Russian Grand Prix Horse Baikal Passed Away

Dressage

Russia

Baikal, the Russian Grand Prix horse who competed under Irina Heuls and Alexandra Korelova, has passed away. He was 24 years old.

Baikal was a Ukrainian warmblood by the renowned Ukrainian bred black stallion Barin (by Nabeg xx), who competed for Russia at the 1988 Olympics under Yuri Kovshov and at the 1992 Olympics with Irina Zuikova.

Baikal was out of dam Palestina (by Prisyw) and bred by BKF Firm.

Irina Heuls

The 1997 born colt was discovered by the French based Russian rider Irina Heuls (née Ovsienko) as a 3-year old in 2000.

Heuls first competed the black in 2003, making his entry into the competition world at the national show in Haras du Pin at the age of 6. His Grand Prix debut followed in 2005 at Pamfou.

Irina Heuls on Baikal at the 2007 CDIO Rotterdam

Their international show start was made in 2006. Heuls, who was based in Saumur, competed him for France, first in Vierzon and in 2007 show starts in Saumur, Pompadour and Verden followed. They represented France at the Nations Cup in Rotterdam, where they achieved their international personal best score of 65.440% in the Special.

A three year break from CDI's followed and in 2010, Heuls and Baikal made their come back in Saumur in spring. They also showed in Saumur in September of that year, their last CDI together.

Alexandra Korelova

In the summer of 2011 Heuls advertised Baikal for sale on Eurodressage and the then 15-year old Baikal sold to Alexandra Korelova. She competed him in Russian national shows and CDI's the next three years.

They made their debut in the World Cup qualifier in Nizhniy Novgorod in June 2012, where they posted 68.553% in the Grand Prix. That year starts in Moscow (Bitsa and Otrada) followed). In 2013 she rode at the same two CDI's, Nishniy and Otrada, while in 2014 she only did one in Moscow in June.

In 2015 Baikal's ownership changed to Lyudmila Beshnova according to the FEI.

Dressprod publiczed the passing of Baikal.

"Baikal has spent the last years in a private farm in Pereyaslavl-Zalessky (Yaroslavl region), as a breeding stallion," Alexandra Korelova told Eurodressage. "He died of a colic attack. Unfortunately, it was not possible to save him."