‘We’re so lucky to have had him’: heartbroken farewell to eventer who went to the top and was loved all his life
An “incredible” event horse who excelled at the top level and went on to enjoy 11 years of happy semi-retirement has died aged 28, having been loved throughout his life.
Francis Whittington and Sir Percival III, owned by Margrete Paget, had 10 four-star (now five-star) runs, including coming 10th at Burghley and 15th at Badminton, and won the Burnham Market World Cup qualifier in 2008. They were reserves for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, and for two European Championships.
Percy retired aged 17 and spent his last 11 years with the Colderick family, which Francis said “could not have been the more perfect home”.
“He couldn’t have been more loved,” Francis told H&H. “We’ve known them for ever and they’re fantastic friends of Margrete’s; we’re all going to get together and have dinner to celebrate him. He was amazing.”
Francis had had Percy since he was four; Margrete bought him from Oliver Townend’s father Alan.
“When we saw him for the first time, with his head over the stable door, our minds were made up already, before we’d even ridden him,” Francis said. “He was a nice horse but he emanated this character, which is what took him through all the way.
“Slightly cheeky, always intelligent and thinking ahead. When we first saw him, he seemed to have this sparkle – which he did. He wasn’t necessarily always going to toe the line – ‘let’s just do it my way’ – but that character made him go on to be one of the best cross-country horses there was. He was quick-thinking and without being fast, he was incredibly fast across country.”
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Francis cited one year at Burghley when although they had a stop at one fence, they still finished within the time.
“There can’t be many horses who have made the time at Burghley with a stop!” he said. “You were never nervous before you went out on the cross-country; you knew he was looking ahead, focused, travelling. He was nippy, that was key, he adjusted his feet, could read the tricky questions and was responsive – he absolutely loved it.”
Francis said the dressage was never Percy’s favourite phase – “I think it was the same for both of us!” – but “we loved the cross-country and that’s what really stood him apart”.
And it still does; in 2022 data analysis experts EquiRatings listed the horses with the most clear and inside-the-time CCI5* cross-country rounds between 2008 and 2022 and Percy was fourth, having had seven clears and six within the time from 10 runs.
“He was exceptional,” Francis said. “It was a great journey, with the Pagets, the whole way. It’s only afterwards that you fully appreciate it as at the time, it’s nerve-racking and you’re fighting and striving, but afterwards, you can look back and think ‘What a journey that was’.”
Francis added that, when looking back at the highlights of that journey, there are a couple that stand out, as well as the World Cup win.
“Someone took the most incredible photo of us jumping into the lake at Badminton,” he said. “I’ve still got it as my profile picture on WhatsApp and it reminds me of that round; he was just cruising, floating round, I didn’t really have to think. It was a very special moment.
“Another moment was the year I had meningitis. I was lucky to be alive, and a few weeks later rode round Badminton. He pulled out the best dressage test ever, then we were cruising on the cross-country, and I didn’t realise but he’d lost a shoe.
“I was as weak as a kitten, and struggling, and as he came up the step, he slipped. He moved heaven and earth to stay upright but because I was so weak and ill, I just popped off. By the time we’d set off across country, all the ones ahead of us after dressage had fallen by the wayside. That could have been his time but I wasn’t well enough to help him – but he was incredible.”
Bowing out at the top
Francis said the pair had some great runs at Badminton but Burghley was “one of his favourite places”. Percy bowed out from the top level after Pau 2013, which had been his first four-star, six years previously.
“We didn’t trot him up on the last morning at Pau,” Francis said. “He’d cruised round the cross-country but felt a bit stiff on the Sunday and I said ‘He doesn’t need to do the last day’.
“So we had him for the winter, then he went to the Coldericks, who did the most amazing job giving him a wonderful retirement. He was happy and loved – and I went to hack him there in the forest and he was an absolute handful! Percy pickle – he’d stand there, and if he felt someone wasn’t giving him their full attention, he’d look sideways at them and then carefully step on their toe.
“He was a cheeky bugger at times and we had some moments, but we had an awful lot of fun and the most incredible experience. We’re all so lucky to have had him.”
Francis paid tribute to Sharon Moore, his former head girl, who loved Percy dearly and “was superb with him – she was an amazing part of his journey”.
Harriet told H&H she events, and her family has been friends with the Pagets for years; her mother Ishbel went with Francis, Percy and Margrete to many of the top events, so they were delighted to have him after his top-level career.
“We just said we’d do as much or as little as Percy wanted to do,” she said. “And we ended up doing it all. Nothing high level, but some fun eventing, and we live on on the Ashdown Forest, so he spent most of his retirement out there. It was just the dream for him, really. My dad, who’s ridden a bit but not loads, rode him in the forest, took him on sponsored rides and galloped him on the beach and he adored him.
“And for me, when my eventers were having holidays over the winter, I’d have lessons on him, and he’d teach me all the moves. It was a very active retirement because he loved to work; everything he did, he was so enthusiastic about.”
Harriet agreed with Francis about Percy’s character; he frequently let himself out of the stable to find people, and was the boss of the field.
“But in a nice way, everyone just knew he was the boss and respected him,” she said. “He just was so enthusiastic. It didn’t matter what you asked of him, he just threw everything into it. And I think that’s probably what made him such a fantastic event horse and what kept him so youthful through his retirement.
“He just loved life and wanted to do it, and even a couple of weeks before he died, we were leading him out to the field, and he was just broncing on the end of the rope; it makes me so happy that my last memories of him were when he was still the same. He didn’t age in any way, he was nearly 29 but he was still a 10-year-old in his heart.”
Harriet said Percy was diagnosed with chronic heart issues a year ago and that although at first the heart returned quickly to its normal rhythm, and stayed there, the issue recurred recently, and more seriously.
“We all felt very, very strongly that he owed absolutely nothing to anyone, and we wanted him to go looking amazing,” she said. “And he did. He was well, he was shiny, happy. The day before, he was so happy, and that’s how he needed to go. It was very clear it was the time, which makes it no easier; the yard’s just not the same without him. We’re lucky in the sense that we can do that for them, it was the right time and he looked a picture for his age, which was how we always wanted to remember him. No matter how sad you are, you have to do the right thing for him.
“It’s so sad but the outpouring of love for him on Facebook makes you realise what a legend he was. When they’re part of your family – you never forget, we were always in awe of him – but when you see those comments and look back, you realise he was such a legend and I’m more in awe of him than ever.
“I’m so thankful we had him for so long, and that he was so well for so long, but we enjoyed him every day. We were so lucky.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.