Mystery continues to shroud the new ownership of Carl Hester’s London 2012 gold medal-winning ride, Uthopia.
After the horse was sold at public auction in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Friday night for £165,000, the identity of the new owner was not revealed, in line with the auction house’s policy.
Many hoped that Carl, who wrote on social media before the sale that he hoped he had secured enough funds to buy the horse, was the ultimate winner, or at least someone bidding on his behalf.
However this morning, Sunday 29 May, Carl tweeted: “Sorry for the silence, unable to secure Uthopia myself but hoping and working on a positive outcome”.
Carl, like the rest of the equestrian world, is seeking more information about the highest bidder.
The identity of the new owner remains publicly unknown. They have “two business days” to pay for their new purchase.
Continued below…
Uthopia’s auctioneers: ‘I don’t recognise the winning bidder’s name’ PLUS auction video
Uthopia sold at public auction to unknown buyer
How did Olympic gold medallist Uthopia’s career begin?
The horse was sold as part of a bankruptcy dispersal auction, which included among the lots Rolex watches, super cars, luggage and even a plane.
There were two main bidders in the room — one seated in the stands and the other right at the back. The bids bounced back and forth between these two up until £160,000, at which price there was an online bid. There was one further bid, from the back of the hall, to secure the horse for £165,000.
The dispute surrounding Uthopia’s ownership has been rumbling on since the London Olympics, with the horse prevented from leaving the UK to compete for much of that time due to an injunction.
