© Franz Venhaus

The company responsible for the auction if the Olympic gold medal winning stallion Uthopia has confirmed the sale process has now finished.

Wilsons Auctions confirmed the sale of Uthopia in Northern Ireland in a statement, quashing rumours the horse’s ownership was in a state of limbo following a long legal dispute regarding his ownership.

The auction house confirmed with Horse and Hound that the purchaser was also the highest bidder on the night of the auction, May 27, and the sum paid was £165,000.

The new owner did not want to be identified.

Uthopia was sold by Tom Keenan and James Neill who held joint ownership of the horse due to their roles as trustee in the bankruptcy of two separate estates, Sasha Stewart and Derek Harrison.

The stallion’s ownership had been the subject of a long-running legal dispute, which had been rumbling on since the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Carl Hester rode him to team gold and fifth place individually in the freestyle with 82.85% in Greenwich.

By Equestrian Life