For eventing fans across the globe, William Fox-Pitt‘s 2004 Badminton winner Tamarillo will be the standout horse of a generation — the one that you had posters of on your wall as a teenager and madly kept track of during the season.
On hearing the news that the Olympic silver-medallist was put to sleep yesterday (28 July 2015) at the age of 23, we’ve dug deep in to the archives to take a look back at some of his career highlights in pictures.
Tamarillo in pictures
2002: Badminton Horse Trials
At Tamarillo’s first Badminton in 2002, the pair finished in second place.
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2002: World Equestrian Games, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
The 16.2hh gelding and William were part of the bronze medal-winning team in Jerez for the World Equestrian Games in 2002, following on from their success at Badminton earlier that year.
2004: Badminton Horse Trials
An unforgettable Badminton: William achieved his lifelong ambition of lifting the Badminton trophy in 2004 with Tamarillo, who was bred by the Guinness family in 1992 at the Biddesden Stud.
2004: Olympics, Athens, Greece
Following on from William’s Badminton Horse Trials win, the pair were part of the silver medal-winning team at the Athens Olympics — although Tamarillo had to be withdrawn from a promising individual place after an injury on the cross-country.
William and Tamarillo during a photocall for members of the British Olympic eventing squad for Athens in 2004, at a press conference at Waresley Park, Befordshire.
2005: European Championships, Blenheim Horse Trials
At the European Championships at Blenheim in 2005, William and Tamarillo claimed the individual silver medal as well as being part of the gold medal-winning team. Earlier that year the pair had finished second at Badminton.
2008: Burghley Horse Trials
In 2008 the pair secured the Burghley Horse Trials title, with Tamarillo rounding off his four-star career in typical style — ears still pricked.
