Hannah Biggs Loses Freeman, 2019 British Young Horse Champion

Dressage

Great Britain

British Grand Prix rider Hannah Biggs has lost her hope for the future, Freeman, the 2019 British Young Horse Champion.

Freeman was an 8-year old Westfalian by Foundation out of Esther (by Ehrenstolz x Florestan x Rosenkavalier). He was bred in Germany by Antonius Schulze-Averdiek.

Westfalian Beginnings

Freeman was presented at the 2015 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster-Handorf by the breeder, but not accepted.

The stallion sold to Bruno Blumo, who gelded him and put him in training with Henrike Sommer. The dark bay was first competed in Germany as a 3-year old. He made his debut in July 2016 in Senden, quickly followed by winning the bronze medal at the 2016 Westfalian Young Horse Championships in Munster-Handorf.

At the 2019 Bundeschampionate in Warendorf they were 11th in the warm-up round of the 3-year old riding horse mares and geldings class.

Move to Great Britain

Freeman sold to Sarah and David Johnson for 36,000 euro - real steal - at the Westfalian Autumn Elite Auction in October 2016.

The Johnsons are dressage horse breeders and own an equestrian construction firm. The found their young horse rider in Hannah Biggs in the summer of 2016. When Hannah spotted Freeman in the auction collection, they agreed to buy him for her to ride.

Biggs and Freeman made their show debut in May 2017 and she competed him lightly in the young horse tests through 2019. The first major recognition of the horse's talent and potential for the future came when Freeman won the 6-year old finals at the 2019 British Young Horse Championships.

Hannah became a co-owner in the horse after David suddenly passed away in March 2020.

In 2020 they won the Winter Regional Championship at Medium level at Merrist Wood College and placed third at the British Dressage Winter Championship in Hartpury. At the 2021 British Winter Championship in July 2021 they were third. Biggs trained this horse under the supervision of Carl Hester and Claire Gallimore.

Untimely Passing

Last week, Biggs suddenly and tragically had to say goodbye to her star for the future.

"Utterly devastated, heartbroken and in complete disbelief," said Biggs. "Sleep tight my beautiful, crazy, insanely talented, cuddly bear of a horse. A horse you wait a lifetime to ride, the most magical feeling in the world and the strongest of bonds."

Biggs told Eurodressage that Freeman had to be rushed into the hospital when he developed a high fever and muscle ataxia. He could not be saved.

"He had an auto immune disease that caused inflammation in the body," Hannah told Eurodressage. "This caused irreversible and catastrophic damage to his brain and spinal cord. Something very rare, so we were very unlucky."

Equine Herpes has been completely ruled out. Hannah had the rest of the horses on the yard tested and fortunately all came back negative.

"He was my everything and it is such a huge loss," said a devastated Biggs. "Phillip Hess was the test rider when he won the title in 2019 and had so many incredible compliments for him. I still remember when Freeman cantered down the long side with him on board, in his enormous strides and all Phillip could say was 'wow, mega!"