THE celebrated show jumping mare Libertina, owned by Lady Georgina Forbes, was officially retired at Mullingar Show at the weekend.

Libertina, with Irish rider Jessica Kurten aboard, had been victorious in a string of top-ranked competitions over a period of some years.

The mare famously claimed the 300,000 euro first prize at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil in 2009, but was also a consistent winner of World Cup qualifiers, taking the trophy at Leipzig, Cannes and Gothenburg last year, and in 2009 winning World Cup classes back-to-back at Zurich and Leipzig.

She was also the winner of the Grand Prix at the Dublin Horse Show in 2009, the Spanish Grand Prix at Gijon in 2008 and the Olympia World Cup competition in London in the same year.

Lady Georgina Forbes with HSI Chairman Joe Walsh at the official retirement of the celebrated mare Libertina at Mullingar Show. The 15-year-old has been retired to stud after a remarkable career on the show jumping circuit.