# So are they sold??



## dianchi (10 August 2012)

I've heard the rumours and charlottes interview which included the words "we have other horses to get ready for rio"

Have the stunning boys really been sold then?


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## nagseastsussex (10 August 2012)

God I hope not.  Why should our riders put all the hard work in and then the horses get sold on.  I will probably get shot down for this but the owners should stay loyal to the riders and their horses especially after the brilliant performances they have put in.


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## Amymay (10 August 2012)

nagseastsussex said:



			God I hope not.  Why should our riders put all the hard work in and then the horses get sold on.  I will probably get shot down for this but the owners should stay loyal to the riders and their horses especially after the brilliant performances they have put in.
		
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Well, Carl owns half of one horse, and it was no secret before the 'Games' that they were to be sold.

However, it would be great if they could stay in the UK.


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## paulineh (10 August 2012)

I think they have already been sold. It all comes down to MONEY.


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## skewbaldpony (10 August 2012)

The end finances the means, frankly.  I don't know if buyers have been finalised, but if not, it would be great if they would stay in GB. Cheaper than footballers, and better manners


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## 1071helen (10 August 2012)

It would be such a shame to see the partnerships broken up.  Their stud value must be HUGE now so they can surely earn their owners a lot of dosh and keep winning and go to Rio with Carl and Charl.   
Will be a very sad day if sold .....


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## Elsbells (10 August 2012)

Ultimately I'd guess that Carl is a producer, higher up the scale perhaps but like any other and that's how he makes his living?

Doesn't he often get them back when they retire?


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## Dovorian (10 August 2012)

We were talking abouth this only a couple of hours ago, a non horsey friend asked how much such horses would be worth. Tbh I haven't a clue!  Are we talking £ more than a million and if so just how much?

Would be very hard for any owner not to consider selling, given that a horse can 'break' pretty easily and the insurance alone must be huge.

Puts my £1K purchase into perspective but I still wrap him in cotton wool!


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## camilla4 (10 August 2012)

nagseastsussex said:



			God I hope not.  Why should our riders put all the hard work in and then the horses get sold on.  I will probably get shot down for this but the owners should stay loyal to the riders and their horses especially after the brilliant performances they have put in.
		
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Carl actually half owns both horses!


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## skewbaldpony (10 August 2012)

I would suggest that his investment was his work, and to capitalise that worth, they have to be sold. It kind of makes a nonsense of all those twerps in the newspaper comments threads, banging on about how all you need is a rich daddy. 
The work's been done, the hours put in, the risks taken, the prize won. Now the only way to reap the reward is to sell the horse. It's harsh but true.


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## Kat (10 August 2012)

1071helen said:



			Their stud value must be HUGE now
		
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Perhaps for Uthopia but not so much Valegro what with him being a gelding


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## dianchi (10 August 2012)

Supposedly it's £10m for Utophia and £8m for Valegro

Escapado came back cos he was broken I think :-/


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## lizzi2 (10 August 2012)

Be a huge shame if they are sold - so often the "new" rider never gets on as well as the previous one - the partnership and affinity can't be changed between riders easily! 
  So many horses have been sold from UK abroad and never do as well with their new rider (eg Totilas) - seen happen with other countries who've sold too - eg Albert Zoer and OkiDoki - poor horse ended up dying not long after the sale - very sad


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## Merlin11 (10 August 2012)

It is sad but I suspect they may be seen to be at their peak value now and it viewed as the right time to sell. Bit like shares being at their peak.


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## millimoo (11 August 2012)

I don't blame Carl.
He nearly had Uti sold from under him at the 11th hour last year, and he was lucky to pull together the funds to satisfy Sacha Stewart.
The sale of Valegro will pay off his mortgage and probably give him a comfortable buffer to enjoy his horses without the pressure.
I don't feel sorry for Charlotte, as she has fast tracked through the ranks thanks Carls generosity, and training. Don't get me wrong, she's incredibly talented and clearly her and Carl are a tight unit.
She has done very well out of it, and Carl helped secure the sale of Fernandez, which has given her enough money to buy her own place, and some nice youngsters.
In an ideal world im sure Carl would love to buy, and keep them both, but he's just not in the same position as Laura financially.
It will be incredibly sad to see them go, and is a great shame, but that is life sadly.
Hopefully they will return to the fold one day when they retire in the same way Escapado did :-/


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## redriverrock (11 August 2012)

I know carl owns half of Valegro but is it totally out of the question that a buyer may be found where Carl and Charlotte retain the rides...best of both worlds or am I being stupid. Carl is such a fantastic trainer and with the more 'natural' way of producing these horses seemingly coming into vogue I cant think of a better pair of riders to keep producing the goods...maybe Carl wants to move on?


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## millimoo (11 August 2012)

Redriverrock... If my reliable source is to be believed, the deal for Valegro is already done, and he goes to a young rider who was also at the Olympics. 
If she could just switch her trainer to Carl that would be perfect  in a less than perfect situation.


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## redriverrock (11 August 2012)

It does seem a shame but I try not to be sentimental when it comes to cash and I wonder if this is how Carl wants it...we may never know I guess.


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## Dab (11 August 2012)

How come the German, Dutch (apart from Gals horse!) and other countries riders seem to keep hold of their top class horses? or does it happen across the board?

Where are the wealthy UK owners or breeding programmes?


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## Goldenstar (11 August 2012)

Dab said:



			How come the German, Dutch (apart from Gals horse!) and other countries riders seem to keep hold of their top class horses? or does it happen across the board?

Where are the wealthy UK owners or breeding programmes?
		
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I am not sure but perhaps the patron system is still strong there where a very weathly person bank rolls a rider it's strong in the US and I think on the continent.
But many top horses are sold and the riders get a percentage usually when the horse is sold or own a share of the horse.
Gals horse was owned by a stud ( hope that's right) presumably they have many mares from those bloodlines so it made sense to sell him for a sum of money that would but your stud on a firm footing for many many years .
If the rumours of where Valegro is going are true then I think he will be fine her horse at the Olympics looked happy and I wondered what would happen to him when he was sold. But imagine that much on a horse its another world.


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## Nicnac (11 August 2012)

Pure speculation, but which Brit has a horse who will probably be retired now from top level competition *and *the money to buy either of the other horses in the team (or even both)?

I think I saw a H&C programme recently where Carl said both horses would be sold but that they would both return to him for their retirement as per Escapado.


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## Goldenstar (11 August 2012)

Of course it's all speculation soon enough we will know.


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## Dab (11 August 2012)

Maybe the difference with regard to the big money patron's within the equestrian world are that in the UK they are more orientated towards racing?

On the continent, say Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Iberia horse racing is not so big, but horse sports SJ, Dressage and Eventing (to a lesser extent) are big. The UK breeds TB's but we don't have the breeding programmes in place to cover the other disciplines and therefore don't attract the same patron's or big money.

I'm just talking aloud...but it does surprise me that we seem to lose a disproportionate amount of top horses as we don't have the patrons to keep them in this country.


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## xxlindeyxx (13 August 2012)

Ive just seen on twitter that Uthopia and Valegro are going for 6m each. Its not confirmed though so dont get angry with me if its wrong 
Source from someone who did a photoshoot with carl.


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## redriverrock (13 August 2012)

xxlindeyxx said:



			Ive just seen on twitter that Uthopia and Valegro are going for 6m each. Its not confirmed though so dont get angry with me if its wrong 
Source from someone who did a photoshoot with carl.
		
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Ive just seen the source of this 'info'...not very professional, unless he has been told it is OK to announce this info or it is just hearsay. Carls twitter has said nothing other than a lovely photo of Valegro munching in his field!


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## silu (13 August 2012)

If it's true, hope the press doesn't get hold of it as there is enough justifiable? bad publicity about equestrianism being elitist atm. If the tabloids pick it up they will have a field day.Doubt Tom Daley's swimming trunks however cute! would be worth even 4 figures.


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## redriverrock (13 August 2012)

Just had a tweet from the source who states they are both up for sale for 6m each (he is a pro equine photographer) who  when i questioned if in a professional role he should be releasing info about clients said it is general knowledge? Cant say I have seen anything official, maybe it is true...infact Im sure it is true they will be sold but there seems to be alot of people claiming to have the inside story!


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## Amymay (13 August 2012)

Well, if the horses are for sale, then of course the price will be common knowledge.  So hardly any confidences broken...........


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## redriverrock (13 August 2012)

Well im not sure it really works like that and he also mentioned that charlotte was getting a cut...just think when you are a pro anything it is unprofessional to tweet about your clients business affairs...sorry maybe just me being funny!


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## blackislegirl (13 August 2012)

I was feeling very sad about Valegro and Uthopia being sold, until I realised that I had to consider them as 'works of art' rather than pets. Artists work long and hard to produce beautiful pieces, and their pay-off is the sale price - they are not on salaries with pension plans etc.  I think it must be the same with Carl Hester.  Otoh I believe that Laura B's grandfather is a multi-millionaire property developer, so perhaps Mistral Horijs can be a pet as well as a work of art.


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## -Sj- (13 August 2012)

Not sure what the problem is with them being sold on. 
As said before Carl is a producer of top end horses, it's his livelihood! Can just imagine what the running costs for his yard would be.... sends shivers down my spine at the thought!


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## Freya27 (13 August 2012)

My biggest worry if they're sold, is that they'll be kept so differently. Carl is known for turning his out, giving them hacking etc, but (I think) Germany, Holland etc tend to keep their horses in all the time. If turn out keeps his sane and happy..then I feel real sorry for them if they have to go and live in a box for the rest of their working life. I expect they would perform very differently if that were the case


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## xxlindeyxx (13 August 2012)

Freya27 said:



			My biggest worry if they're sold, is that they'll be kept so differently. Carl is known for turning his out, giving them hacking etc, but (I think) Germany, Holland etc tend to keep their horses in all the time. If turn out keeps his sane and happy..then I feel real sorry for them if they have to go and live in a box for the rest of their working life. I expect they would perform very differently if that were the case 

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I agree with you , their performance will be different if unhappy about how they live. Not to mention they may be trained differently maybe even with Rollkur


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