Showing star The Humdinger was retired at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) this weekend (11 October).
Ridden by Jayne Ross, The Humdinger won the HOYS coloured championships in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
He did not compete at HOYS this year (7-11 October), but made an appearance at Birmingham’s NEC to officially bow out of competition.
“He has done so much for us as a yard in general, he is a phenomenal animal and I am so privileged to have been associated with him,” said Jayne.
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“He is still very enthusiastic for life, but we wanted him to go out on a high. It is a huge honour to be able to retire him where he has been so successful in the past.”
She added that he will stay with them initially to go autumn hunting.
The 13-year-old gelding — known as “Dinger” — is of unknown Irish breeding and is owned by Carol Bardo.
“It was just amazing that a horse like him — such a popular horse — was allowed to retire at what I consider is the top show in the world,” Carol told H&H.
“It was wonderful.”
She added that she posted the news on Facebook the previous day before and had a huge response.
“People I didn’t know at all were stopping us [at HOYS],” she said.
“One person said ‘we are catching the last train home so we can see Dinger.’”
The Humdinger was bought as a four-year-old from David Tatlow and his wins include multiple coloured championship titles at the Royal International Horse Show and North of England show.
Carol told H&H that one of her highlights was when he won at HOYS in 2009 with full marks from the conformation and ridden judges.
“When he got his 100% I was actually in hospital because I had had an operation on my back,” she said.
She added that the nurse came to check on her as she was “crying her eyes out” and had to explain that she was crying with happiness at what her horse had achieved, rather than pain.
The Humdinger was the second popular horse to be retired at the show, after Robert Walker’s Starry Night bowed out on Friday (9 October).
