One-eyed wonder Tornesch retires from top flight showjumping
Tornesch, the popular one-eyed stallion ridden by Malin Baryard-Johnsson, is to bow out from top class competition.
His owners, Helena Hugoson-Feldt and Thomas Felt, announced the 16-year-old’s retirement on Facebook.
“Thank you so much Tornesch for all the wonderful moments you have given us, your rider and Sweden during your career at the highest level in this sport,” they wrote. “We are very happy to have Tornesch back in our stable after eight years in sport at Malin’s place.
“Thank you Malin for taking very good care of our stallion. Tornesch will now continue with breeding both in Sweden and in France and also be a schoolmaster for both our daughters.”
Tornesch and Malin struck up a formidable partnership. In 2012 they helped Sweden win the FEI Nations Cups in Barcelona and Falsterbo and came second in Rotterdam. The following year they were placed in World Cup competitions in Helsinki and s’Hertogenbosch.
The stallion battled with an issue in his right eye for eight years before a further injury lead to it being removed in 2013. The loss of his eye did not seem to hinder him a jot – he finished third in Longines FEI World Cup qualifier at Olympia in 2014 and continued to make team appearances for Sweden, including helping them to third place at the FEI Nations Cup in Dublin last year.
Impeccably bred (Lux Z X Libero H), Tornesch was also recognised as the best upcoming stallion in Sweden due to his success as a sport horse and sire, and he is approved for breeding by the Holstein studbook.
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His most recent and final outing was at Olympia last month (pictured top) where he jumped a superb clear in the first round of the World Cup qualifier before lowering two rails in the jump-off.
Malin paid tribute to Tornesch on Instagram: “Tornesch, thank you for eight fantastic years and every magic moment you have given me! After hundreds of rounds, thousands of jumps and uncountable hours of training together we became best friends and partners. I’m forever grateful and you will always have a special place in my heart. Good luck with everything and think of me sometimes.”
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