Colombian Team Horse Flanissimo Passed Away

Dressage

Colombia

Flanissimo, a Colombian Team horse at the Bolivarian, Central and Pan American Games, has passed away on 6 February 2026. He was 16 years old.

Flanissimo was a 2010 born Rhinelander by Flanagan out of Fancy (by Ferragamo x Foxtrott). He was bred by Horst Widdig.

German Start

Initially owned by Frederik Vekens, the black was licensed as a breeding stallion at the 2012 Westfalian Stallion Licensing in Munster-Handorf and did his 30-day performance test in the autumn of 2013, scoring 7.29 points (with 7 for dressage and 6.88 for show jumping). He only bred a little and has just 7 offspring registered for sport with the German equestrian federation and no sons licensed.

He made his show debut in Germany as a 3-year old in 2013 under Rebekka Rosler, who took him to the Bundeschampionate where he finished 11th. In 2014 Rosler swapped the ride with Svenja Bachmann and in 2015 Claudia Lütkemeier (née Arnold) showed him at L-level

Colombian Team Horse

In 2015 he sold to Colombia and was registered to the company Inversiones Kiskiyoso.

Flanissimo resurfaced in international competition sport six years later, in 2021, under Colombian Juliana Gutierrez Aguilera. She made her international show debut at the 2021 CDI Cali at small tour level, winning the Prix St Georges.

The pair went on to represent Colombia at four major (inter)continental Games. They showed at the Bolivarian Games in 2022 and 2025, finishing with team silver in 20221 and fifth and fourth individually in the Inter I kur to music. In 2023 they went to the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, where they won team gold and finished second in the Inter I Kur with silver, while their biggest competition were the 2023 Pan America, Games the same year in Santiago de Chile, where they placed 10th in the Inter I.

In 2023 the duo also showed in Wellington, Florida. In 2024 they were reserve Colombian Grand Prix champions.

Untimely Passing

Unfortunately, Flanissimo untimely passed away following a severe bout of colic on 6 February 2026. The black showed colic signs early in the morning and was being treated by the vet, when he suddenly lied down and passed away from a suspected heart attack.

"True warriors never leave. They walk, they fight, they shine and leave their mark forever," Gutierrez stated in a tribute post. "Your strength, your presence and your beauty will remain alive in the memory of all those who had the privilege of seeing and feeling you."