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‘A little superstar’: heartbroken farewell to tiny pony who won it all

Eleanor Jones Eleanor Jones

    • Tributes have been paid to a tiny superstar who won at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS), Windsor and Olympia, after his death aged 17.

    Broekland Allesandro and Elsie Cowell were due to contest their last event together, the 2024 London International Horse Show, but the Welsh section A died suddenly aged 17 two weeks beforehand.

    Elsie’s mother Katie Bates told H&H the family’s pony of a lifetime had suffered a short illness.

    “It’s been very hard,” she said. “He was amazing; the kindest pony and 100% genuine. Elsie is devastated.”

    Katie bought 11.2hh Allesandro in 2020 from Nicky and Demi Appleton to contest M&M first ridden, junior and open classes, and he and Elsie also did cradle stakes working hunters.

    A former HOYS, Olympia and RIHS winner, Allesandro also stood champion at Windsor with Elsie, in her first season of affiliated showing, and competed at HOYS and London.

    “We were new to showing when we bought him,” Katie said. “We’d done a few local shows but went into it completely blind and he taught us and showed us the ropes.

    “It was amazing; in Elsie’s first year, he qualified for everything and won, then went on to qualify for HOYS three years running. But Windsor was the highlight.”

    Katie said Elsie did everything with Allesandro, on the ground and in the saddle.

    “They did dressage, cross-country – he was the nicest pony,” she said. “London was going to be their last show together as she was getting too tall for him and he died two weeks before. We’ve got an old jumping pony and her dad’s horse but he was definitely the main man. A little superstar.”

    Katie’s friend Emma Lucas told H&H: “He was a pony of a lifetime for all those that got to be a part of his very special life.”

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    Eleanor Jones
    Eleanor Jones

    H&H news editor
    Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
    Eleanor Jones

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