Katherine Bateson-Chandler's Alcazar Retired from Competition Sport

Dressage

U.S.A.

American dressage rider Katherine Bateson-Chandler has announced the retirement of her Grand Prix horse Alcazar.

Alcazar is an 18-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by Contango out of Polina (by Ferro). He is bred by Van Winden in The Netherlands.

Alonzo

Alcazar was originally named "Alonzo" which is why his nick-name is "Lonzie".

His sport career started in The Netherlands under Christa Hogendoorn who qualified him for the 2009 Pavo Cup Finals as a 4-year old but only finished 49th.

A year later owned De Dalhoeve had sold a share in the ownership to lawyer Luc Schelstraete so his wife Jonna took over the ride. She competed the gelding in the 2010 Pavo Cup for 5-year olds and finished 15th in the semi finals and 12th in the Finals.

As a 6-year old Alonzo qualified for the 2011 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany, where the pair finished 12th in the consolation finals.

Sold to the U.S.A.

In March 2012, Alonzo sold as a 7-year old to American investor Jane Forbes Clark. She sponsored the horse for 2010 U.S. WEG Team rider Katherine Bateson-Chandler as her successor for Grand Prix horse Nartan.

With the help of Carl Hester, Bateson produced the gelding to Grand Prix level. She made her international show debut in July 2013 at small tour level at the CDI Hartpury followed by CDI Hickstead, as the American spends her summers in the U.K. training with Carl.

Their international Grand Prix debut followed two years later in 2015 at the Global Dressage Festival. That year they spent another summer in Europe and showed in Windsor, Fritzens, Hartpury, Hicstead and Saumur.

Double Come Back

Over the years the pair was often selected for FEI Nations Cup CDIO competitions in Hickstead, Odense, Aachen, Compiegne, and Wellington. At the 2016 CDIO Aachen, Alcazar developed severe colic and underwent major surgery. He fully recovered and half a year later made a come-back at the 2017 Global Dressage Festival.

In 2021 they were long-listed for U.S. Olympic team selection but withdrew in June due to a minor injury. In 2022 the then 17-year old Alcazar made a second come back and competed twice at the Global Dressage Festival. He then stayed home from shows for another year and in April 2023 returned at the CDI Ocala at age 18 to place 11th and 12th in the big tour. Their last CDI was also in Ocala in May, where they were third in the Grand Prix (67.218%) and fourth in the freestyle (70.765%).

In the course of their career, this pair recorded no less than 97 international competition starts at Grand Prix level between 2015 and 2023.

Retirement

Bateson has now announced the retirement of "Lonzie" from sport.

"Sometimes a soul comes into your life to change it forever…. Lonzie will always be this to me! Competing in Grand Prix with me from 9 yes old to 18 yes old. Almost 10 years at Grand Prix He has competed in 9 nations cups for the USA including two in Aachen with a silver and bronze team medal and bringing me three personal bests one being the freestyle in Aachen which I never dreamed we would even qualify! He contributed to a gold medal at our home nations cup team in wellington. He overcame a massive colic surgery to come back and win again!"

She continued, "he is truly my best buddy! To end a career still full of running and passing FEI jogs I’m not sure there’s a different way I would want his competitive career to come to a close. A horse who truly owes any of us absolutely nothing. It’s never a straight smooth road with training and competing horses but even the hard times we are always a team. I don’t know if I will ever have the feeling of power with self carriage and throughness that he gives but I will never forget it and will always look for it in the future."

Alcazar will spend his retirement in the field with more oldies at his owner's place.

"Selfishly I would like to keep you outside my front door forever but you deserve to spend your days munching grass up north with the sun on your back my best friend," said Katherine.