Olympic prospect Scott Brash now has a potential mount for London 2012.
British showjumper receives boost ahead of 2012
Biritsh Olympic showjumping prospect Scott Brash now has a potential mount for London 2012.
Brash, who acquitted himself brilliantly on the challenging Nations Cup circuit this year, now has nine-year-old Sanctos van het Gravenhorf at his yard in Peebles, Scotland.
Ambitious British showjumping benefactors Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham, who have previously bought horses for Tina Fletcher and Laura Renwick, acquired Sanctos from the Ukraine earlier in December for what is understood to be around £2 million.
Lady Harris is the wife of carpet magnate Lord Harris, while Lord Kirham previously owned the furniture store chain DFS.
And former Olympic showjumping medalist David Broome played a key advisory role in setting up what is viewed as a significant milestone for Brash on the road to London.
"We had heard about the horse, and then I had immediate instructions to get on a plane and go to try the horse with Scott in Germany," said Broome.
"Scott shows tremendous talent, and fellow riders like Nick Skelton and Peter Charles want him to have a good horse. They think the world of Scott.
"We would like to think it is one of the best horses we could probably buy. Lord and Lady Harris and Lord and Lady Kirkham are so keen that the British team does well in the Olympics.
"I think we are in a healthier position in terms of selection than we have ever been."
Excited
The nine-year-old gelding has not competed since finishing fourth in the Barcelona grand prix almost three months ago, having performed well at the prestigious Aachen show earlier this year.
It will shortly head to America and the Florida circuit, where Brash has events lined up for it and his other main Olympic hope Intertoy Z.
"I am very excited about it," said 26-year-old Brash. "The horse didn't put a foot wrong when I tried it in Germany. He hadn't jumped for a while, but he felt fantastic.
"The plan is that he will go to America and we will work away quietly, and then hopefully by the end of the tour out there he will be jumping some big classes.
"David has had a lot to do with it in terms of identifying the horse, and I think he has picked a very good one.
"The Olympics are in everyone's thoughts at the moment, and there are a lot of good horses coming through.
"It is about continuing to work hard and hoping you are doing the right things."
