Carl Hester's Uthopia Sells at Auction for £165,000

Dressage

British Dressage News

Carl Hester's 15-year old Dutch warmblood stallion Uthopia has been sold at auction for £165,000 to an unknown buyer on Friday 28 April 2016. Uthopia was sold as part of an executorial sale following the bankruptcy of his owners Sasha Stewart and her father Derek Harrison.

Uthopia was sold by Tom Keenan (Keenan Corporate Finance) and James Neill ( HNH Group) who held joint ownership of the horse by virtue of their respective roles as Trustee in Bankruptcy over two separate bankruptcy estates. He was Lot Nr. 80 in the auction and fierce bidding lasted for more than 10 minutes until the hammer struck at £165,000.

The bidding duel for Uthopia was between an online bid at £160,000 (approx 217,000 euro), and an unidentified person at the Wilsons Auctions' hall, who had the final bid at £165,000.

The auction took place in Ireland on Friday 27 May 2016 at 6 PM GMT, but bidding was done live, as well as online and over the phone. The horse has stayed at Carl's yard for its welfare.

In numerous interviews about the auction, Hester or his British team members disclosed that the stallion is injured and no longer fit for a competition career. Hester had always hoped to secure the stallion himself so he could be retired at his farm and stand at stud.

Wilsons Auctions stated that there was "global interest" in the horse after the sale of Uthopia was announced on 28 April 2016. Interestingly, Hester disclosed to Eurodressage that he had agreed to one public viewing day of the horse at his yard, so that potential buyers could inspect the stallion. According to Hester no one showed up on the agreed viewing day.

Wilsons Auctions have ended a 5-year long legal despute about the ownership of the horse. The 15-year old KWPN stallion Uthopia (by Metall x Inspekteur) has now been sold for £165,000. The identity of the buyer has not yet been revealed.