WITH over €1.5 million in prize money and after an international career, which included two Olympic Games and a five-star Grand Prix win, VDL Cartello bowed out of the sport at CHI Geneva last weekend, at the age of 17.

The grey stallion, partnered by Darragh Kenny for the last three years, also spent time under the saddle of both Cormac Hanley and Lorcan Gallager. With Kenny, he was part of the Irish team at the Tokyo Olympic Games and was the alternate in Paris this summer.

In a tribute on social media, Kenny said: “Cartello, you have been such an incredible horse for Heathman Farm and everyone that competed or took care of you, loved you. What you helped me achieve in my career I couldn’t have dreamt of; you made the biggest classes seem easy and always gave me everything you had right through the last round you jumped, you were everything to me for so many years and I’m so happy you can retire feeling as great as you do but I will miss you.”

VDL Stud shared a video of the stallion coming off the lorry and returning ‘home’ to his birthplace, where he will continue to breed.