The 13-year old breeding stallion I.P.S Painted Black has been sold to the 18 year old Spanish dressage rider Morgan Barbançon.

Past success

Painted Black has been one of Anky’s top horses for years and competed at Grand Prix level. High lights in his career are victories at the World Dressage Masters show in Wellington (USA, 2009) and the World cup qualifier at Jumping Amsterdam in The Netherlands (2009).

He also came second in the Grand prix and third in the Freestyle at the World cup final in 2009. Recently Painted Black won at the international show in Dortmund (Germany) and at the World Dressage Masters show in Falsterbo (Sweden). Painted Black is approved for the Dutch studbook KWPN and AES and he has got one approved son, Bon Bravour.

Painted to stay wtih Anky for now

Painted Black was owned by I.P.S, Mr. Joop van Uytert and Equestrian International BV and is sixth at the FEI world ranking list at the moment. Anky said: "I will miss this top horse but I am glad that he stays at my barn and that I’ll coach Morgan to get to know Painted. We agreed that Painted Black will be available as the reserve horse for the Dutch WEG team for Kentucky and that I can compete him at a few more shows."

Morgan Barbançon has competed at several European championships for ponies and Junior riders and won the Juniors at CDI Addington (Great Britain) recently.

Morgan studies at lot but will come over to Erp as much as possible to train her new horse. Morgan says: ‘It’s a fantastic opportunity to ride such an amazing horse and train with a great Grand Prix rider like Anky. It’s a dream becoming reality.’

The sale is all the more poignant after the black stallion's father, Gribaldi, passed away not long ago. He leaves behind not only Painted Black and Moorlands Totilas but also the UK based breeding stallions Wish Upon a Star, Adonnis and Vince.

A woman of many talents

This comes on the back of the news that Anky has been seleted as the reserve member of the Dutch reining team for the World Equestrian Games. Watch our brilliant programme This is Reining for an insight into the world of this ever more popular sport.