Meghan and Pirate at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
After being the sole owner of Pirate since he came off the track as a 3-year-old, Meghan O’Donoghue has decided to take the syndication plunge, and she picked a pretty exciting time to make the announcement having just been named to the U.S. World Equestrian Games alternate list with the horse last month.
Meghan announced the news on her Facebook page and has all the details on the Pirate Syndicate on her website. In addition to owning a share of Pirate, who has now completed Rolex twice and finished just outside the top 10 at Blenheim CCI3* last fall, the syndicate will also include ownership in a new, up-and-coming horse.
“We’ve had an amazing and exciting journey so far, and because Pirate is in his competitive prime, I’m hoping our extraordinary partnership can continue on for many more years,” Meghan said on her Facebook page. “As a syndicate member, you’ll experience ownership of a consistent and proven CCI4* horse along with a future hopeful that I will bring along with the goal of having two horses qualified for the 2016 Olympics — the best of both worlds!”
Shares in the Pirate Syndicate are available for $5,000, with an annual supporting contribution of $3,000 to cover the costs of maintaining, training and competing both Pirate and the new horse. Members can also buy more than a 10 percent share in the horses. More information on the syndicate is available on Meghan’s website.
Pirate is one of four horses named to the U.S. WEG team that is currently owned solely by the rider. Kim Severson owns Fernhill Fearless, Lynn Symansky owns Donner, and Jan Byyny owns Inmidair in partnership with her parents, Dick and Jo Byyny. All other horses on the U.S. WEG squad are owned by syndicates or owners other than the rider.
