ATHENS - AUGUST 24: Nick Skelton of Great Britain competes on Arko III in the individual show jumping event on August 24, 2004 during the Athens 2004 Summer Olympic Games at the Markopoulo Olympic Equestrian Centre Jumping Arena in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The legendary showjumping stallion Arko III has died at the age of 27.
The son of Argentinius, who with Nick Skelton represented Britain at the 2004 Athens Olympics (pictured) and the 2005 European Championships, died today (20 January) at Shaw Farm Stud, home of his long-term owners the Hales family.
Nick and Arko won top-class grands prix across the globe, including the world’s richest class, the CN International at Spruce Meadows, and jumped numerous Nations Cup double clears. He won £1.2m before his retirement from the sport in 2008.
Nick has always credited Arko as the horse who brought him back into the sport after he broke his neck in a riding accident.
He told H&H: “Arko was a great horse for me and won some of the great grands prix of the world.
“But most of all he was the one that got me back riding again after I was told I would never ride again and that I will be for ever grateful to him for. He was a great character as well, always happy in the yard, and watched everything that was going on.
“I’m glad he had a long and happy retirement.”
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Lisa Hales said today was the saddest the stud had known.
“We have so much to thank him for, he really was a horse of a lifetime,” she said.
“At the moment all our hearts are broken but we have so many happy memories. Fly high, big man, you will live on in your offspring.”
Arko has sired top-class progeny including John Whitaker’s top ride Argento and the Hales family’s SFS Aristo, who has enjoyed much success with Ireland’s Anthony Condon.
“He has so many fans and he’s been an absolute pleasure to have on the yard,” said the stud’s Katie Norris at the time.
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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.
