Horse collapses and dies on cross-country at Bramham
Second Supreme, the horse who went to four-star with Pippa Funnell and was latterly ridden by young British rider Chuffy Clarke, died on the cross-country course at the Equi-Trek Bramham Horse Trials today (Saturday, 9 June).
“It is with great sadness that we announce that number 126, Second Supreme ridden by Chuffy Clarke and owned by Jonathan Clarke, passed away whilst competing at the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials in the British Horse Feeds under-25 CCI3* in Yorkshire at around 1400 on Saturday 9 June 2018,” said a statement from the event.
“Second Supreme, a 16-year-old gelding, stumbled and collapsed after jumping fence 24, a trakehner, and subsequently passed away. His rider was uninjured. The exact cause of death is unknown at this stage but is suspected to be natural causes.”
Second Supreme started his eventing career with Czech rider Jaroslav Hatla, who took him up to advanced level. He joined Pippa in 2013 and the pair won the CIC3* at Ballindenisk together in September that year.
The following season he was 13th in the CCI3* at Bramham and fourth at the same level at Blenheim. In 2015 he moved up to four-star, with his best result being 23rd at Badminton that year. In 2016, he was eighth in the CCI3* at Bramham.
Pippa and the Clarke family have a long association as Chuffy’s parents Jane and Jonathan are owners with the top rider, and in 2017 Chuffy took over the ride on Second Supreme.
The pair had a successful first season together, with their good results including ninth in the CIC3* at Barbury, eighth in the Event Rider Masters CIC3* at Blair and 17th in the CCI3* at Blenheim, Chuffy’s first competition at the level.
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Chuffy, 22, made her British Nations Cup debut on Second Supreme at Houghton last month and finished best of the British team with a double jumping clear and just 1.2 time-faults across country.
The pair had gone clear round the cross-country at Bramham today until the horse collapsed.
Chuffy paid tribute to “Ed”, saying: “He was a true, polite, quiet gentleman on the ground. He never wanted to be any trouble. He would light up at a show because he knew he would get to go cross-country, his favourite thing. There will definitely never be one quite like him!
“I am honoured to have ridden such a talented horse that was beautiful on the inside and out, and am heartbroken to have lost him, but I take comfort in the fact that he was doing what he loved the most and we were having the round of our lives together.”
Chuffy also thanked Pippa for giving her the opportunity to ride Second Supreme and the team at Bramham “for getting to us so quickly and doing the best they could”.
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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.