Horses targeted in attack at Goffs

AN attack on seven valuable horses stabled at Goffs of Kill, Co Kildare, ahead of the Orby Yearling sales, which are starting there today, had no obvious set pattern and was not targeted at any specific animal.

The tails and some forelocks of the horses, who were from different sires, were cut at the weekend, but the animals, belonging to various vendors, were not interfered with or injured in any other way.

As preparations went ahead at Goff's yesterday for the country's biggest yearling sales, the horses, who had been clipped, were none the worst for the incident.

Vendors showed them to potential buyers, who accepted that hair is a cosmetic issue and will grow again on the horses, whose manes were not cut.

The sales of 650 horses, expected to result in a multi-million euro turnover, have attracted many overseas buyers on the look-out for quality young bloodstock

Goff's chief executive Matt Mitchell said that the attack was of a completely random nature in terms of the sires involved and whether they were fillies or colts.

It could be described as being vandalism of some sort, but whoever was responsible obviously had an affinity with horses.

The horses were unbroken yearlings and to handle them in such a manner would indicate that whoever was involved had confidence in doing what they did, he said.

Security at Goffs, where there is a closed circuit television system in operation, has been stepped up as a result of the incident.

Gardaí at Naas, who are investigating the incident, are expected to view the video footage in the hope that it might yields clues as to the identity of who was responsible.