Elite Mares Sell At Brightwells

Jumping-bred mares realise the top prices, while AP McCoy makes a purchase

- Selene Scarsi

IT was a relatively quiet night at the December edition of the Brightwells Elite Sales. Of the 46 horses offered for sale, a good mixture of young dressage horses, jumpers and potential eventers, 27 found new homes, for an average of £12,915, with the four top prices all going for mares with jumping lines.

The auction’s highest bid, of £32,000, was to secure the four-year-old mare Kogola, by El Clarimo out of a Last Man Standing x Vainqueur dam, whose sale inaugurated a collaboration between owner Sara Lucas and eventer Vicky Tuffs. The mare, sourced in the Netherlands, has already competed on the Continent at 1m level.

“When I jumped her, she felt amazing — I’ve never felt a four-year-old jump like that,” enthused Vicky. “She’ll come to Wales with me where I’ll produce her for the five-year-old eventing classes next year — watch this space!”