Ros Canter’s double world gold medal-winning ride Allstar B may not be with her at the World Eventing Championships this week – but he is there in spirit.
Following the death of “Alby” at Aachen this summer, aged 17, Ros’s groom Sarah Charnley had bracelets made from his tail-hair, and she is wearing hers in Pratoni del Vivaro, where the action started today (15 September).
Michele Saul’s 10-year-old gelding Lordships Graffalo (Walter) makes his championship debut with Ros this week – the pair finished second at Badminton Horse Trials this year, the horse’s first five-star event. But the memory of Allstar B is being kept alive.
“I’ve had three lovely bracelets made out of Allstar B’s tail, one for Ros, one for Caroline [Moore, Allstar B’s co-owner and Ros’s long-term trainer and friend], and one for myself,” she said. “It has a little GB heart flag and a little star with an ‘A’ on, to represent all his gold medals.”
Alby’s fans will also have the chance to own one of the bracelets, and raise money for a good cause at the same time.
“Caroline has very kindly given me permission to have 10 more bracelets made out of his tail, and we are going to sell them to raise money for Cancer Research UK,” said Sarah. “So get your bids in, folks – they’ll be coming out hopefully within the next couple of months.”
As well as their team and individual gold medals at the Tryon World Equestrian Games in 2018, Ros and Allstar B were on the British team that won gold at the 2017 and 2021 European Championships. They finished third at Badminton in 2018, and fifth in 2017.
After his death in July, Ros said: “There are no words for the love and respect that I have for Alby. Time after time, he has shown his generosity, kindness and love of our sport. He has been such a huge part in building my career, and he will be missed by many.”
Ros and Lordships Graffalo scored 26.1 as the first combination to go for the British team on the first day of dressage in Pratoni, which put them in second place at that stage.
You might also be interested in:
A tribute to a superstar: the highlights of Allstar B’s career in photos
Ros Canter has a new star: young pretender comes of age to finish second in Badminton showdown
Ros Canter confirms Britain in team gold – and herself in individual silver – at eventing Europeans: ‘He lets me ride for every mark’
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Keep up with all of the breaking news, behind the scenes insight and the best of the action throughout the World Eventing Championships with no limit on how much you can read from as little as £1 per week with a Horse & Hound unlimited website subscription. Sign up now. Plus enjoy our full 20-page magazine report (on sale 22 September) including opinion from Mark Phillips and ground jury president Christina Klingspor.
