Horse put down after irreparable injury at Badminton Horse Trials
WSF Carthago, the five-star ride of Fiona Kashel, has been put down after sustaining an injury at Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian. He received veterinary care both at the event and off-site after he and Fiona parted ways at fence 26 towards the end of the CCI5* cross-country course on 7 May.
Badminton Horse Trials released the following statement on the final day of the competition (8 May): “A sad postscript to cross-country day was the injury incurred by WSF Carthago, owned by Frank Breach and ridden by Fiona Kashel. WSF Carthago was treated in the veterinary clinic at Badminton and subsequently hospitalised. The extent of injury found in surgery meant successful repair was not possible and our commiserations go to the whole team.”
The Irish-bred 13-year-old, by Cobra out of a Viking mare, was second to go over Eric Winter’s influential track. He had jumped clear up until the Jubilee Clump Brush, where the incident occurred. There was a hold on course while the horse received veterinary care at the fence before being moved to the on-site veterinary clinic in the horse ambulance. Fiona withdrew her second ride, Creevagh Silver De Haar, from the competition.
WSF Carthago had competed at the five-star level twice before. He was seventh at Luhmühlen CCI5* and fifth at Ballindenisk CCI4*-L last season, as well as winning an advanced section at Wellington. He scored 32.2 in the dressage phase here for 36th in the first phase.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.