Sarah Tubman Loses Grand Prix Horse Balia

Dressage

U.S.A

Sarah Tubman (née Lockman) lost her rising Grand Prix horse Balia. The 12-year old mare passed away on 11 June 2024.

Balia was a 2012 born Westfalian mare by Belissimo M out of Felina (by Florestan x Weltmeyer). She was bred by Hermann Roloff in Germany.

German Start

The liver chestnut mare was first competed by Ilke Albers in 2016.

In the spring of 2017 Eva Möller took over the ride. She presented the mare at the Bundeschampionate qualifiers in Hagen, Bielefeld, and Munster and finished 6th at the 2017 Bundeschampionate Final in Warendorf.

Sold in the U.S.A.

Owned by Andreas Helgstrand, Balia was part of the group of horses that was first shipped to Wellington, FL in 2018 to fill the barn of Helgstrand's new sales hub in the U.S.A.. She is one of the first horses sold out of that barn.

Tubman's sponsor Gerry Ibanez acquired her for Sarah to ride. At that time she was still based in Orange, California, before making the permanent move to Florida. It was the first horse the late Ibanez bought for Sarah. Ten months later he also bought First Apple, the horse Tubman has been the most successful on.

Young Horse Success

Balia at the 2020 U.S. Developing PSG Horse Championships
(Photo © Annan Hepner)

Under Tubman the chestnut mare finished fifth in the 2018 U.S. Young Horse Championships for 6-year olds. In 2019 she was named to the USEF Developing Program and remained in the program for 5 years.

In 2020 the pair finished 11th in the U.S. Developing Prix St Georges Horse Championship. In 2021 they made their international show debut at small tour level in Florida, competing there in three CDi's (Wellington, Ocala).

In 2022 she made the transition to Grand Prix level at age 10 and in 2023 she had her CDI Grand Prix debut in Wellington, where she posted 65.175% in her first GP test. A month later in April 2023 she contested the CDI Ocala where she posted 68.326%. It was her last show in her career.

Untimely Passing

Unfortunately Balia passed away a week ago.

"On June 11, 2024, my extraordinary mare, Balia (owned by Summit Farm and the Ibanez Family) was unexpectedly laid to rest," Tubman stated. "She was the best horse I had ever had the opportunity to ride. She was the first horse that Gerry Ibanez bought for me as we embarked on this journey together, with dreams of reaching the top of our sport and fulfilling our crazy dreams. Balia was a joy to train every day. She always gave 100% and never quit. When asked to jump, she would eagerly respond, "How high?" She taught me so much, and it was a privilege to develop her from a young horse to a successful FEI Grand Prix competitor."