Victoria Bonefeld Dahl's Danish YR Team Horse Comtesse Passed Away

Dressage

Denmark

Victoria Cecilie Bonefeld Dahl's Danish young riders' team horse Comtesse has passed away on 28 August 2021 following a colic attack. A month earlier the pair won team bronze at the 2021 European Young Riders Championships in Oliva Nova, Spain.

Comtesse was a 10-year old Danish warmblood mare by Caprimond out of Holt's Guapa (by Heslegard's Rubin x Michellino). She was bred by Sabine Petersen.

Family Horse

The mare sold as a young horse to the Bonefeld Dahl family.

She was first competed at national level in Denmark in April 2017 by Victoria, who just came off competing Gambys Hanneken WE and Spartacus at national FEI pony level.

In 2020 the pair moved up to small tour level and did the Ecco Cup circuit in Denmark during the corona year. They finished 14th at the 2020 Danish Young Riders Championships.

In 2021 they made their international show debut at the CDI Hagen in June, where they caught the attention of the Danish team selectors. The combination was selected on the team for the 2021 European Young Riders Championships in Spain, where they won team bronze and placed 16th in the Kur to Music finals. They finished the year with a fourth place at the 2021 Danish Young Riders Championships.

Colic

Unfortunately at the end of August, the mare suffered from a sudden bout of colic. Although she was taken to the equine hospital, she could not be saved.

"She got sick spontaneously and we sent her to the hospital to make sure she would be back with us and healthy in no time," Victoria told Eurodressage. "After seven years of no sickness or complaints you do not believe in your wildest dreams that you would drive home the morning after with no horse. She was constipated and unfortunately, they could not save her at the clinic. I will never forget that phone call ever, but I try to remember the last time I saw her where she seemed okay, and I gave her a kiss on the nose."

Victoria continued, "I had hoped that these seven years were only the beginning, but the experiences and goals I got to achieve with her are the best memories I could wish for. (..) I want to bring all the knowledge she gave me into my future riding career and in a sense bring her along in that way. I miss her very much and she will always hold a very special place in the hearts of our entire family."

The Future

The Bonefeld Dahl family has a love for horses and dressage with mom Cecilie as well as both daughters Victoria and Elisabeth riding.

Elisabeth won the 2021 Nordic Baltic Championships at junior level aboard Don Furioso (by San Amour x Jazz).

Struck by the sudden loss of her heart horse Comtesse, Victoria received the ride on her mom's 15-year old KWPN gelding Bolero (by Uptown x Jazz) as well as the 13-year old KWPN gelding Decibel K (by Vivaldi x Rhodium).

"I am lucky and blessed to have my family and wonderful horses in the stables," said Victoria. "Hopefully I can bring her memory with me and put that energy into bringing my two boys Decibel K and Bolero successfully with me to the next level."