Rumours that Alexandra Simons-De Ridder's top Grand
Prix horse Chacomo has been humanly put down, have been
denied by trainer Ton de Ridder. Although the bay Holsteiner
gelding (by Calypso) had been having many health problems
and specialized veterinarians of the Universitary Clinic
in Hannover detected inoperable tumors behind his lungs,
Chacomo has not been humanly destroyed. Chacomo was
operated on his stomach but he did not heal as well
as hoped for and both Ton and Alexandra decided to retire
him from competition. "Chacomo will be enjoying
his retirement with my parents-in-law in Belgium,"
De Ridder said.
Simons-De Ridder was unable to compete her 12-year
old mount regularly this year and did not show him at
the European Dressage Championships in Verden. However,
the pair won the Olympic team gold medal in Sydney in
2000. Chacomo was considered to be one of the best dressage
horses in the world to date.
As Simons-De Ridder has no second top Grand Prix horse,
she will no longer be part of the German A-team.
Source: Horseweb and Reiter Revue
Image copyrighted: Arnd
Bronkhorst
Rumours that Alexandra Simons-De Ridder's top Grand
Prix horse Chacomo has been humanly put down, have been
denied by trainer Ton de Ridder. Although the bay Holsteiner
gelding (by Calypso) had been having many health problems
and specialized veterinarians of the Universitary Clinic
in Hannover detected inoperable tumors behind his lungs,
Chacomo has not been humanly destroyed. Chacomo was
operated on his stomach but he did not heal as well
as hoped for and both Ton and Alexandra decided to retire
him from competition. "Chacomo will be enjoying
his retirement with my parents-in-law in Belgium,"
De Ridder said.
