Following on from the success of its horse and pony sales this year, including Borderway’s first Shetland pony sale, Harrison & Hetherington has drawn up a specialist calendar of fixtures for 2007.

Due to the demand from the increasing popularity of equine interests, the programme so far includes 11 sales at the auction company’s centres at Borderway, Carlisle and Kirkby Stephen next year – including a Christmas sale at Borderway next month.

“Our first sale of Shetland ponies under the auspices of the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society in October was a huge success drawing vendors and prospective buyers from across the country,” said Harrison & Hetherington’s operations director David Pritchard.

“The second sale of Standard bred horses at Kirkby Stephen later in the month has also established itself as an annual fixture on the equine sales calendar.

In addition a carriage and driving sale, featuring driving horses, complete turnouts, horse boxes, trailers and driving harness is at present being planned to take place in the spring at Carlisle.

“We have been thinking for some time that we could fill a void in the region by staging specialist equine sales and these two sales, along with on-going sales at Kirkby Stephen have been proof which has spurred us on to develop the potential and to satisfy the needs of a growing number of people interested in horses and ponies either for riding, sport or for breeding.”

Harrison & Hetherington has been working closely with equine consultant and Shetland pony enthusiast Norman Blackburn, of Newton Reigny, Penrith, for a number of months in the run up to the Shetland sale and he is continuing to advise on marketing opportunities.

It was Mr Blackburn’s Newton stud which secured the first Shetland sale’s top price of 1,350gns with Knock Mimosa, a 32 inch mare, bred from two of the best Shetland pony bloodlines of Marshwood and Kerswell.
A licensed 10 year old stallion Kerswell Titan consigned by JAT Hodge, of Okehampton, Devon was close making 1,300gns to Sylvia Ashton, of Liverpool.

One of the new areas the company intends to develop is in registered horses and ponies and performance animals to complement the popular ongoing sales at Kirkby Stephen which regularly feature increasingly sought-after coloured animals.

Entries are now being taken for a first Christmas sale of horses and ponies at Borderway on Saturday December 16.

Fixtures lined up so far for 2007 include:

March 17 – a general horse and pony sale incorporating first spring show and sale under the auspices of the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society and featuring other registered native breeds at Borderway.

March 31 – a carriage and driving sale featuring driving horses, complete turnouts, horse boxes, and other associated driving tack at Borderway.

April 21 – sale of coloured horses and ponies at Kirkby Stephen.

June 8 – a second sale of coloured horses and ponies at Kirkby Stephen.

June 16 – Sale of proven and potential performance horses and ponies including thoroughbreds together with in hand horses and ponies at a venue to be agreed.

July 20 – a general sale of horses and carriages at Borderway.

September 22  – the annual Cowper Day horse sale at Kirkby Stephen.

October 8 – the Standard bred horse sale at Kirkby Stephen.

October 10 – second annual autumn sale of Shetland ponies under society auspices at Borderway.

December 8 – Christmas sale of horses and ponies at Kirkby Stephen.

December 15 – Christmas “Bonanza” sale of horses and ponies at Borderway.

Carlisle Shetland Pony Show & Sale a Great Success
Annual Cowper Day sale of Horses and Ponies
Cross-Country Diversification