Top British showjumper put down
Top British showjumper Gorre has been put down after an accident in Poland at the weekend (14 June).
The nine-year-old gelding was competing in Poznan with Joe Clayton when the the horse injured himself during the grand prix. It was found that Gorre had broken his leg and was put down. The rider was uninjured in the accident.
“We were in the grand prix and we’d done three or four jumps and came to a combination,” said Joe.
“He jumped the middle part fantastic, but then we can’t work out whether he injured himself on landing or take off before the third part, but he couldn’t do anything behind.”
The horse was competed in two-star competitions with Pippa Goddard last year, before moving up to three-star with Guy Williams. Gorre then moved to Michael Whitaker’s yard where Joe Clayton took on the ride at the start of this year.
Under Joe the pair won at the CSI3* in Lummen in April. They also finished third at Hagen later that month.
“Gorre was an unbelievable horse, he loved jumping so much,” Joe told H&H.
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“He gave every jump 110% and was so careful too, he never wanted to touch a jump, he was very exuberant.
“Gorre was a superstar, he was really quick against the clock too — he had everything really.
“He was nice to have around too and would always put his ears forward to say hello. He’d only entertain you for so long though, then he’d get back to minding his own business.”
The bay Belgian warmblood was owned by Valerie Whitfield and Mark Williams.
Gorre was produced by Leicestershire-based James Williams, Mark’s son, from a three-year-old until he was eight.
“Gorre was one in a million, who never got the chance to show his full potential he was such a character and always tried his hardest for you,” James told H&H. “I’m also so sorry for Joe, who is equally devastated and had to go through such a tragic experience.”
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.