Britain loses top SJ horses

The damaging trend for some of Britain’s best show jumping horses to be sold to our European rivals continues.

Michael Whitaker’s (pictured) hopes of having two horses with which to chase selection for Athens have been dashed by the news that Abrisca, whom he owned in conjunction with Scotland’s Gillespie brothers, has been sold to AMG, part of Mercedes.

German rider Pia-Louise Aufrecht will now partner the former Horse & Hound Foxhunter finalist.

“I had a high regard for Abrisca; she and Portofino were my Olympic hopes,” said Michael.

Britain may also lose Mandy Hall and Nick Anderson’s top horse, Limbo, who Andrew Davies partnered to win the grand prix in Belfast last month.

“It’s extremely expensive to keep a grand prix horse on the road, and with no British team qualified for Athens, we didn’t really have anything to aim at,” says Mandy.

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