Kauto Star’s owner Clive Smith has branched out into eventing, and has bought a horse for Laura Collett to ride.
Clive has bought, Pamero 4, a seven-year-old gelding, from Germany, a little over a year after sending his two-times Cheltenham Gold Cup winner to Laura to be retrained in dressage.
“I went to see Kauto do his displays at Barbury Castle and Burghley last year, and I’ve always been interested in eventing, so I said to [Team GBR chef d’equipe] Yogi Breisner I’d be interested in buying a horse,” Clive told H&H.
“I love the colour and the spectacle of racing and point-to-point but I do enjoy a day out eventing as well, it’s good fun.
“National Hunt racing will remain my first love but I enjoy eventing and ultimately the common denominator is the horse so it’s an easy cross-over.”
Clive, Laura and Yogi all went over to Germany to see the horse, which is now at Laura’s Lambourn yard. Pamero has competed in two international events in Germany with Stephan Dubsky.
“We watched a film of the horse and Yogi said he had great potential so we all went over to see him,” added Clive.
“Laura jumped him and he went brilliantly and we were all very taken with him. So now the aim is for her to bring him on and see what we can do.”
Laura said: “I’m hugely grateful to Mr Smith for supporting me by purchasing Pamero. The horse is an exciting seven-year-old that we hope can progress to the top of eventing.”
Clive added that Kauto Star is in “great form” and he’s looking forward to seeing him compete in the future.
“I went down to visit both horses last week and he’s very well, it’s an exciting time,” he added.
