Mary King has spoken exclusively to Horse & Hound of her “devastation” at losing Call Again Cavalier.
Mary lost her 2008 Olympic partner, Call Again Cavalier, on Sunday during the Express Eventing International Cup in Cardiff.
Yesterday, an emotional Mary told H&H: “Cavi had a suspected broken femur.
“Although we hadn’t had confirmation of a break, he was in so much pain, whatever he had done was serious.”
She said she and owners Eddie and Sue Davies and Janette Chinn decided the 16-year-old gelding should be put down immediately.
While organisers told waiting press in the post-event conference that the horse had gone away to be examined at a veterinary clinic — refusing to say which one — Mary King was telling anxious spectators above the stables that Cavi had been put down.
She told H&H: “There were lots of people hanging over the balcony overlooking the stables — they were worried, and so I told them.”
In this Thursday’s edition of H&H, Mary speaks exclusively of her love and admiration for a “special partner”.
Over the past three years, Call Again Cavalier and Mary won team silver at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006, the British open championship at Gatcombe, team gold and individual silver at the European Championships in Pratoni in 2007, and team bronze at the Olympic Games this year in Hong Kong.
The loss of the much-loved British team horse Call Again Cavalier has ignited debate over the future of the Express Eventing International Cup.
- For analysis, report and comment on Sunday’s Express Eventing International Cup, plus an interview with Mary King, buy this Thursday’s edition of Horse & Hound (4 December).
