Is this the LA28 Olympic champion? British four-star horse sold as potential championship ride for Michael Jung
Fiona Kashel hopes the 10-year-old Monbeg Cazador will win gold at the Los Angeles Olympics with his new rider, Germany’s Michael Jung
German world and Olympic champion Michael Jung has taken over the ride on the promising 10-year-old Monbeg Cazador, who was produced to four-star by British rider Fiona Kashel.
“Michael saw me jumping him while he was working his horse at Blenheim last year and messaged me after the season and asked if I’d be interested in selling him,” Fiona told H&H.
“I was like, ‘Nope, I’m not selling him’ and he said he didn’t blame me, but if I ever changed my mind, to let him know. I probably had 10 calls for him at the end of last season, but I stuck to saying I wasn’t selling him.”
The grey, known as “Penguin”, finished fifth in the eight- and nine-year-old class at Agria Blenheim Horse Trials last year and this season has jumped seven double clears, including at four-star short at Aston-le-Walls and NAF Five Star Hartpury.
“He’s such a good horse and has jumped so many double clears the last however many seasons,” said Fiona. “I don’t have a lot of horsepower at the top-level – I only have one other advanced horse and this year I thought, he’s so valuable now, he could go and win the Los Angeles Olympics, so why don’t I give him the opportunity to do that?
“I’m never going to get on a British team, it’s too strong – I have a livery business to run, a family and I can’t fit everything in. I don’t have four or five horses at that level, so I’m not as good as I’d be if I had those horses, I’m not fast enough across country. I really want Penguin to go and show the world how good he is.
“I messaged Michael the day after the eventing World Championships and said if you want him, you can buy him.”
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Michael flew over to try Monbeg Cazador soon after the worlds and he sailed through his vetting, but the negotiations took a little while.
“It was a win-win situation for me because I wasn’t fussed whether I sold him or not – either Michael would buy him and show the world what he’s like or I’d get to keep the ride,” said Fiona.
Her last run on him was at Boekelo earlier in October, where the pair added a frangible penalty and 0.4 of a time-fault across country to their dressage score, after which the deal was completed.
Penguin left Fiona’s Surrey yard on a “sad but exciting day” last Friday – after a nerve-racking two weeks.
“Michael had agreed to buy him and everyone said not to change his routine, but I had to be brave to keep leaving him out at night when he was sold – once he was sold, I just wanted him to be gone and be their responsibility! Luckily he came through unscathed,” said Fiona.
Monbeg Cazador: a lockdown project
Fiona bought Monbeg Cazador as a lockdown project in 2020.
She explained: “I’m good friends with Marti Rudd at Monbeg and in the first week of lockdown, in March 2020, I rang her and said, ‘This is going to be depressing if we can’t go out with the horses, I’m going to need a horse to cheer me up.’
“Tomas [Doyle, Marti’s husband] didn’t think he’d suit me but Marti thought I’d love him and they sent a video. He didn’t wow me particularly, but I thought I’d have him so they sent him over.”
Penguin was registered in the ownership of Fiona and her father, Frank Breach, who “has never paid a penny but decided to put his name on his passport as a young horse so he could get into events!”
Fiona Kashel riding Monbeg Kazador at Barbury in March this year
Fiona has produced the horse slowly.
“I didn’t fall in love with him straight away – he is more go-ey than my typical type and I have taken him slowly. There are probably five or six runs a year where he’s had over 30 time-penalties. But he’s definitely a better horse for that and he’s very good in his brain,” she said.
“It’s taken a long time to get him to have the strength to hold himself on the flat and the last three or four months, I’ve felt a change in his strength and balance. Michael is going to do amazing tests next year, which is a bit frustrating as I could finally have really shown what he’s capable of!
“I genuinely think he’s world class. He moves like a dressage horse, goes across country like an event rider and showjumps like a showjumper.
“I think I’m going to be in trouble for selling him to a German rider! But I can’t wait to see him with Michael and hopefully he will show the world what he can do.”
“He could go and win the Los Angeles Olympics, so why don’t I give him the opportunity to do that?”
Fiona Kashel on selling Monbeg Cazador
Penguin’s new jockey Michael Jung is the greatest championship event rider of his generation – perhaps of all time. He has won 25 senior championship medals, including individual golds on four different horses.
Michael said: “With Penguin, I have the privilege of riding an incredibly talented horse, and I’m very excited to see what the future holds for us together. There is so much to look forward to, and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve as a partnership.
“A huge thank you to Madeleine Brugman for giving me the opportunity to ride this special horse and for putting her trust in me and my team.
“Fiona Kashel has done a fantastic job producing Penguin and bringing him into the sport, and I’m excited to continue building on that foundation.
“For now, it’s all about getting to know each other better, building our partnership and looking forward to the season ahead.”
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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.