Trading Aces

BOYD Martin’s former top level mount Trading Aces (ISH) died on Tuesday after suffering cardiac arrest. The 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse (by Coevers Diamond Boy out of Ballyvannon Beauty VII) was bred in Co Clare by Patrick Minogue and won at CIC*** level at Richland Park and Red Hills in America.

Fellow American Phillip Dutton, took over the ride on the gelding in 2014 while Martin recovered from an injury and together they placed eighth at the Rolex Kentucky three-day event before being selected to represent the United States at the World Equestrian Games.

Trading Aces was sold to a junior American rider in 2015 and started a new career in equitation.

Simon Porloe

PADRAIG McCarthy’s Olympic mount Simon Porloe has a new rider.

The 16-year-old gelding by Sofix will be ridden in the future by young British event rider Bird Wood. Simon Porloe was previously ridden for Great Britain by McCarthy’s wife, Lucy Wiegersma.

The pair competed at the European Championships in 2013.

Falco Van Spieveld

CAMERON Hanley’s Falco Van Spieveld has been sold to Norwegian show jumper Geir Gulliksen. Previously owned by Anne and Bobby Bryan of LSF Showjumpers, Hanley took over the ride on the Toulon-sired 11-year-old at the beginning of this season. He was produced by Irish-based Deane Rogan and the pair made their senior Nations Cup debut in Arezzo last September. Hanley won the two-star Grand Prix at Kronemburg in July and last month the combination were fourth in the Grand Prix at CSI**** Münster. Falco Van Spieveld will compete under Gulliksen at the Horse of the Year show in Bermingham’s NEC next week.

McKibbin foals

MULTIPLE foals from John McKibbin’s Leestone Sport Horses have made the headlines in recent times and last week the sires of some of his sale-topping stock were mixed up.

His Cavan Elite Foal Sale-topper was sired by Darco, as evidenced by his name, Leestone Darco King. The colt foal was sold for €15,000 to Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts. McKibbin’s star at the Goresbridge Supreme foal sale was by Connor out of Acajou Van Het Kloosterhof (by Heartbreaker) and sold for €15,000.

Bartle for Britain?

BRITISH-born German eventing national team coach Chris Bartle revealed he has applied for the job as high performance manager for the British team following the retirement of Yogi Breisner.

Breisner, who has been at the helm of British eventing since 1999, announced earlier this year that he would step down from the position after this year’s Rio Olympics. Bartle is seen as a strong contender for the British job following his hugely successful reign in Germany, where along with Hans Melzer, he guided the team to a team silver and individual gold at this year’s Olympics.