By Stephen Farrell, BSc Honours Degree in Equine Management, Enniskillen Campus

“Equine courses offered at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus are noted for providing students with a taste of “real life” experience through their equine breeding, racing and equitation units. BSc Honours Degree and National Diploma Equine Management students recently received excellent support from the equine industry through the successful preparation of nine foals for the autumn bloodstock and sport horse sales. Four of the foals offered at the sales were CAFRE bred while the remaining five were offered to the students for preparation by external breeders.

The first foals were offered at the Tattersalls November National Hunt Sale. Leading up foals were BSc Honours Degree students Thomas Brosnan, Samantha Kennerly, Shauna Boyle, Amy McGuckan and Jessica McGrath while grooming at the event were Claire Wilson, Naomi Meeke and Stephen Farrell. The students were delighted when a bay colt by Milan sold for €16,500.

Goffs November Foal Sale was the next destination for CAFRE students. One of the lots, a bay filly by Diamond Green successfully went under the hammer at the event for a satisfying €4,000. Leading up at the sales were students Laura Ferry and Jennifer Malone while grooming at the event was Julie McGlinchey and Anna McSparron.

The final CAFRE prepared foals to successfully go under the hammer were at the recent Youngstock Sales held at Cavan Equestrian and Horse Marketing Centre. One home produced lot by Limerick out of CAFRE First light made it into the top ten lots of the day, selling for a fantastic €3400.

CAFRE students involved with the breeding unit would like to take this opportunity to thank the breeders who offered us their foals for sales preparation and we sincerely hope your expectations were met. The foals offered to us this season were a pleasure to work with and we value the opportunities presented to us. Staff and students are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of new batch of CAFRE bred foals at Enniskillen Campus in spring 2009”.

Enniskillen Campus students, Stephen Farrell and Claire Wilson pictured with filly by Moothyeb out of Little Megan at the Sport Horse sales in Cavan