Beatriz Ferrer-Salat's Delgado Passed Away

Dressage

Spain

Beatriz Ferrer-Salat has said goodbye to Delgado, the horse that defined her dressage career in the 2010s. He was 22 years old.

Delgado was a 2001 born Westfalian by De Niro out of Wildrose (by Weltmeyer x Absinth). He was bred by Wilhelm Lambardt in Germany.

German Beginnings

Delgado was first competed by Astrid Schaper as a 3-year old in Germany in 2004. He sold at the 2004 Westfalian Autumn elite auction to Catrin Wingender and continued his show career under Anja Endrullis in the A-level classes in 2005.

Knut Wingender climbed aboard in 2006 and presented him at L-level in the Bundeschampionate qualification classes, winning in Duisburg and Hamm-Rhynern, before selling Delgado to Spain in 2007.

In Beauvalais' Footsteps

Delgado was the successor for Beatriz Ferrer-Salat's 2004 Olympic bronze medal winning Beauvalais who was retired from sport.

The pair made its international show debut at small tour level at the Sunshine tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, in 2009. Their Grand Prix debut was in July 2010 at the CDI Achleiten, where they immediately posted 71.020 and 73.080%.

Delgado became one of the biggest shooting stars on the European dressage scene and one to watch leading up to 2010 World Equestrian Games. Unfortunately a severe tendon injury, on which he was operated, kept them from going to Lexington.

Niggling Injuries

After a long recovery, he made a slow, but difficult come back, first at the 2011 CDI Stuttgart, where he took a wrong step and had to be withdrawn.

He returned to the CDI ring four months later at the CDI Toledo in March 2012, where he won both rounds. After a strong spring season with solid 71 - 75% scores, he was considered Spain's biggest hope for the 2012 London Olympics, but in July he was not fit to compete and the team reserve pair (Jose Daniel Martin Dockx on Grandioso) replaced them.

He returned to the arena at the CDI Vidauban in March 2013 for one international and then was off again for two years.

Come Back to Career High Point

Beatriz kept faith in Delgado's come back and in 2015 they made a surprise return at the greatest form in their partnership.

Delgado was reintroduced to CDI level competition in Barcelona in March 2015 and scored up to 75-77% in Hagen. Delgado had a different physique from his earlier years at Grand Prix, less muscled, but sound. Because of his injuries Ferrer-Salat had to rethink his fitness plan and focused on light work to keep him happy and healthy, instead of bodybuilding for strength and power.

At the 2015 European Championships in Aachen they rode their personal best score of 77.186% in the Grand prix, a fourth place in the Special (77.395%) and a bronze medal with a magnificent freestyle in the Kur to Music on a score of 82.714%.

They finished the year with a double World Cup victory in Lyon and Stuttgart.

Fire Fuelled

That European Championship success fuelled Ferrer-Salat's fire. In 2016 she rode the 15-year old Delgado in Den Bosch, Oliva and Munich before heading the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where they could not bring the same brilliance to the table as the year before, but still produced some wonderful work to finish 10th in the Freestyle.

Delgado got a long 9-month break over the winter as he sustained a strained tendon in Rio. He returned to competition in May 2017 and was selected on the team for the 2017 European Championships in Gothenburg, but had to withdraw as shortly before the show, Beatriz tripped over one of her dogs and suffered an intercostal sprain and cracked rib. I

In 2018 Ferrer-Salat and Delgado clinched a team selection with the minimum number of shows and went to the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, where they finished 13th in the Grand Prix Special.

Last Season

2019 turned out to be Delgado's last show season. The gelding had turned 18 and after winning two trophies at the CDI Saumur in May, he was no longer required to prove form at the team selection trial in Aachen. They were nominated on the Spanish team for the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam.

At the Euros Delgado looked incredibly fit and fresh for his age in the Grand Prix test, scoring 74.363%. However in the Special he was rung out for being unlevel. A delay in the programme lengthened Ferrer's warm-up time beyond her planning and probably was too much for the horse.

It was an regrettable career end for a horse that had defied the odds and overcome numerous injuries.

Delayed Retirement

At the beginning of 2020 it came as a slight surprise that the 19-year old was still short listed by the Spanish Equestrian Federation for the Olympic team consideration for 2020 Tokyo.

In an interview with Eurodressage in April 2020, Ferrer-Salat was not yet thinking of Delgado's retirement, but in the end he did not return to the competition arena since Rotterdam. The postponement of the Games by another year made the decision to retire almost inevitable.

In his 11-year career in international sport, Delgado partnered with Bea to win four Spanish Grand Prix Champion's titles. They won the Nationals four years in a row, in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

At the 2021 Madrid Horse Week, Delgado received a special retirement ceremony, where he performed his freestyle one last time.

Laminitis

Delgado spent his retirement getting pampered at Villa Equus, Bea's yard in Barcelona, Spain.

Unfortunately a few months ago, he was diagnosed with Cushing's disease and foundered. He was put to sleep on 25 June 2023.

"These past weeks had become quite severe and was causing him more pain, so to avoid further suffering, we decided to let him go up to heaven to be reunited with his great friends Sir Radjah and Beauvalais," Bea explained. "He is and will be one of the most important horses in my life, not only for sport results, but most of all for his dedication, heart and bravery. We enjoyed a great prtnership, and as soon as he heard my voice when he entered the block, he kept knocking on the door until I went to greet him and give him a carrot. From his delicate health at one stage in his life, with tendon problems, when we finally manage to get him going it was on the basis of tenacity, constancy and good care. We have enjoyed many successes and an unbreakable friendship."