William Funnell’s former top ride Comex has been put down aged 28.
“Comex was the first really good horse I had,” William told H&H. “I took part in my first big Nations Cup competition with him and hadn’t had any international success before.
“He did a lot for me. He won around a quarter of a million in prize-money too.”
The pair were on several winning Nations Cups teams in the 1990s and came second in the Hickstead Derby in 1997.
“He was a very careful winner. I would have loved him to have won a Derby — he was super neat,” William, who owned the gelding, added.
Comex had been a regular out hunting with Sarah Ingleson and the Surrey Union, as well as competing in cross-country and riding club events.
“He went to Sarah, who had been his groom most of his career, when he was retired aged about 18,” said William.
“I’m very thankful to her. He wasn’t doing so well the past couple of months and, with winter coming, we decided that sadly the time had come.”
“Up until about three years ago he was very active. He was having fun and it was wonderful to see him enjoying his retirement.”
This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (22 November 2012)
