“He taught me how to deal with the highs and lows of the sport – he was unpredictable and you never knew which version of himself would turn up,” said the European champion and Olympic medallist.
Rayef was the first horse Laura took from BE100 all the way to five-star. She travelled seven hours to try him and instantly fell in love “because he was by far the most beautiful horse I’d ever laid my eyes on,” said Laura, adding that he has been part of her family for 20 years.
She told H&H: “He was a cheeky monkey who knew exactly what he did and didn’t like and managed to have everyone wrapped round his little finger.”
Owned by Jason Houghton, Rayef was Laura’s partner in winning double gold at the junior Europeans in Avenches, Switzerland, in 2007 and the pair followed up with double gold at the young rider Europeans in Waregem, Germany, in 2009.
They started competing at three-star (now four-star) level together the same year as their junior Europeans successes, finishing in the top 10 at that level seven times. Highlights included sixth in the World Cup qualifier at Chatsworth in 2008 and third at Barbury CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) in 2011 and Aachen CIC3* in 2012.
Laura Collett and Rayef on the way to eighth at Badminton in 2011.
(Image credit: Phil Mingo/Pinnacle)
In 2011, when she was 21, Laura made her Badminton debut with Rayef and finished eighth. The pair were selected for the European Championships at Luhmühlen Horse Trials that summer as individuals, Laura’s senior championship debut, although it wasn’t a fairytale ending as they were eliminated on the cross-country.
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After a couple of strong CIC3* results the following spring, Rayef and Laura were among the non-travelling reserves for the London 2012 Olympics.
Asked about Rayef’s place in her career, Laura said: “He really put me on the map – I got my first call-up for a senior squad in my first year out of young riders and he showed me what it was like to sit in a press conference at Badminton after leading after day one of dressage.”
Rayef enjoyed a happy retirement with Laura’s mother Tracey.
“He wanted for nothing – she adored him and he lived out his retirement living like a king,” said Laura.
“He’d always looked a million dollars and he just started to struggle with eating so it wasn’t fair to let him deteriorate or suffer.”
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.
