IRELAND's Rio Olympian Jonty Evans launched a public apeal in a desperate bid to hold onto his top horse, the Irish-bred Cooley Rorkes Drift, who took him to a ninth place finish in the individuals in Rio last year.

It's emerged that a huge offer has been made from America to buy the horse and if it goes through, the horse will be lost to both Evans and the Irish eventing team.

It's understood that this offer for the 11-year-old son of Courage is a six-figure sum, believed to be in the region of a million pounds. The horse is owned by veterinary surgeon Fiona Elliott and her husband who are understood to be very keen to keep the horse with Evans but if the horse goes out of their ownership, this will not happen.

It's understood that they are willing to sell the horse to Jonty for considerably less than the American offer to enable this to happen.

Since before Tattersalls, Evans has been scrambling to raise the money and to his credit, has secured what he termed "substantial private investment".

However, Evans told The Irish Field that he still needs to raise £500,000 through a gofundme campaign.

He is asking for the public's support and said that he could give a "cast iron" guarantee that the horse would never be sold again.

"We have some funding in place, substantial private investment. The owners, Fiona Elliott and her family, are in an awful situation. They would much prefer the horse to stay with me. They have given me a lot of time to try and raise the money. I am appealing to the public to come on board and help me keep this great horse in my yard and also for the Irish team. We are about to be named for the Europeans squad and we are fairly sure Art (aka Cooley Rorkes Drift) would be a medal contender.

"It's the same old Irish story, we can bred and produce great horses and then when they get to this top level, they are sold and lost to Ireland. I have never had a horse like Art and probably never will again. He's one in a million, we have a wonderful partnership. We always knew he was going to be a championship horse and we have saved him over the years for that.

"I'm the one who has had to up my game to perform to his level. The way Art did his dressage test at Badminton, he gives you belief and confidence. He's very special. He came alive under me at that championships, he loves the big occasions. It was me who made the mistakes at Badminton, not him. He was amazing in Rio, only three horses jumped clear, he was one of them, he never touched a show jumping pole.

"It's very sad that after receiving all the benefit of the high performance training from Horse Sport Ireland that we are where we are now, that this great horse is about to go elsewhere. So I'm really hoping that people could come on board with the public funding campaign. Any amount people could give would be very appreciated, no matter how small. Maybe there is some company out there that would like to help me keep this horse for Ireland? Every little counts. I'm trying to do everything I can to keep him, he's my best friend," Jonty Evans told The Irish Field.

Evans added: "It's a unique opportunity for people to get involved as we could do a reward scheme. People who contribute could get a T-Shirt and a photo of the horse signed by me and they would know that they are part of a wider team who got involved to try and keep this great Irish-bred horse available to Ireland. Our chef d'equipe Sally (Coscadden) and I really believe this horse can bring medals to Ireland.

"If we are successful and manage to hold onto him, we could incorporate the public element into his name, something like The Friends of Ireland, the public could really get involved. We could form a club and have a newsletter. He would be the people's horse. I really need people to get on board with me and make it happen," said Jonty.

"It would be unwise to go to the Europeans unless this is sorted out. We have got a month. We are working and preparing towards the Europeans but I have no idea as to whether he'll still be with me, whether we will be going for Ireland or not. We believe he is a World Games medal horse next year and a contender for Tokyo 2020. Art is a horse that judges like, people like him, he's very friendly and generous.

"This is a once-off thing that will secure the horse with me forever. I can give a cast iron guarantee that he will never be sold again, never on the market again. The public would never be asked for any money again for the horse. He will belong to the people, I will have him in my yard and under my care for the rest of his life," pledged Jonty Evans.

Evans thanked Vina and Alfred Buller for all their help and support and also Horse Sport Ireland and Sally Corscadden as well as the current owners of the horse but stressed it was all down to the public now.

"Cooley Rorkes Drift was bred in the north by William McCarrison, who still has the dam. His grandson rides Art's full sister at Pony Club level, it's a great story of Irish breeding and production," said Evans who said that if 5,000 people gave £100 sterling each, the horse's future would be secured for good. It follows that if 10,000 people gave £50 or 20,000 people donated £25 each then the required shortfall of £500,000 would be met.

Click here to help Jonty Evans keep Cooley Rorkes Drift