Tom Heylen Loses Grand Prix Horse Gucci H

Dressage

Belgium

Belgian Grand Prix rider Tom Heylen has lost his number one ride, Gucci H, on 1 December 2020. The 14-year old Belgian warmblood gelding succumbed to colic.

Gucci H was by Gribaldi out of Butterfly (by Wundermeyer x Wendekreis x Mellinor) and home bred by Tom Heylen and his father Ludo.

He was trained from novice to Grand Prix level by Tom.

The pair had its first successes on the Belgian young horse circuit, placing fifth in the 4-year old division at the 2010 Belgian Young Horse Championships and winning bronze as a 5-year old in 2011. In 2012 they were first reserves for the Belgian team to compete at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden.

They began competing at Grand Prix level when Gucci was 9 and made their international show debut at the CDI Compiegne a year later in 2016. The pair has consistently competed at international Grand Prix level from 2016 through 2019 with starts in Deauville, Saumur, Pompadour, Waregem, Sint-Truiden, and Le Mans. Their last international was in August 2020 at the CDI Sint-Truiden.

The duo were regular competitors at the Belgian Grand Prix Championships. In 2016 they were fourth, in 2017 they were sixth, in 2018 they were seventh, and in 2019 they won the silver medal.

On 1 December 2020 Gucci H suffered a severe colic attack. He was rushed to the equine clinic and operated on, but did not survive.

"It hurts to lose such a friend," said Tom Heylen. "Something in me dies with it. We had a special bond from birth, we've come all the way together to Grand Prix, and we did that with succes! Thank you Gucci, you gave everything. You leave a footprint in our hearts!"