An international showjumper claims efforts are being made to obstruct the sale of a horse worth more than €2 million which she has a half share in.
Marion Hughes, of Graigue, Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny, has brought Commercial Court proceedings against the other half owner of HHS Figero, Tom O’Dwyer, of Cappagh, Callan, Co Kilkenny. The horse came second in the Grand Prix at Lausanne last month.
Mr Justice Brian McGovern admitted the case to the Commercial Court but said he would not give any directions on how it should proceed for another 28 days to allow the parties to consider mediation.
Ms Hughes says in an affidavit that she bred HHS Figero, which was born in 2006.
When the horse was around six or seven years old, Ms Hughes entered into a parntership agreement whereby Mr O’Dwyer’s daughter Emma would ride the horse, and Mr O’Dwyer would pay €45,000 with part of that offset by expenses for keeping the animal. Any prize money would be kept by Mr Dwyer to defray expenses.
Ms Hughes said she was anxious to sell the horse in 2015 and had a number of people interested in it. Mr Dwyer did not want it sold because he wanted to keep it for his daughter to ride in international competitions.
Postpone
Ms Hughes said she had reluctantly agreed to postpone the sale for another year so Emma could compete in the European Championships in Millstreet, Co Cork last August.
However, she said there have since been difficulties communicating with the O’Dwyers and in trying to get the horse vetted before any sale. The horse continued to compete and came second in Lausanne show on September 11th last.
Ms Hughes has not had any contact with the O’Dwyers since and believes the animal in probably back in the UK, the country Emma competes for rather than Ireland.
Following an exchange of letters between legal representatives for the parties, Mr O’Dwyer was prepared to undertake that the horse would not compete for another four weeks.
However, Ms Hughes said this did not address her concerns and it was the time to sell as the horse was at its optimum value.
She had been approached by a number of people interested in buying the horse “for a minimum of €2million”, she said.
Mr O’Dwyer had already obstructed potential sales to two other buyers and she believed the court should order the animal be directly transferred to her for the purpose of sale.