German showjumping star Ludger Beerbaum sustained multiple fractures in a fall in a World Cup qualifier on 30 December.
Olympian Ludger was competing at Mechelen, Belgium, with Chacon.
The pair finished the course with eight faults, but after the final fence, 12-year-old Chacon mistakenly jumped part of a double in the wrong direction and Ludger fell.
He left the arena on a stretcher and was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a multiple fracture on his upper arm. He was operated on that evening.
Chacon was not injured.
“Ludger is hoping to make a speedy recovery following his operation,” said a spokesman for Ludger Beerbaum Stables.
“We have been absolutely overwhelmed by so many kind messages and well wishes. Thank you so much for your support.”
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A spokesman for the FEI wished the 54-year-old a quick recovery.
“German ace, Ludger Beerbaum, already had four [faults] on the board with Chacon before getting four more for an awkward jump at the last and then hitting the deck when Chacon mistakenly took on part of the double at fence five in the wrong direction,” she said.
“The man who claimed Germany’s first-ever World Cup title back in 1993 is under medical care and the horse world is wishing him a very swift recovery.”
The class was won by the Netherlands’ Harry Smolders riding 13-year-old gelding Zinius.
Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann was second with Mary Lou and Italy’s Luca de Lorenzo third riding Halifax Van Het Kluizebos.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.
