Fitou L, Lone Bang's Career Starting Grand Prix Horse, Passed Away

Dressage

Denmark

Fitou L, Lone Bang Zindorff's career-starting Grand Prix horse, has passed away. He was 25 years old.

Fitou L was a 1999 born Danish warmblood by Florestan out of May Heart L (by May Sherif x Drumhead xx). He was bred by Karsten Bundgaard.

Young Horse Success

Lone Bang Larsen bought Fitou directly from the breeder when he was a yearling. Under the supervision of her trainer at that time, Hasse Hoffmann,she produced Fitou L from young horse level to Grand Prix.

The two made their national show debut in May 2004. They represented the Danish warmblood society at the 2004 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, where they finished 6th in the consolation finals and finished 5th at the 2004 Danish Young Horse Championships.

In 2005 they were more successful at the World Championships and placed 12th in the 6-year old finals after winning the consolation round.

In 2006 they did not compete but returned in 2007 at Prix St Georges level. Then a 3-year break from showing followed before the debuted at Intermediaire II level in January 2010.

Danish Team Horse

The pair made its international Grand Prix debut in 2010 at the World Cup qualifier in Gothenburg and from there went to Bremen in March 2010.

Fitou L has been plagued by niggling injuries his entire Grand Prix career. He did not compete an after Bremen and only returned two years later in April 2012 at a national show in Hedensted. His international come back was in June 2012 in Stromsholl at the 2012 Nordic Baltic Championships, where they won team and individual gold.

A nine-month break followed and in March 2013 for them to return to the show ring. 2013 became their career highlight year. After CDI starts in Stadl Paura, Hagen, Wiesbaden and Aachen, they were nominated on the Danish team for the 2013 European Championships in Herning, where they placed 25th in the GP Special with 69.985%. They concluded the year at the CDI Stockholm.

In 2014 they only did two CDI shows: Doha (March) and Aachen (July), while in June that year claimed the 2014 Danish National Grand Prix Champion's title in Broholm.

Seven months after Aachen, in February 2015, they competed at their final international, where it had all started: the CDI-W Gothenburg

Retirement

In June 2016 Bang announced Fitou L's retirement from sport. He spent his pensioner's life in the field with a young mare, but in 2020 was tacked once more for Lone's then 9-year old daughter Victoria Zindorff to feel the piaffe.

Today Lone Bang announced today that the 25-year old Fitou has passed away.

"Thank you for everything," she said. "So hard to say goodbye, so many fantastic memories. Thank you to everyone who has been together with us on our journey with Fitou."