A lynchpin of the Swedish showjumping team who scored success at Hickstead and across the world has died following a lunging accident.
Cold Play, partnered by rider Fredrik Jönsson since he was a four-year-old, helped Sweden to team silver and Tokyo qualification at the 2018 World Equestrian Games (WEG) among their many achievements together.
The 13-year-old gelding was in quarantine at home, since returning from the Sunshine Tour at Vejer de la Frontera in Spain, when the accident happened on Monday (8 March).
Fredrik said he lunged him that afternoon and the gelding was “super alert and happy”, but when he landed from a moment of high jinks, he instantly saw something was wrong with one of his legs.
“The vet came out immediately and we took X-rays on the spot, but there was nothing we could do,” said Frederick, adding that the horse was a “really good friend”, who did so much for his career.
“I want to thank Cold Play for all the memories and for everything he has meant to me. I also want to thank my companions and co-owners the Ingvarsson family, and everyone else in the team around this horse.
“Cold Play has meant so much to so many. It is incredibly sad that it would end like this prematurely.”
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The pair contested two senior championships, taking home eighth place individually as well as team silver at WEG 2018, and represented Sweden at the European Championships in 2019.
They were also frequent members on Nations Cup teams, including their home contest at Falsterbo in 2019 swiftly followed by the British leg at Hickstead 2019, where the combination also finished third in the King George V Gold Cup. British spectators may also remember seeing the pair compete at Hickstead the previous year and at Olympia 2019.
They were part of the Swedish side that finished third in the Nations Cup final in Barcelona in 2019 and the focus for 2021 was on major championships.
Chef d’equipe Henrik Ankarcrona said this is a “very big loss for Swedish jumping”.
“My thoughts are with Fredrik and the whole team of horse owners,” he added.
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