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The 2020 Goffs Land Rover Sale, following a protracted lead into this week's revised dates, returned a satisfactory trade over the two days headlined by yesterday's sale topping price of €185,000, which matched that of last year's top lot, as well as a Part 1 clearance rate of 84%.

Following the conclusion of the Land Rover Sale this evening, Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby said:
 
"The first sale in Ireland since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic certainly took a circuitous route to its conclusion. Two new dates, discussions around location, overseas buyers coming, then not, further complications around a local “lockdown” and more. We have never know anything like it and it’s fair to say the sale was approached with a certain amount of trepidation to say the least.
 
So to return a sale of vibrancy and depth has been little short of amazing. Of course the figures are not on a par with last year’s record breaker, but the Part 1 statistics are very close to those returned in 2017 which was celebrated at the time as breaking new ground, and the trade was more than satisfactory when one considers the backdrop with a clearance rate of 84% that is very respectable at any time, together with a top price that matched last year’s €185,000 high. Today was harder going but there was still keen interest from start to finish.
 
We want to take this opportunity to say a very heartfelt thank you to several people and groups. First and foremost to our vendors who entrusted us with a superb bunch of potential NH stars and then held their nerve for the last two months. We have always said we are nothing without the horses and that has never been truer but the positivity with which they approached a frightening two days was truly admirable.
 
Horse Racing Ireland and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing have been a rock in the last few weeks, working with us, and giving advice, reassurance and help. We ultimately failed in our collective efforts to get clearance for a targeted number of overseas buyers to attend but the shifting sands of Covid-19 conspired against us when we thought we had the submission over the line; it certainly wasn’t for lack of effort and we are extremely grateful to Brian Kavanagh and all his colleagues.
 
We are also so thankful to each buyer. Those that were able to come worked with us by respecting the protocols in place, even though they were tiresome at times and there was a good humoured acceptance of face-masks, going the long way round, not standing too close and the rest. I confess we were devastated to have to withdraw the invitations to several major UK buyers on Thursday night as the worsening situation dictated that they could not attend without the requisite two weeks self-isolation despite a submission that was deemed to have merit. Again we were humbled by their understanding and subsequent proactivity to make it work by using local eyes, videos, phone bids and the new Goffs Online platform to ensure they fully participated, and made their “presence” felt as they chased the class and quality provided by our vendors.
 
Thanks is also due to Tattersalls for loaning us another of their star auctioneers. Like Ollie Fowlston at Doncaster last month, Simon Kerins slotted seamlessly into our team and conducted each sale with the skill and passion for which he is renowned. Of course, Simon started his auctioneering career with Goffs and we were delighted to welcome back the man who wielded the gavel for Europe’s most expensive horse ever. We wish Simon and his colleagues the very best of luck with the Derby Sale next week as there has never been a time when our interests have been more aligned than now.
 
This is not a time, or year, for broad statements about market share or comparisons with others. Indeed, our overwhelming feeling is of thanks to all the aforementioned, and others, who pulled together to get it done. Land Rover will be remembered for many things but perhaps the most enduring will be of a collective resilience to keep calm and carry on whatever happens".

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Land Rover Comparative Figures
2019 v 2020

Part 1

 
Part 2

 
Part 1 and Part 2 Combined