Polly Jackson to receive £72k in wrangle with owners
Eventer Polly Jackson will receive £72,000 after settling out of court with the owners of one of her top horses.
Miss Jackson launched court action against Bournston Highland Charm’s owners Paul and Christine Kilmister, claiming they broke a verbal agreement that she could compete him until after the Olympics.
The case was settled on 23 January, the day before it was due to be heard at the High Court in Birmingham.
Miss Jackson said: “This dispute has been ongoing since 2009, so to have it settled is a relief. It saddens me but I had no choice, as they refused to settle the claim without the intervention of the courts.”
Miss Jackson, now based in Co Wexford, found “Henry” in 2006 and he was bought for 132,000 Australian dollars ( £77,172) by Bournston Equestrian for her to ride, with a view to 2012 qualification.
According to court papers, the Kilmisters paid the livery bills until May 2008, when it was verbally agreed Miss Jackson would pay all expenses.
The rider claims this was in return for a share in ownership.
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Later, Miss Jackson claims, the Kilmisters asked her to find a buyer, but promised she would keep the ride. But new owners were found in September 2009 and planned to move him.
She refused to return Henry and launched court action. He has been on her parents’ yard during the dispute but she was unable to compete him.
Their last outing was in August 2009, when they were second in the CCI*** at Blair Castle.
Miss Jackson also receives “full and sole ownership” of Bournston Highland Charm and two others she was training for the Kilmisters. Mr Kilmister declined to comment.
This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (23 February 2012)
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.