World Young Horse Champion Zucchero OLD Passed Away

Dressage

Germany

Zucchero OLD, the 2019 World Young Horse Champion, has passed away. The Oldenburg stallion, who was about to turn 7 in spring, succumbed to colic.

Zucchero was by Zonik out of Performance (by Prince Thatch xx x Donnerhall). He was bred by Hans-Heinrich Brüning and owned by Star Horses.

He was approved for Oldenburg and Hanoverian breeding based on his sport performances in 2018 and 2019.

Trained by Hof Kasselmann's resident rider Frederic Wandres, the horse made its first claim to fame as a 4-year old in 2017 by winning the Oldenburg Young Horse Championships in Rastede. In December of that year he sold at the 2017 PSI Auction to an Asian investors' group for 370,000 euro.

In 2018 the pair was selected to represent Germany at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo, The Netherlands, and finished fourth with 9.24 points. The horse earned 9.3 for trot, 9.8 for walk, 8.7 for canter, 9.1 for submission and 9.3 for perspective. One month later Wandres and Zucchero grabbed the 2018 Bundeschampion title in Warendorf.

In 2019 the pair returned to the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, destined to beat Andreas Helgstrand on his 1.2 million euro auction stallion Revolution. In a thrilling finals and with very secure flying changes, Zucchero nailed the test and achieved the highest accomplishment for a young dressage horse in sport: the gold medal and World Champion's title. He scored 9.7 for trot, 9.4 for walk, 9.7 for canter and submission and 9.8 for general impression, to win with 9.66 points.

Zucchero was being prepared for the 7-year old tests at Hof Kasselmann. Unfortunately yesterday the stallion suffered from a severe bout of colic and could not be saved despite an operation.

"Sorry for not having too many words right now. We tried everything," a deeply saddened Wandres told Eurodressage.

He continued: "He was my best ...In many ways, my best horse partner and my best horse friend. I remember many, if not all, of the moments we had together.
From the first ride as a 3-year old until the first time in a double bridle. I have never had a horse like this, the more difficult it is for me to go on without him. The special memories are the only thing that remain, forever! Thank you to everyone who contributed to making our time together special and gave everything until the end."