Equestrian: It's the money or the nag

Kate McVean with Delphi. Photo / Christine Cornege

The predicament faced by Katie McVean this week over selling her show jumping mare Dunstan Delphi highlights a constant conundrum for equestrian athletes - do they put their industry and livelihood ahead of Olympic sporting dreams?

The 24-year-old from Mystery Creek has enhanced her reputation over the past seven months with a sixth-equal finish at the World Cup final in Germany and a 37th out of 160 riders at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, best results by a New Zealander in both events. McVean eventually decided to set herself up by selling her beloved "Delphi" to a Saudi Arabian syndicate for an undisclosed figure - believed to be in the vicinity of $10 million. She could have risked qualifying the nine-year-old for the Olympics in July but, given the money at stake and her relatively young age, McVean opted for the cash. She made the decision in consultation with her co-owning parents Jeff and Vicki and 25 per cent shareholders Chris and Sandy Shore.

It remains to be seen if it was worth it - and whether McVean's form on one of Delphi's eight half-siblings can still forge an Olympic path. Despite competing in the Beijing Olympics, McVean is now likely to wait until Rio de Janeiro in 2016 for another shot. She can still make it to London, but only if she wins her qualifying group in July on what would be a relatively unknown mount.

McVean was testing a couple of horses in the Netherlands when the Herald on Sunday spoke to her: "In the end it's hard to keep a horse when you know what it is worth. It's not like other sports. You've got to rely on an actual life force to help you compete [rather than inanimate gear]. If your horse breaks down just before the Olympics, you can't suddenly get another one.

"I've got all her[Delphi's] relations at home. Maybe next time we won't have to sell because we've now set ourselves up."

It is a problem some of New Zealand's biggest equestrian names like Andrew Nicholson and Mark Todd have faced developing their businesses.

"To make a living out of your sport isn't easy," Nicholson says. "Training and selling the horses is the way to go. It's an important part of the industry, especially for riders struggling to make a living. What Katie has done is also a boost for future New Zealand breeding.

"You can have quick money spinners but to have consistent horses coming through the grades took me up to six years [at his Wiltshire, England base]. I own and train about 15 horses at any one time and transport them [the sales] all over the world. Once your system is set up, you can sell one and have another ready to take its place. If you spend a year finding another, you surrender valuable competition time."

Todd says he made similar sacrifices: "It is sad for Katie she won't have that horse to get her to the Olympics but it will probably set her up for life.You don't make money winning competitions, for instance the prize money at Badminton is only £60,000 (NZ$123,000) and gold medals don't pay the bills." Over $120,000 might sound a lot of money but not when the cost of rearing, training, stabling and transporting horses is factored in to a high overheads sport.

"The way you make money is by breeding, training and selling horses. I'm in the fortunate position of working with New Zealand Bloodstock who back me and I can now keep any horses I want, but it is on a commercial footing and at some point they will be onsold."

McVean says she has worked full time with horses since she was 15 and has never had to make a decision based purely on a lucrative offer.

"It would be different if I was only in the sport for a few years, but I'm not. You've got to support yourself.

Delphi is considered one of the best horses in Europe at the moment.

We bred her and I've been the only one to ride her competitively - she's like my best friend so it is sad. But I know she is going to an amazing place - it is like a castle for horses so she will be spoilt."

Equestrian is an expensive sport, especially in Europe.

Owners are likely to pay at least $200,000 for a showjumping or dressage specialist with prices going exponentially into the millions - as McVean discovered.

Despite the discipline's popularity in New Zealand, eventing horses only fetch $150,000 and upwards locally, with prices maxing at around $800,000.

Eventers are seen as equivalent of track and field's decathletes - good at all disciplines but not one in particular. Specialist dressagers or show jumpers are the Usain Bolts, Sergei Bubkas and Peter Snells.

"They will pay just about anything for a top Olympic-quality horse, provided they've got the money," McVean says.

"The more you say you don't want to sell, the more stubborn and desperate they become." To go with the initial investment, maintenance costs are also considerable. "People have to remember in the past few years we have had huge outlays. That's another reason why we have to sell.

"For instance, the flight costs to Europe recently plus quarantine were $38,000 and because we're not based here, you need a car and truck. The trip would have cost close to $100,000. Luckily my accommodation was free, provided I helped out on a farm where I could ride all day."