Swedish Dressage News

Solos Carex Retired from Competition

February 28, 2010

Swedish Grand Prix rider Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven officially retired her 2008 Olympic team horse Solos Carex at the Goteborg International Horse Show in Sweden on February 27, 2010.

In a special ceremony at the CDI-W Gothenburg, the 17-year old Danish warmblood gelding greeted the crowds one last time. The bay gelding entered the ring in Spanish walk and bowed to the crowds.

The Danish warmblood gelding is born in 1993 and is by Castro x Lagano. He was bred by Barbro and Lorenz Linnet. He was licensed as a breeding stallion and did his stallion performance test in 1996. He placed first for dressage (8,22 points) and second in show jumping (7,34 points). He won the Danish breeder's trophy in 1998 and Nordic Dressage Championship in 1999. His most successfull offspring are Grand Prix horses Scandic and Cadillac.

Under Vilhelmson, Carex competed at his first international Grand Prix Championship in 2002 at the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain. He became her principle Grand Prix mount as of 2006 after the untimely passing of Just Mickey.

Carex was castrated to focus exclusively on dressage instead of breeding. "He somewhat lost his tension and gained concentration and energy after he was gelded," Vilhelmson once said. The pair competed for Sweden at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, 2007 European Championships (team bronze) and 2008 Olympic Games (12th individually).

"Carex has meant so incredibly much to me and to my career," Vilhelmson commented.

The gelding will spend his retirement in the field at Lovsta Stuteri in Sweden.

Photos © Astrid Appels

Related Links
Solos Carex at the 2009 CDI-W 's Hertogenbosch
Favourit Sold to Tinne Vilhelmson
2007 Swedish Dressage Championships
Tinne Vilhelmson's Just Mickey Put Down