THE CASTLEBRIDGE CONSIGNMENT

Meet The Castlebridge Consignment Team.

The Castlebridge Consignment

The Team

Selling your own horse at Public Auction can be a challenging and sometimes daunting prospect. The Castlebridge Consignment will work with you to help meet the workload and detailed planning required to achieve the best sale results.

The four founding partners combine over a century’s experience, with hands-on experience covering all sectors of the bloodstock industry. Biographical details of the permanent members of the Castlebridge team are listed below and illustrate the experience and expertise that is available to help Castlebridge clients.

Bill Dwan

Director

dwan@castlebridgesales.com
+353 (0)87 648 5587

Bill Dwan has been involved in bloodstock from an early age and worked closely with his father Jack in his successful National Hunt business before completing the Irish National Stud course. He then spent eight years working for Coolmore Stud, during this period he spent six Southern Hemisphere stud seasons working in New Zealand and Australia and also had the privilege of handling/managing champion sire Danehill while he stood at stud in Japan. After leaving Coolmore, Bill managed Ballygallon Stud, before jointly founding The Castlebridge Consignment and becoming the well-known public face of The Castlebridge Consignment.

Andrew Mead

Director

mead@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0) 7940 597573

Andrew Mead was pupil assistant to Barry Hills back in 1976 when Durtal was winning the Cheveley Park Stakes for the stable. This was followed by three years as assistant trainer to Capt. Ryan Price, with a spell working in Australia for the legendary Bart Cummings at the height of his powers. Andrew then moved onto a twenty-year career as a bloodstock agent which began with the late Richard Galpin and then as a partner in Mead Goodbody Ltd., specialising in the Japanese market and selling two Derby winners to Japan in the year of their Epsom victories. In 2007 he re-aligned from agenting to focus on running The Castlebridge Consignment.

Tara Dwan

Director

tara@castlebridgesales.com

Tara Dwan, married to Bill since 2003, is the daughter and former assistant trainer to highly successful Irish trainer Michael Cunningham who excelled on the flat with the likes of Cairn Rouge, winner of 1000 Guineas and Champion Stakes at Newmarket plus many big winners over jumps including For Auction winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham. Tara was involved in the day to day running of her father’s busy racing yard as well as riding on the flat. Tara is now actively involved in the managing of Castlebridge Stud in Co. Meath and looking after the twin boys William and Michael.

Marion Goodbody

Director

marion@castlebridgesales.com

Marion Goodbody competed internationally in dressage, show jumping and eventing whilst at Trinity College, Dublin. Well known in Tipperary hunting circles, successful in point-to-points and team chasing, and being one of the first licenced lady riders in Ireland, including competing over the Punchestown “banks” course. Managed Tullamaine Castle Stud before a career in bloodstock with the Newmarket Bloodstock Agent, Tim Vigors, and as a partner in Mead Goodbody Ltd. During her time with Tim Vigors, Marion was instrumental in the purchase of Indian Ridge to stand as a stallion.

Liz Palmer

Associate Finance Director

accounts@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0)1638 666808

Liz Palmer joined Castlebridge as Accounts Manager in 2009 having previously worked for International Racehorse Transport for Some twelve years, with prior to that, a background in accountancy and tax affairs. Liz has overseen the growth of The Castlebridge Consignment over the past twelve years and has direct contact with many of the Castlebridge clients. Liz is married with two daughters, one of whom is a practicing vet.

Patrick Diamond

Sales Executive (UK based)

patrick@castlebridge-agency.com
+44 (0) 7745 526233

Joined the Castlebridge team in June 2021 and is based in the Newmarket office. Patrick worked for Weatherbys from 2010 to 2014 before completing the Irish National Stud breeding course which was followed by a spell with Arrowfield Stud in Australia. Patrick returned to the Irish National Stud initially as a Business Intern and from 2016 to 2021 was responsible for Nomination Sales and Bloodstock Management. Patrick will be continuing in his role trading stallion nominations at Castlebridge whilst providing extra management support at the sales throughout the sales season.

Michelle McParland

entries and Sales co-ordinator

michelle@castlebridgesales.com
+353 (0)87 823 2746

Michelle grew up on a Stud farm in County Wicklow and competed successfully in Eventing and Showing, she then gained valuable experience in different aspects of the Bloodstock and Racing industries working for various European Consigners before holding the role as office manager for Thoroughbred Remedies Ireland for 15 years. Michelle initially worked for Castlebridge in 2010 as part of the cards staff team, and has done so every year since then. Having joined the office team full time in November 2022, Michelle now handles all aspects of the sales entries and management of sales in Ireland.

Emma Palmer

Sales Co-ordinator

sales@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0) 7525761925

After graduating with a degree in Equine Studies and Business Management from the University of Essex, Emma moved to Canada to live and work. She returned to the UK and worked for Castlebridge on a short-term contract in 2016 and was soon immersed into the Wildenstein Dispersal at Goffs Sales. Although she returned to Canada at the end of the sales season, Castlebridge had seen enough to want to bring Emma back as a permanent member of staff in the Newmarket office from 2017.

Sophie Hall

MEDIA MANAGER

media@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0) 7591117497

Sophie completed the National Stud Diploma course, where she graduated as top student in 2016. She then moved to Australia for a year, where she worked on the foaling unit and prepping yearlings for Arrowfield Stud. Sophie worked all the major sales in Australia and New Zealand and rode out and worked full time for Gai Waterhouse. When she returned to the UK, Sophie worked as a Barn Leader for Hugo Palmer for two years before working as a Vet Technician and then joining Castlebridge in 2020.

Hannah Murphy

UK Farm Manager (Castlebridge East)

cb-east@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0) 7795 623900

Hannah joined Castlebridge in the Summer of 2018 as the UK Farm Manager. Coming from a farming family local to Newmarket, she combines that farming background with her own extensive CV including travelling head girl to one of Newmarket’s leading flat stables. Hannah also held an amateur flat licence in the UK and rode track work for Anthony Cummings in Australia. An all-round horsewoman, she provides us with hands on horse experience, coupled with excellent management capabilities.

Cheryl Powell

OFFICE AND SALES

sales.ast@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0) 1638 561116

After studying Travel and Tourism at college, Cheryl changed direction and begin working within studs and showing yards. She completed the foundation course at the British Racing School before working for Sir Mark Prescott for seven years as part of the racing / runners team. An experienced horse-box driver, Cheryl has travelled extensively within the racing industry, working in Germany, Malaysia, Namibia and Hungary before returning to Newmarket to work for George Scott as travelling head person. She joined the Castlebridge office in July 2023.

Lynne Brackenbury

OFFICE AND SALES

admin@castlebridgesales.com
+44 (0) 1638 561116

With a background in competitive riding, Lynne is a long-term resident of Newmarket and has accumulated considerable knowledge of the studs and stables whilst in her managerial roles for national horse-feed companies. More recently over a two-year period, Lynne was both hands-on and running the office for a well-known thoroughbred re-habilitation yard. She brings client liaison and logistical experience to the office team, having joined in July 2023.

Anna Hodgson

Assistant to the Farm Manager (Castlebridge East)

After completing the foundation course at the British Racing School and a year at Hartpury college Anna went to Australia and worked for Helen Page racing on the Gold Coast. She then went on to New Zealand and worked as a head girl for Millar Racing for 11 years before returning to the UK where she graduated as top student on the National Stud diploma course and then joined the Castlebridge team.

Eoin White

Castlebridge Stud Manager (Ireland)

Has been running the Castlebridge farm in Ireland for the past number of years being responsible for foaling mares, preparing mares for coverings, and for yearling and foal sale preparation prior to the sales. Eoin also attends the major sales as part of the showing team.

Deirdre De Kleer

Irish Sales Co-ordinator and Irish Farm Secretary

deirdre@castlebridgesales.com

Having graduated in International Business Studies at UCD Michael Smurfit Business School, Deirdre went to Spain on a IBEC course to learn the language and work. This was followed by travels to the Caribbean and then Holland, where she lived in Rotterdam for 5 years working as a broker. Deirdre then moved back to Ireland with her Dutch husband and worked many years as Service Manager for a lift company before joining Castlebridge in 2008.

Jasper

Castlebridge head of security

Please contact Bill Dwan, Andrew Mead or Patrick Diamond if you would like any further information on the services provided by The Castlebridge Consignment.