Cause of shock death of Ahlmann’s Calvados Z still unknown
The results of the postmortem into the death of German showjumper Christian Ahlmann’s horse Calvados Z, are still not known.
Christian’s mother, Hildegard Ahlmann, told H&H this morning that the whole family was very shocked by the death of the nine-year-old grey stallion at the Oslo Horse Show on Sunday.
“It was a terrible shock, completely unbelievable”, said Mrs Ahlmann.
Calvados Z had jumped clear in the grand prix class at the Oslo show earlier in the day, but died suddenly in his stall on Sunday afternoon.
The results of the postmortem at Oslo veterinary school will not be known for another day, said Mr Ahlmann.
But speculation from people at the show is that the horse may have suffered a ruptured aorta.
The Holsteiner stallion was bred by Zangerseide and was by Chellano Z out of Cassandra Z.
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Calvados Z was owned by Ahlmann’s sponsor Marion Jauss and was the most successful son of his sire, who has been cloned.
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.