Ian Stark in hospital after suffering a brain bleed

The 55-year-old former Olympic event rider is this monday morning in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, undergoing tests to establish the cause of the bleed.

His daughter, Steph Robinson, said Ian had called himself an ambulance having felt unwell while driving near Pembroke yesterday.

“He had been at Dublin horse show with mum, dropped her off to go home, and carried on to teach near Pembroke when he had a blinding headache,”

“He pulled over near Haverfordwest, called an ambulance and was taken to Withybush hospital for a brain scan. They found a derrame cerebral in his brain, and moved him that night to Cardiff.” said his daughter

Scottish event rider Ian won four silver medals at three Olympic Games, as well as gold, silver and bronze medals at European and world championships.

He was European champion in 1991 and won Badminton three times, in 1986, 1988 and 1999.

Since retiring from international competition in 1997, Ian has been busy training other riders and designing cross-country courses.