‘A little horse with an enormous heart’: celebrating Lenamore’s incredible career in pictures

Former top event horse Lenamore was put down on Saturday (28 January) at the age of 30.

New Zealand rider Caroline Powell, who rode the grey son of Sea Crest to his greatest successes, described him as “a little horse with an enormous heart”.

Lenamore completed Badminton seven times in a row with Caroline, finishing in the top 12 five times. But the partnership’s greatest day came at Burghley in 2010, when they completed on their dressage score of 38.7 to win.

The gelding, bred by National Hunt trainer Ted Walsh – father of former top jockey Ruby Walsh – in Ireland, evented with his owner Lexi Jackson up to three-star (now CCI4*-L) level. She handed the ride over to Caroline in 2004 and the partnership was an instant success.

They represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games — Hong Kong and London, winning team bronze at the latter — and the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, 2006.

During his illustrious career, the diminutive Lenamore amassed 2,321 British Eventing points. The 2012 Olympics was his final event and he was retired from eventing the following spring.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to marvel at the wonderful career Lenamore enjoyed…

Gemma Redrup

H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor

Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.