British WEG Team silver medallist Fiona Bigwood has recently two of her retired international dressage horses: Nector van het Carelshof and Pablo Picasso.
The Belgian warmblood gelding Nector van het Carelshof (by Randel Z) passed away on 6 December 2012, while he was out in the field. The 22-year old bay gelding died from a heart attack.
"He was living with a dear friend of mine as she had been riding him until 2 years ago and wanted to keep him in his retirement. He came up to the fence to see her and as she walked away from the field she turned to see that he had already died," Bigwood told Eurodressage. "Nector touched so many people. He truly was a special horse that was so loved."
Nector van het Carelshof was originally owned by Australian Christine Doan but the horse made his claim to international fame under Ingrid Klimke in the early 2000s. Klimke and the sensitive Nector had stellar rides at the CDI-W Berlin and CDI Stuttgart. In December 2002 he sold to Bigwood. Fiona and Nector were unable to compete on a regular basis even though they had gelled as a combination. Bigwood became a mom and the horse struggled with injury. Nevertheless the combination had some successful shows including the 2006 CDI-W Aarhus, CDI Stuttgart and CDI-W Kaposvar.
Last week Bigwood also lost her young riders' horse Pablo Picasso (by Pik Bube I), which helped her launch her CDI career as a rising international dressage rider. Pablo Picasso was 31 years old and was euthanized after dislocating his pastern joint in the field. Fiona was a member of the British team at the 1993 European Junior Riders Championships and the Young Rider European Championships from 1994 to 1996 with him.
"To lose two such special horses in such a short space of time is never easy but they were both a good age and had lovely retirements. Nector was such a unique horse," Bigwood told Eurodressage. "He was so intelligent and had so much power. He taught me what it was like to ride a ferrari with the softest contact and every time you sat on him you had to smile. He loved life and was full of spirit, even as he got older. He would jump at a leaf falling off a tree and any excuse to piaffe and he would take it. He will be truly missed."
Photo © Barbara Schnell
Related Links
Fiona Bigwood Back to Business after Baby Break
Nector van het Carelshof Sold to Fiona Bigwood
Nector van het Carelshof Leads World Breeding Rankings
Ingrid Klimke and Nector van het Carlshof, Revellations of the 2001-2002 Indoor Circuit