SHARON Fitzpatrick’s talented nine-year-old gelding Fellow Castlefield, who was ridden to a brilliant fourth place in the five-star Grand Prix of Ireland at the Dublin Horse Show last month by her daughter Susan, has been sold to Greek show jumper and billionaire shipping heiress Athina Onassis.

By Je T’Aime Flamenco, the KWPN gelding joined the Fitzpatrick’s Keatingstown Stables as a three-year-old and was produced through the grades by 20-year-old Susan Fitzpatrick.

The pair won the two-star Grand Prix in Millstreet in 2018. They placed third in the final four-star Grand Prix at the Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera in March, and went on to be part of the Irish team who won back-to-back Nations Cups in the month of May, jumping double clear in Uggerhalne.

They also placed third in the four-star Grand Prix at St Tropez in July before going on to shine in the five-star at Dublin.

Fellow Castlefield is the second high profile horse to leave Ireland for Onassis’ stable. She purchased Greg Broderick’s Rio Olympic mount MHS Going Global back in 2016 in a reported multi million euro deal.

Onassis, who is the granddaughter and the only surviving descendent of the Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, is reported to be worth €1 billion. She trains in The Netherlands with Dutch Olympian Jan Tops and his wife, Australian show jumper Edwina Tops-Alexander.

“I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to bring Fellow Castlefield on from a three-year-old to what he has now become – a future superstar,” Susan told The Irish Field this week.

“We have enjoyed great success together and, while I am sorry to see him go, I wish his new owner Athina Onassis further success, luck and enjoyment.

“I am delighted he has gone to a good home and I am grateful for all the people who have helped us on our journey.”

Bennys Legacy to Sternlicht

Also on those winning teams at Drammen and Uggerhalne was Deirdre Bourns’ Bennys Legacy, who is making his way to the USA to join Adrienne Sternlicht’s string of horses.

Sternlicht is trained by McLain Ward and was a member of the gold medal-winning American team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon last September.

The 11-year-old stallion, by Lupicor, was originally named Tullibards Bennys Legacy when owned by Hans Kuehnle. He was ridden by Kuehnle’s daughter Jessica for the majority of his young horse career, before Jenny Rankin took over in late 2016.

Then stable rider for Bourns Sport Horses, Rankin produced the horse to five-star level and they clinched victory for Team Ireland in Uggerhalne with a clear round in the jump-off.

Their most recent result, before Rankin switched to ride for Cian O’Connor, was a seventh-place finish in the five-star Grand Prix as Geesteren.

Writing on social media, Bourns wished Sternlicht well with the stallion. “Benny’s Legacy has been a very important horse to us, being produced by two young riders Jenny Kuehnle and Jenny Rankin. Together they reached the wonderful heights of wearing the green jacket to jump for their country in Nations Cups.

“We wish both Benny and Adrienne the best of luck,” Bourns said.