‘This isn’t the end, just the start of a different chapter’: five-star legend Topspin heads into semi-retirement
Alice Casburn has paid tribute to her great five-star campaigner Topspin
Alice Casburn’s star home-bred eventer Topspin is “happy, healthy and enjoying life in his field” – and will be back in work this autumn to enjoy an active semi-retirement.
The combination’s last event was the first under-25 World Championships (22 to 26 July), at which they were in the lead after the cross-country but Topspin was withdrawn before the final trot-up.
The pair grew up together; Alice was six years old when Topspin, a second-generation home-bred, was born and they climbed the eventing ladder as a team.
Alice was just 19 years old when she contested her first five-star with the gelding, at Pau 2021, where they jumped double clear. That was the first of 10 five-star starts for the duo.
“I never expected to do Pau in 2021, so I’m coming out with an open mind and anything is possible,” Alice told H&H in an interview at the end of that year.
The following spring, Alice and Topspin jumped clear across country at Badminton to finish 19th, and won a legion of fans. That year, they also won individual bronze and helped the Brits to team gold at the young rider Europeans.
In the years that followed, they finished in the top 10 at Burghley on all four starts, were fifth at Luhmühlen and recorded two more top-20 finishes at Badminton – all before Alice’s 24th birthday.
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This weekend (16 August), Alice shared an update on Topspin and a tribute to the horse who has been by her side for 18 years.
“I’m incredibly happy to say that Topspin and I are now in a very happy place,” said Alice.
“After a thorough check once we got home, I’m so pleased to say he is happy, healthy and enjoying life in his field, and he’ll return to work in November.
“Our chapter is going to look slightly different from here, but I’m so excited that he gets the semi-retirement he deserves, with lots of showjumping and fun outings. Hickstead [eventers’ challenge]… consider this our application.”
She added: “Whilst we could return to eventing, we felt that whilst his brain isn’t ageing, his body is. He deserves a competitive life with fewer physical demands, and I’m genuinely excited about what we might experience together doing just that.”
Alice also shared for the first time the statement she had written in Millstreet.
“Topspin gave me one of his best rounds to date on Saturday, putting us in gold medal position going into the showjumping. Knowing your team is relying on you, whilst knowing deep down that your partner isn’t feeling 100% after cross-country, is not a decision I took lightly,” she said.
“Topspin has been part of my life for 18 years, since I was six. He owes me nothing, I owe him everything. So he came home to friends and a field full of grass.
“Selfishly, I’m terrified. We’ve spent the past 10 years taking on the world and travelling to new places. I can’t remember a time when we weren’t preparing for our next adventure.
“Topspin, my partner in crime. Thank you for proving that fairytales aren’t just for storybooks, and that you can never dream big enough.
“I feel so unbelievably honoured to have been your chosen person, and your trust in me is a privilege I will always be grateful for.
“Neither of us was naturally brave. You never asked me to be fearless, and I never asked you to be either. But when we were together, you made me feel invincible, and that was enough to take us further than either of us could have imagined.
“This isn’t the end of our story. Just the start of a different chapter.”
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.