Jumper for king

Helen Murdoch

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE: Aly Cook has sold Albury Devillon to the King of Bahrain.

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Tasman horse breeders Aly Cook and husband Andrew Dodson have sold a showjumper to the King of Bahrain for an undisclosed sum.

Cook, who celebrated her birthday yesterday, said she initially did not believe the Middle Eastern interest in the horse was real, until she received a call from Bahrain.

"Now all my birthdays have come at once."

The 10-year-old grey, Albury Devillon, which was bred and raised on the couple's Kina Beach Albury Stud, was selected as a royal mount from a showjumping video.

Until now he has only been lightly competed by part owner Brittany Smith, of Marahau.

The horse is one of three mounts making up New Zealand's first export of showjumpers to the Middle Eastern kingdom.

The other two horses sold to the royal family are Timaru's Rebel Ted, owned by Suzanna Craig, and North Island mount Aberdeen Road, jointly owned by top showjumper Maurice Beatson and Mick Gardner.

Craig is to travel to Bahrain with the horses where she will compete Rebel Ted under the guidance of Bahrain Show Jumping trainer Jameel Ebrahim.

Exports of New Zealand horses had focused on endurance mounts but showjumping has become a very big sport in the Middle East with the world's richest event held annually in Dubai.

- © Fairfax NZ News