14 Oct 2022
Official Sale – Day one report
First day sale a great success!
WPCS Official Auctioneers report a very encouraging day of selling, with a buoyant trade on this first Friday day of selling. After last year’s successful trade, the majority of stock sold today were performance animals, geldings and Welsh part-breds.
Topping the sale was the Welsh Cob four-year-old Palomino gelding, Soden Emrys WS 106645 bred by Sian Ioan. Purchased as a foal by his consignor Megan Williams at Llanybydder sales, he has quietly been brought on and then broken to ride by Declan Davies. He took the Overall Championship in the Sarum Investment Gelding show held earlier in the morning judged by WPCS President Dennis Price ( Afan Stud), and it was no surprise that when ridden in the sale ring by Megan – everybody wanted him! With spirited bidding and Tina Turner in full voice, Lloyd Humphreys took the bids with the hammer finally falling at £14,000. Delighted purchaser was Donna Greenow from the well-known Blaenau Welsh Mountain pony stud near Crickhowell in Powys. Asked how she felt when bidding? Donna confessed she was ‘a little bit nervous’ but later admitted that she had once spent some £20,000 on a Sheepdog bitch at auction, which was scarier! The lucky person for whom he was bought is sixteen-year-old daughter Beth who intends to show him, do some dressage and of course some shepherding on the family’s hill farm.
After some scepticism regarding a Friday sale the return showed that in total 124 lots were offered with 89 sold, resulting in a 72% clearance, selling with a healthy return for the majority of vendors, proving that quality animals will always attract the bidders wherever they are in the sale order and on whichever day drawn.
Jenny Leyton Mills from McCartneys said “We are pleased to see the sale develop to cover three days offering all five sections and the opportunity to see performance animals in a large number on the first day – let’s hope for a continuation of this strong trade tomorrow and on Sunday”
Starting the sale as lot 1 was the three-year-old Welsh Mountain pony gelding Arvon Griffith consigned by Caernarfon based breeder Sarah Mackay Williams whose Arvon ponies go back generations to her grandfather Mr Willoughby Williams stock, he sold for £2,300, starting a trend for good A geldings. Sarum Red Robin another A 3-year-old gelding and the current RWAS Gelding Champion went further at £3,500 only to be topped by Kitty Bodily’s home bred Glebedale Magic Mike at £4,400. A delighted Kitty said “Well Magic Mike certainly put on a show today and makes the whole process of running on a quality gelding worth it. He’s gone to a fantastic show home in Devon with the Conibear family”
Topping the Section B geldings at £3,700 was Sandy Andersons handsome grey gelding Thistledown Grand Jury selling to Mr D’amico
Simon Charlesworth made the pilgrimage from Newmarket to Builth Wells worthwhile selling his three-year-old Chestnut colt Blaencila Rhodri to top the C’s at £6,200. He was purchased by Mr Joseph. Mr Howatson had his twelve year old Cruglwyd Martino in great order at £4,900
Leading the Welsh Part breds was Julie Evans’ skewbald colt foal Haighmoor Rocket Rodney at £4,200.
One vendor who brought forward five lots in great order was Nesta Owen of the Desach Stud. She was rewarded with an average of £3,490 for three ridden Cobs, an A gelding and a Welsh Part bred filly foal.
Mrs Ready’s buckskin D filly foal Penclose Cashew from very successful ridden lines caught everyone’s imagination selling for £6,100 – she stays locally in Builth Wells.
Following his sale topping success last year vendor Bobby Thomas brought Carnffoi Luke to sell; he made £6,000. Three D mares Glanhirin Solitaire at £6,000 closely followed by the chestnut cob mare Hendrewen Texas Dream at £5,900 and the dun Hatterall Hunny Bee, at £5,100 made sure the D females were well represented
The three-year-old D gelding Ryehill Cosmic Spark from Sam Cooper and the 5-year-old stallion Pennal Mr C consigned by Richard Francis tied at £5,000
We look forward to tomorrow’s sale with an exciting selection of Section A and B entries. With several sold to online bidders the sale has a far and wide reach for purchasers.
Photographs – first day sale topper Soden Emrys with his connections, vendors and purchasers
Glebedale Magic Mike – topping the A’s – photo by kind permission of Equinepix
