The annual 2 day Connemara pony sales were held in Clifden last weekend with a catalogue of 434 entries over the 2 days. This figure was up over 100 lots on the same sale last year. Buyers from UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Sweden were in attendance along with a high number of Irish and northern buyers. Trade was swift from the start and an air of positivity had emerged around the sales yard from early in the sale on saturday. The highest price paid on Saturday was €5,000, this was for lot 45 consigned by Tomas Hester from Castlerea in Roscommon , a smart looking 5 year old Dun gelding , " Evening Mist ", by Woodfield Sammy. He was broken & ridden and had competed at training shows. He was purchased by Jim Derwin. Broken and ridden geldings were much in demand with a high number of them fetching over €3,000. Unbroken geldings aged 3 & 4 years also were up in price on previous sales with some fetching €2,000. On the second day of sales, entries were mainly of young fillies and mares with yearling colts and fillies also. Prices varied considerably for fillies depending on quality. Robert Hatton travelled from Carlow with 3 very nice 3 and 4 year old performance bred unbroken fillies by sires such as Westside mirah, Templebready fear bui and Dexter Leam Pondi. These fillies sold at €2,600 , €2,400 , and €1,500.  Lot 212, a 3 year old Dun filly by " lightening star " is heading to her new owner in the uk at €2,700. Quality well bred 3 to 5 year old fillies unbroken sold from €2,000 up to €2,700. Yearling colts sold from €600 up to €1,800 with yearling fillies again depending on quality fetched from €700 to €2,000. From the catalogue of 434 entries, 388 passed through the sales ring over the 2 days with 307 been sold. It was a very good sale alround and a significant move in the upward trend in prices for all. 29 ponies went to Germany, 27 to France, 24 to Holland, 20 to the UK, 7 to Belgium and 3 to Sweden with the remaining lots sold to Irish and northern Irish buyers. The next Connemara pony sales will be held in Clifden on Saturday 20 & Sunday 21 of August with entries now been accepted.