Rio Olympic team gold medal-winning horse dies, aged 13: ‘He was my faithful friend’

Entebbe De Hus, who was a member of France’s gold medal-winning eventing team at the Rio Olympics, has died after a bout of colic.

The 13-year-old, owned by Agnès Célerier and his rider Karim Laghouag, had returned home from the Grand Renaud au Mans veterinary clinic on Sunday (21 October), but he could not survive a second attack and died at the clinic last night.

Karim said: “He has been and will remain my faithful friend. I am devastated because what he brought me was unique and magical.”

Owner Agnès added: “I will remember him as an exceptionally confident, easy-going horse. He was always ready to go to battle and give his best. I’ll miss him.”

Entebbe De Hus was born on 15 April 2005 in Germany and was initially called Enimen II. He was renamed after being bought by Haras de Hus and was competed initially by Aurélien Kahn. When Entebbe was six, Agnès bought him for Karim to ride.

The black Hannoverian by Embassy I was one of the best stallions in top-level eventing — he won five times at one- and two-star level, was a team bronze medallist at the 2015 European Championships and a team gold medallist at the 2016 Olympics.

Entebbe’s only run at four-star outside the Olympics resulted in fifth place at Pau in 2015, while his successes at three-star included fourth at Saumur CCI3* 2014, second at Ravenna CIC3* 2014, third at Chatsworth CIC3* 2015, second in the Event Rider Masters CIC3* at Jardy 2017 and second at Haras du Pin CICO3* 2017.

The horse was gelded in December 2017 as he seemed to be uncomfortable and went on to finish fifth at Bramham CCI3* this June.

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Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.