Australian Olympian Lyndal Oatley has decided to retire her former number one Grand Prix horse Potifar. The 15-year old bright bay Dutch warmblood gelding has been suffering from Cushing's Disease and will be retired to the field.
"Since Stadl Paura I knew something was not quite right with Pot the Spot, and although in between he felt fantastic, other times he was not well," owner and rider Lyndal Oatley explained. "Apart from his allergies to nearly everything a horse is exposed to (including flies), Pot has recently been diagnosed with Cushings disease. Now at least the puzzle pieces fit together, but we have made the decision to retire Pot."
Potifar is bred by Ch. Brosens in The Netherlands and is by Jazz out of Mirthe (by Pion x Urban). He was discovered as a 3-year old by Norwegian FEI rider Anett Kristin Olsen. She qualified for the 2003 World Young Horse Championships with him. Olsen trained the horse with Kyra Kyrklund and competed him until 2007. They were Norway's individual representatives at the European Championships.
Lyndal first started riding Potifar when Patrik Kittel was off to compete at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong and the two clicked. Potifar has been a key horse in Lyndal Oatley's career. He enabled her to ride on the Australian team for the first time at the 2010 World Equestrian Games and secured Australia's Olympic team place by winning the Regional Olympic qualifier in Ermelo, The Netherlands.
"Pot has gone above and beyond any expectations I ever had. As my first Grand Prix horse, he helped me to the World Equestrian Games, and was instrumental in helping Australia get to the Olympics this year with his score of nearly 70% at our qualifier," said a proud Oatley.
Potifar will now join Kittel's retired Grand Prix horse Pasteur in the field in Appelhulsen, Germany.
"He is the quirkiest, sweetest, most loyal horse you could ever meet, and I will miss his entertaining exits from the arena among many other things. He has always gone above and beyond for me, and taught me to ride!," Lyndal concluded.
Photos © Astrid Appels
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