We haven’t said much about the Olympics, but here’s how fast people can turn horses around once they are done with them.
Yep. Harsh words. And it would be unfair not to mention that it is typical of horses’ lives that they changes hands a few and often many times. But, boy, was that quick.
Yahoo! Sports reports:
LONDON – Three Olympic champions were put up for sale on Wednesday, available to the highest bidder with a reserve price of a mere $30 million.
The names of Valegro, Uthopia, and Alf might be unfamiliar to most Olympic Games viewers. Moreover, these three victors didn’t even get rewarded for their triumphs with an official gold medal.
That’s because they’re horses.
The trio clinched the equestrian dressage team title for Great Britain – with a bit of help from some highly skilled riders, of course – and are now being sold off for what is certain to be an eye-catching sum.
It is possible that the horses could be bought as a package. Yahoo! Sports understands that interest has already been expressed by “an Arabian royal,” according to a source, but unless a bid of well over $30 million is made, the horses will go to auction.
— Source
Tuesday's Horse 
Reblogged this on STOP ANIMAL ABUSE.
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This is no way needs to be on your blog ” STOP ANIMAL ABUSE”. Selling these fabulous horses is not ABUSE. And you posting it as such is a slam at the talented trainers and riders that have cared for them for years.. And comments should be allowed if you insist on leaving it there. Ridiculous. concentrate on the thousands of real instances of ANIMAL ABUSE.
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Please explain how this can possibly constitute animal abuse ? You need to be concentrating on the tens of thousands of people with backyard horses who , through ignorance, keep their horses badly fed, badly shod, and refuse to take lessons because they ” love” their horse and think that is enough.
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Remember also that in order to maintain amateur status to be eligible to compete in the Olympics, the riders cannot earn their living by training horses or instructing riders. There are only a very few money-making activities connected with the horse world that allows you to keep amateur status — you can earn money by writing, working in a therapeutic riding program, and selling horses. And that’s about it. Some countries (Germany, for example) support their equestrian athletes, while others such as the U.S. and Great Britain do not.
Wealthy patrons willing to purchase young prospects, hire professional trainers to work with the amateur riders, and assist with the riders’ living expenses—these are absolutely essential to our sport.
As for the horses’ future, these horses will not go to a slaughterhouse. The dressage community is relatively small and tightly knit. These horses are legendary, and there are many, many people who would be willing to give them a retirement home and, eventually, a humane end to life, whether the horses could still be ridden or not.
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Thank you so much Sarah. We didn’t anticipate that any of these horses would go to slaughter, although it does happen although rarely with dressage horses in the U.S. Most are Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.
Even in the U.S. many of the people who own dressage horses do not train or compete themselves. An example is the infamous Rafalca. If she were not owned by the wife of a potential Presidential candidate no one know her name. Now a lot of people suddenly know about dressage too. Hopefully that will turn out to be a good thing.
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Amateur status is no longer a requirement for the Olympics. Very few of the competitors are amateurs. Kobe Bryant and some of the other professional basketball players are participating.
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Sarah, your reminder that riders must be amateur and cannot earn a living instructing is many many years out of date. Carl Hester, Richard Davison and Steffen Peters are all top level professional instructors, as are several of the European riders.
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Thank you ACA. One gets a bit jaded living in the money obsessed, make it any way you can, USA, that any display of consideration for the horses on whose backs big prizes are won is much appreciated. So thank you to Carl.
I believe the article we quoted from says the third in the trio of horses being sold in that whopping $30M reserve price is Alf.
There have been a few comments on how much is invested in these horses to get them to this stage, but with that price tag that’s still quite a payoff.
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My understanding is that returning to Carl for retirement in his fields is part of the sale deal for both Uthopia and Valegro. I don’t believe that Mistral Hojiris will be sold – the family have the sort of wealth than means they don’t need it. At the end of the day, horses at the top (not necessarily these particular horses) are an investment for many owners, and not an emotional investment but a financial one.
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I agree, the horse deserves to have a gold medal that goes with the horse if sold.~
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HEY !!!!!! The horses deserve Gold Metals also, they are half the reason they Won arent they???????????
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We have observed way too much for many years to accept anything at face value. How shocked people are when they hear of great horses with caring owners who have gotten into the wrong hands and ended up in horrible circumstances. That is highly unlikely to happen here because the horses still have high value. There are too many horses used in too many ways who are not among the lucky ones.
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Actually, I hate to say this, but many top riders got there by climbing over the piled up bodies of horses. To say that these horses- especially if they wind up in Saudi Arabia, not that they necessarily will, even if a Saudi buys them- will never wind up at a slaughter house is a bit naive, considering we have had a Kentucky Derby winner go to one in Japan not long ago. Riders often don’t even own the horses they ride- the top ones are syndicated and the syndicate is who decides if the horse should be sold. Unfortunately, profit is the motivator- not appreciation for what the animal has done. The future of any horse that gets sold, no matter what the price, is never guaranteed.
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I don’t believe that you are very well informed about Dressage Horses, and Dressage Riders/Trainers. I have bred Dressage Horses and watched their lives over the years, and I can assure you that my babies have had continual love and great care.. I also follow the lives of horses, riders, and trainers, and resent the insinuation that these people climb over the bodies of dead horses. Maybe some do, but these horses are competing into the late teens, and are prized even after their competitive days as school masters, and retire as icons… I’m not sure about Saudi, but I can assure you that the Dressage World is not the Racing World.
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Thank you polopaula. We are always glad to hear about the good and not the bad.
Nothing can beat horse racing except maybe the horse soring crowd. And I restrict this to the US, although we have not come across any horse racing nation that does not send their “used up” horses to slaughter.
But people come here and defend their “sport” because they have never seen the down side. That does not mean it does not exist. And that is what we are here for. Not a pleasant job but someone has to be watching and questioning on behalf of these horses.
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I understand, but I believe to lump all horse sports together is wrong… One of these horses is 17… I only wish that most horses could be loved and trained and kept healthy enough to perform anywhere, let alone at the Olympics at 17. My Dressage horse is 21 and enjoying a healthy and happy retirement.. I was there when he was born, and I hope that I am the one who is there with him when he dies. Unless I go first, and I have made arrangements for him. And the 18 yr old retired broodmare. I know that not all dressage riders are concerned about their horses, but I find it hard to believe that Hester does not care what happens to his horses. Let’s just not group them all together with incriminating statements that are unfounded in fact… at least with these British riders.
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These are in no danger of slaughter auction. And these riders/trainers/teachers are not supported by their country or wealthy patrons, so the only way they have to make a living is to sell the horses that they have spent years loving and training. I see nothing untoward about the decision made by the British riders. And I have nothing but respect for Hester who trained Charlotte & her horse, giving her his best prospect to ride when she was a working student and Valegro was only 4. Can you just imagine that type of opportunity?? I would love it if a wealthy British lord would buy the horse for her, but that being unlikely, I hope that they have wonderful prospects in their barns, and these fabulous horses find great new homes.
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Olympic riders spend hundreds of thousands of their own money to get to that stage in their careers. If a horse is to be sold, now is the time. Totilas was sold just after his victory at WEG in 2010. There are so few animals of this quality in the world that there is always a huge line of people ready to buy them!
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Thanks CDP. It is an expensive business indeed. And they must capitalize on their investment. That’s the way of the horse world. One wonders what happens to horses when they can no longer compete and have no market value for anyone any longer. We sadly see the down side of this all too often. Great horses do not always have a great end.
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I AGREE. SEE ‘FRIENDS OF FERDINAND’ Hopefully a 10 million dollar tag- per horse- would keep them off the dinner tables of JAPAN AND FRANCE when they reach retirement age…. it didnt work for Ferdinand. I wonder how much a plate of KENTUCKY DERBY WINNER costs at that restaurant?
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The fear, and shock of betrayal, for Ferdinand and Exceller, must have been horrific. I just cannot imagine handing a horse over for that, no matter what the circumstances, whether it be a $500 or $5M horse. It’s not as if either stud farm needed the couple of hundred of Yankee dollars, so it was just a convenient way to dispose of them. Exceller was actually hand walked over the report was.
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These horses have more than a decade of useful competitive life left to help bring along young riders. An Olympic level sport horse will teach riders and have great value for many years. You don’t realize that in these sports, it is not about who is the fastest horse, but a partnership. One does not just swap riders easily and expect to get this kind of performance. It takes a relationship with the horse, riding every day and coming to know each other’s thoughts in order to have success at these high levels. These tests involve instant reaction of pace, stride lengthening and shortening, balance, turning, elevating and practice, practice, practice. There are very few Olympic level horses which are younger than 9. There are lots who perform into their high teens. For the Moment competed at age 22.
One other point: the top tax rate in Great Britain is 50%. By the time an owner pays taxes, commissions and other sale expenses, that 30 million price tag will be closer to 10. That is still a windfall, but will also allow the purchase of new young prospects and pay training/showing expenses for a while
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You like this..
Laura Wright for sale: gold medal olympic dressage horse, $10,000,000.00 o.better.o…. slightly used, needs experienced rider, gold medal not included. Serious inquiries only
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