Ben Maher’s Olympic horse Rolette sold to America
Show jumper Ben Maher’s Olympic ride, Rolette, has been sold abroad.
The 10-year-old mare Rolette has been sold to America for “an amount that can’t be turned down”.
The horse’s loss to British show jumping is a crushing blow. Rolette was a British team hopeful for next year’s European Championships, the 2010 World Equestrian Games and the 2012 Olympics.
“She was more than a potential, she was a guarantee if her health stayed good,” Ben told H&H.
“I’m not going to pretend it won’t affect me, because it will. But that’s life unfortunately.”
He added that the horse has been sold to a big sponsor but that at present neither he nor Rolette’s owner, Daniel Paul, knows which rider she would be placed with.
British show jumping team manager Derek Ricketts said the sale of a horse of Rolette’s calibre was “extremely disappointing”.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“She was so promising, and young enough to go right through to 2012,” he said. “She and Ben proved what an outstanding combination they were in Hong Kong.”
Rumours of a possible sale have been circulating since September, but Ben Maher confirmed to H&H on Monday that the mare would go to the US within a fortnight.
“She has been sold for a lot of money, but I don’t think it’s necessary to say how much,” he said.
“I believe I have a good back-up horse, Robin Hood, and I’ve had reassurance from Derek that I will still be considered — I don’t want to be a ‘one hit and you’re out’.”
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
