Tag Archives: In Memoriam

Community/Charity, Dressage, Eventing/H.T., USEF

John “Jack” Fritz 1924-2012

February 11, 2012 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Fritz647 — John "Jack" Fritz (USEF Archive)

Lexington, KY – We mourn the loss of a great leader in equestrian sport in the United States. John “Jack” Fritz passed away the morning of February 9, 2012.

Fritz was on the forefront of developing the disciplines of dressage and eventing in the US. He served as the Chairman of the American Horse Show Association (present day USEF) Combined Events and Dressage Committee. Additionally, Fritz filled the roles of Secretary Treasurer and Director of the United States Equestrian Team and served as the Vice President of the United States Combined Training Association (present day USEA). Fritz was also instrumental in the founding of the United States Dressage Federation.

With great faith in the future of the sport Fritz was a proponent of expanding the North American Young Rider Championships in to a multiple discipline competition. He also played a large role in the development of the United States Pony Club and its programs.

In addition to being a leader in all aspects of the sport, Fritz was a respected official, serving as a USEF Dressage and Eventing Technical Delegate and an FEI judge.

“Jack has been an icon for generations of equestrians. A true inspiration in the sport, he will be missed,” said John Long, USEF CEO.

Breeds, Community/Charity, Dressage, JRPR

Lisa Hyslop’s Award Winning Arabian “Fleet” Passes Away at Age 27

January 25, 2012 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Fleet-sc0003b36c — Fleet Halaaniz. (Photo courtesy of Lisa Hyslop)

Wellington, FL (January 25, 2012) – Fleet Halaaniz, a purebred Arabian who proved to be a dressage star during his lifetime as well as a wonderful ambassador for the Arabian breed, passed away recently at the age of 27. Owned by Lisa Hyslop of Oak Hammock Farms, in Loxahatchee, Florida, Fleet was a special horse that will be missed by his many fans.

“My parents bought Fleet when he was four years old and after I graduated from college he became ‘my’ horse,” Hyslop said. “Fleet excelled in the dressage ring and as a rider I accomplished the required scores for my USDF Bronze and Silver Medals on him. Although Fleet won many championships in his lifetime, his greatest achievement was probably being an ambassador for the Arabian breed. He also introduced many riders to the more difficult movements in dressage as a lesson horse at my farm.”

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Community/Charity, FEI

In Memoriam: Hans-Heinrich Isenbart (GER)

January 12, 2012 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 12 January 2012 – Hans-Heinrich Isenbart (GER), who will be remembered by many as “the voice of equestrian sport” in Germany, passed away on 25 December 2011 at the age of 88.

He was born on 5 February 1923 in Vienna (AUT) into a family that had a passion for horses going back generations. As a young man he had wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an army officer, but his Jewish origins meant that career was denied to him in the Germany of the 1930s and 40s. He later studied law and passed his exams to become a riding instructor.

After World War II, he worked as a journalist for German broadcaster NDR, covering political and economic issues, and later took over sport coordination at ARD in Munich, where he remained until his retirement in 1987.

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Community/Charity, Eventing/H.T., FEI

In Memoriam: Christopher Schofield (GBR)

January 11, 2012 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 11 January 2011 – Christopher Schofield (GBR), former Chairman of Great Britain’s Young Rider Selectors programme, passed away on 4 January at the age of 90.

Many young British Eventing riders enjoyed success during his leadership of the Young Rider Selectors programme, including William Fox-Pitt, Tina Cook and Pippa Funnell.

Jane Holderness-Roddam, who secured team gold in Eventing for Great Britain at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, remembers Christopher Schofield as “a truly great character, he was always incredibly enthusiastic and supportive and was always thrilled to hear how the Young Riders were getting on, even in more recent years. He was always there with wise words of advice for us all.”

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Community/Charity, FEI

In Memoriam: Michał Wróblewski (POL), 1948-2011

November 21, 2011 Associate Editor 1 Comment

Michał Wróblewski, Secretary General of the Polish Equestrian Federation and Board Member of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF), died suddenly on Wednesday 16 November in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) where he had attended the FEI General Assembly the day before.

Michał Wróblewski was born in 1948 in Lodz, central Poland. He studied at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan and the Technical University of Lodz completing degrees in law and engineering. After an impressive career in the textile industry and as a business owner, he joined the Polish Equestrian Federation in 2003. He became the organisation’s Secretary General in 2008.

Mr Wróblewski was passionate about sharing his knowledge of the business world and establishing best practices for National Federation administration with his colleagues from the European Equestrian Federation (EEF). He organised a seminar on this subject for the EEF in Warsaw (POL) earlier this year.

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Community/Charity, Dressage, FEI

In Memoriam: Wolfgang Niggli (SUI)

November 8, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 8 November 2011 – Wolfgang Niggli (SUI), one of the most eminent figures in international Dressage, passed away on Sunday 30 October at the age of 89.

Wolfgang Niggli won his first junior Dressage competition in 1937. He went on to compete in Jumping as a teenager and rode in Steeplechases before studying engineering at the Zurich Technological Institute and becoming a part-time riding officer in the Swiss cavalry.

In 1947, he took the opportunity of being based close to France’s prestigious military equestrian school in Fontainebleau to perfect his riding and competed in many Jumping and Dressage competitions, as well as Steeplechasing.

After working in the USA for several years as an engineer, Wolfgang Niggli returned to Switzerland where he became Vice President (Construction) of the North Eastern Swiss Power Company, but still found time to indulge his passion for equestrian sport.

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*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, FEI, Show Jumping

Death of Equine Superstar Hickstead

November 6, 2011 Associate Editor 1 Comment

Hickstead-2008OlympicGames — Sensational Jumping stallion Hickstead collapsed and died in Verona (ITA) today. Photo: FEI/Kit Houghton.

Lausanne (SUI), 6 November 2011 – The fourth leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 series at Verona, Italy was stopped today following the sudden death of the stallion Hickstead, ridden by reigning Olympic champion and world number one Eric Lamaze (CAN).

Drawn 22nd of the 39 on the startlist, the Canadian partnership had just completed Rolf Ludi’s 13-fence track with a single rail down in the middle of the combination when Hickstead collapsed and died.

The competition was stopped at the request of the riders, and Lamaze’s fellow-competitors gathered in the Verona arena to pay their respects to one of the greatest horses of all time, and to support their colleague in his moment of loss with a minute’s silence.

HRH Princess Haya, FEI President, added her condolences to those that have poured in since news of the horse’s death. “Hickstead really was a horse in a million and my heart goes out to Eric and everyone connected with this wonderful horse. This is a terrible loss, but Hickstead truly will never be forgotten. We were very lucky to have known him.”

FEI Jumping Director, John Roche, said, “Shortly after finishing his round of jumping Hickstead collapsed in the arena and died. As yet the cause of death is unknown, but our deepest sympathies go out to the owners, to Eric and to all the connections of one of the greatest Jumping horses of all time. Hickstead’s presence on the circuit will be very sadly missed.”

At FEI
Grania Willis
Director Press Relations
Email: grania.willis@fei.org
Tel: +41 787 506 142

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Media Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33

*Featured/Spotlights, Community/Charity, JRPR, Show Jumping

Show Jumping Mourns the Loss of Gilmore 48

September 28, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Gilmore1 — Gilmore 48 and Damian Guthrie. (Photos courtesy of MarkAstrom.com)

Reddick, FL (September 27, 2011) – This past weekend the team at Magnolia Hill Farm in Reddick, Florida lost the talented 12-year-old Westphalian show jumper, Gilmore 48. Gilmore was euthanized late in the afternoon on Friday, September 24, 2011 after being injured in an attempt to jump out of his paddock. Gilmore’s devastated owners include rider Damian Guthrie, his wife, Rebecca Guthrie, Chester Weber, and My Elisabeth Weber. Damian Guthrie had recently qualified Gilmore for the 2012 London Olympics while representing Australia in 6 Nations Cup events and the pair was on the Australian Show Jumping Elite Squad.

“We are all stunned,” said Damian Guthrie. “It happened in an instant. Gilmore was turned out and decided to try to jump out of his paddock for no apparent reason other than that he was feeling pretty good about himself. He landed badly after taking the fence at an angle; I knew immediately that there was no hope for recovery or rehab. We were able to get a vet to the farm within ten minutes and Gilmore was euthanized soon after.”

For the Webers and the Guthries, the loss of their successful Grand Prix horse was not just a blow to their competition schedule, but also to their family. “He was the most beloved horse on the farm,” said Guthrie. “Gilmore had a great life with us. He had the premium paddock with the best grass and shade; more importantly he had the best view of his lady friend Camilla, my wife’s retired jumper who lived next door to him. His stable provided him with a view of the farm and all of his other buddies so Gilmore could never feel left out of anything. My daughter Emilia even has teddy bears named after Gilmore; he was so much more than just a Grand Prix jumper.”

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Community/Charity, Eventing/H.T., USEF

Woodburn 1996-2011

August 3, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Woodburn420 — Woodburn in his element (Shannon Brinkman Photo)

Lexington, KY – It is with great sadness that the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) learned that Woodburn, owned by Ann Jones and Mardie Faucett, was euthanized last night. Woodburn appeared to have suffered major internal bleeding at home, the cause of which is unknown. More information will be available after an autopsy.

Woodburn and Phillip Dutton represented the United States at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, where they contributed to the fourth place effort of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team. They finished 18th individually.

The 15-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding was second at the 2010 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*, 12th in 2009 and 10th in 2008. He was also third at the 2007 Fair Hill International CCI3*. He toyed with some of the biggest cross country courses in the world, making them look easy. In 2008, he stormed around the track at the Burghley CCI4* and into second place only to be withdrawn with a foot injury before the show jumping.

He began his career in the United States with Liz Millikin, who imported him from New Zealand, and then he competed successfully through the CCI2* level with Emily Beshear.

Woodburn will be greatly missed by the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team and the entire eventing community.

More information will be available on Phillip Dutton’s website as it is available: http://www.phillipdutton.com/.

Community/Charity, FEI, Show Jumping

In Memoriam: Double Olympic Champion d’Oriola (FRA)

July 20, 2011 Associate Editor Leave a comment

Lausanne (SUI), 20 July 2011 – France’s double Olympic champion Pierre Jonqueres d’Oriola passed away at his home in the Pyrenees on Tuesday 19 July. He was aged 91.

Born on 1 February 1920, d’Oriola won individual gold in the Jumping at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki riding Ali Baba. This was the second Olympic medal for the d’Oriola family in Helsinki. Only six days earlier his cousin Christian d’Oriola had won gold in the fencing.

Twelve years later in Tokyo, Pierre Jonqueres d’Oriola again took individual Jumping gold, this time on Lutteur B, and led the French to team silver. D’Oriola’s was the only gold for France in the Tokyo Olympics, earning him special congratulations from General de Gaulle and the rider received a hero’s welcome on his return to his homeland.

He won individual gold at the 1966 world championships in Buenos Aires (ARG) with a new horse Pomone B. D’Oriola rode in the change-horse final against three other legendary names in the sport – José de Borhoques (ESP), Raimondo d’Inzeo (ITA) and Nelson Pessoa (BRA) – to become the first French rider to claim the title. D’Oriola went on to take silver in the team event at the Mexico Olympics in 1968, his fifth and final appearance at the Olympic Games.

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