine. Also notable are the five-star campaigners Willunga, Comanche, Stonedge, High Havoc, Watts Burn, etc. Now based in Co Kilkenny, Sally is also busy as an equestrian journalist and young event horse judge.
Well known huntsman, horse producer and commentator Chris Ryan together with his wife Sue, have been successfully sourcing young event horses since 1990. Graduates from the Scarteen yard in Co. Limerick are now competing world-wide and include the individual Olympic silver medalist McKinlaigh, Bru Maguire, McCloud, the young rider medalist Its Just Taffy and the up-and-coming advanced horse Ballyneety Rocketman. As a scout, Chris was also the agent for the German Olympic listed Black Ice. In addition, Chris is one of the sport’s top commentators, as well as a young horse judge and a member of the HSI stallion inspector panel.
Stepping up to become a permanent member of the team, Nicky Roncoroni is a former five-star rider with vast experience of producing young horses. She was an individual and team medalist at European Young Rider level, and riding a variety of home produced horses has completed Badminton, Burghley, Luhmuhlen and Pau. She has also represented Team GB at Nations Cups in USA, Poland, Belgium and Italy. Now resident in Ireland, Nicky has successfully sourced and produced multiple four and five- star horses for top international riders.
Guest selector Nick Gauntlett FBHS makes his first appearance on the panel. An international event rider Nick became a Fellow of the British Horse Society in 2015 – the highest accolade in British accreditation. He lives in Gloucestershire where he splits his time between coaching and producing home bred sport horses with his wife Amanda. Nick’s competition career took him all over the world and among his many awards is the coveted Armada Dish which is presented to those who have achieved five clear rounds at Badminton Horse Trials. In 2023, Nick was invited to judge the prestigious four and five-year-old event horse classes at the Dublin Horse Show and also the show hunters at the Royal International at Hickstead. He is a member of the SHB (GB) council.
We would also like to welcome American five-star rider Andrea Baxter, who as a regular buyer at the sale, has accepted the role as the Go For Gold Ambassador in America.
The success of this sale hinges on the quality and potential of horses chosen. Our promise last year was to ensure a catalogue of finely selected individuals with an international clientele to match. This was fulfilled with seven horses topping the twenty five thousand mark. There is enhanced interest from both vendors and buyers in this year’s Goresbridge Go for Gold sale. The high profile and integrity of the Goresbridge Sales team has been very well received and acknowledged as the premier source of event champions.
The cream of Irish three, four, five & six year old eventers will be selected on Pedigree, Performance and Potential.
There will be a number of selection days where we will ask the horses to show their paces over a derby style track to include banks ditches and water. The chosen venues offer a perfect viewing ground as well as a nationwide catchment.
