Blue Hors Don Olymbrio Died Unexpectedly

Dressage

Denmark

Don Olymbrio, the 2024 World Cup Final runner-up and Danish warmblood elite stallion, has died unexpectedly this morning, Wednesday 21 May 2025. He was 17 years old.

Don Olymbrio was a Dutch warmblood stallion by Jazz out of Olymbria (by Ferro x Sultan). He is bred by Jan Lamers.

Licensed Stallion

He was purchased by Blue Hors stud as a foal and got first licensed at the 2011 KWPN Stallion Licensing in 's Hertogenbosch.

He moved to Denmark where he was also named premium stallion with the Danish Warmblood society in 2012.

Sport Career

As a youngster he was first started and competed by Allan Gron up to small tour level.

In 2016 Bachmann took over the ride and brought him to Grand Prix. The stallion's international show debut was at small tour level in Herning in March 2016. A year later he premiered at Grand Prix level in Herning and went to Hagen and Aachen, short listed for the Danish team selection for the 2017 European Championships.

In 2018 he competed in Herning, Hagen, Cappeln, Randbol and Stockholm and became Bachmann's back-up horse to Blue Hors Zack whom he took to the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. In 2019 Bachmann and Don Olymbrio rode a big amount of shows: Amsterdam, Herning, Den Bosch, Uggerhlane, Aachen, and Herning again. He cracked the 80% marker in the freestyle that year.

In November 2019 the ride was passed on to the owner's daughter, Agnete Kirk Thinggaard, who took him to Wellington, Florida for the 2020 Global Dressage Festival. The pair showed in one CDI Wellington and placed fourth with 71.783% in a 3* Grand Prix. Shortly after this show it was decided to send Don Olymbrio back home to Denmark for a break from sport. He was off from work and stud duties for more than a year.

Nanna Skodborg Merrald brought "Don O" back to the international arena in November 2011 at their home CDI in Randbol and won both classes. In 2022 they did just one CDI, while in 2023 they showed at four. Their highlight year was in 2024 when the pair qualified for the World Cup Finals in Riyadh, where they were second in the Kur to Music. After Riyadh Don O did one more CDIO in Rotterdam.

The stallion's last international was in Amsterdam in January 2025, where he was third in the GP and fourth in the Kur.

Sudden Passing

Don Olymbria died suddenly this morning at Blue Hors stud in Martofte.

"With heavy hearts, we announce the sudden passing of our cherished stallion, Blue Hors Don Olymbrio, who died this morning at the age of 17 of a heart attack. His loss has left an immeasurable void in our hearts and in the Blue Hors family," said Blue Hors.

Nanna Merrald added, "there are no words to fully express what Don Olymbrio meant to us. He was a fighter and a friend, a competitor and a companion. He gave us everything, and asked for nothing in return but care and trust. We are devastated, but also deeply grateful for every day we had with him.”

Legacy

In 2017 the Danish warmblood society proclaimed Don Olymbrio elite stallion.

Career highlight: second at the 2024 World Cup Finals

In Denmark he sired five licensed sons: Uno Don Olympic, Blue Hors Dreamline, Olympus, L'Olympic Landlyst and Orion, and five more are licensed abroad (Ironn L, Calibrio, Diego da Silva, Lacoste, D'Olympus).

No less than 673 of his offspring are registered for sport in Denmark. His most famous offspring in sport are Grand Prix horses Hansel (Ashley Holzer), Uno Don Olympic (Anna Zibrandtsen) and Dinozzo Nexen (Sue Jaccoma), WCYH bronze medal winner Touch of Olympic (Nanna Skodborg Merrald), young riders horses Don Caballero (Liva Guldager Nielsen) and Baunehojens Detroit (Charlotta Rogerson), children's horse Askehavens Beay Sancy (Marie Sohler).

Don Olymbrio's offspring is known to be athletic but also highly sensitive, a "Jazzy" trait he passed on.

"Thank you, Donnie Pony, as you were so lovingly called in the stable," Blue Hors stated. "For all you have meant to every person who crossed paths with you, riders, grooms, breeders, veterinarians, fans, and friends. You leave behind a trail of unforgettable moments."