‘I can’t thank you enough’: Blenheim winner who competed at the Olympics retires

Seigneur Medicott, the Tokyo Olympic ride of India’s Fouaad Mirza and a multiple four-star winner with Germany’s Bettina Hoy, has been retired, aged 18.

“There’s no way I could ever thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me and for the equestrian sport in India,” said Fouaad, who also paid tribute to the horse’s owner.

“A huge thank you goes to the Embassy Group’s Mr Jitu Virwani, for having given me the chance to partner this legend of a horse, and to each and everyone who supported us on the way.

“Here’s to you Micky, enjoy your retirement little champion.”

Seigneur Medicott started his career with German multi-medallist Bettina Hoy and won four times at two-star (now three-star) including at Somerford Park and Houghton Hall in Britain.

At three-star (now four-star) he achieved the feat of winning four times in a row, taking Blenheim Horse Trials CCI3* 2016, then Chatsworth, Houghton Hall and Luhmühlen Horse Trials CIC3*s in 2017. The win at Luhmühlen earned him the title of German national champion.

Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott win Chatsworth CIC3* in 2017. Credit: Stephen Sparkes

Seigneur Medicott always excelled in the dressage and he and Bettina led the first phase at the European Championships in 2017 by a wide margin, but fell across country.

In the autumn that year, Seigneur Medicott was sold to the Embassy Group for Fouaad, who had trained with Bettina, to ride. The new pair won their first competition together, the CCI* (now CCI2*-L) at Montelibretti in October 2017.

Over the next six years the horse was Fouaad’s partner in a number of milestones in his career, including individual and team silver at the Asian Games in 2018, his first Olympics and World Championships and two second places at four-star.

The pair made headlines when they sat ninth after dressage at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Fouaad was India’s first event rider to compete at an Olympics in two decades and the pair finished 23rd.

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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.