Mary Hanna's career defining dressage horse Mosaic has passed away at age 31. The gelding was euthanized after suffering a severe chest infection.
Representing Australia at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in France this week, Hanna was unable to be with Mosaic until the end.
"I feel so very sad that I was not there at the end for him," Hanna told Eurodressage. "However there is some comfort in the fact that my young rider Shanon Mckimmie who he taught so much was with him to comfort him. I cannot begin to tell you how much he did for both me and Australia, in our early days of dressage," Hanna told Eurodressage. "Apart from starting my international career, and taking me to my first Olympics in Atlanta, he taught many of my young riders the ropes of the Grand Prix work."
Born in New Zealand in 1983 and bred by Eric Ropiha, Mosaic was by Witzbold out of the pony mare Gay Duchess (by The Joker). Standing at 160 cm.
The chestnut gelding was first started by New Zealand's Sharon Field, who competed him mainly in Australia in the CDIs in Sydney, Lochinvar and Adelaide from 1991 to 1993.
Hanna bought the horse soon afterwards and rode her first international championships exactly 20 years ago, representing Australia at the 1994 World Equestrian Games in The Hague. They returned to Europe to contest the 1995 Open European Championships in Mondorf les Bains, Luxemburg. They represented Australia at three World Cup Finals and rode in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome.
Mosaic became a wonderful schoolmaster for Mary’s daughter Gitte Donvig as well as several other young riders. In 2000 he was finally retired from the sport in a moving ceremony in Werribee.
Related Links
Golden Oldie: Mosaic, Torch Bearer for Dressage in Australia
Scores: 1994 World Equestrian Games
Scores: 1996 Olympic Games
Scores: 1998 World Equestrian Games
Dressage in New Zealand: Sharon and Kallista Field