Robert Smith’s top ride Talan sold to Saudi Arabia
Robert Smith’s top ride Talan has been sold to Saudi Arabia ahead of the Olympics.
At midnight on 31 December, the deadline for a horse to change hands and be allowed to compete for another nation in London this summer passed.
And it was revealed that Saudi Arabia made an eleventh-hour purchase of Talan.
The horse will be ridden by HH Prince Faisal.
British showjumping team’s chef d’equipe Rob Hoekstra confirmed the sale to H&H, adding: “The Saudi Arabians have been trying to get their hands on our horses for a while”.
The Saudi team – along with Jordan – have just earned the final qualifying places at the 2012 Olympics after winning gold at the Pan-Arab games in December.
For more on this story read Thursday’s issue of H&H (5 January).
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