‘Welcome home Clooney’: top showjumper who broke his shoulder leaves hospital

Celebrations have taken place as Clooney 51, the former European champion ride of Swiss showjumper Martin Fuchs, has returned home from hospital.

The 15-year-old gelding fractured a bone in his shoulder – his right humerus – when he slipped and fell in the field on 16 August, nine days after he and Martin had been jumping at the Tokyo Olympics.

Clooney was taken to Tierspital Zurich hospital and Martin said at the time the gelding was receiving the best care with all involved working towards making a field retirement possible. He was being supported in a sling to help stabilise him, but he was eating well and able to put weight on his injured leg.

Martin has since shared regular updates on Clooney’s condition including him taking his first steps out in-hand on 1 September. A video shared a week later showed the gelding having made improvements, with Martin stating the son of Cornet Obolensky was “progressing every day” and he “couldn’t be happier”.

On 19 October Martin said it was a “special day” as he welcomed Clooney home. Pictures of the occasion showed a party and Clooney looking approvingly at his “Welcome home Clooney” gift made out of carrots.

“Thank you Tierspital Zürich for taking the best care of our champion,” said Martin.

Clooney 51, owned by Luigi Baleri, was sourced by Martin’s father Thomas as a seven-year-old. Martin and Clooney won individual gold at the 2019 European Championships, and individual silver at the 2018 World Equestrian Games. Tokyo was their second Olympics; they finished ninth individually at Rio 2016 and 16th in Tokyo, where the Swiss team finished in fifth place.

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Becky Murray

H&H senior news writer

Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.