Horse dies on NZ cross-country
Seven-year-old gelding Tangleton died on the cross-country phase of the one-star class at the New Zealand Three-Day Event Championships last weekend.
Tangleton, ridden by Nick Brooks, was put down as a result of an accident on the first element of fence number 13, a bounce, in the CCI* division at about 11.30am on Saturday, May 22.
Tangleton, who was known as Digby at home, reportedly suffered an aneurysm.
Brooks was devastated at the loss of Digby. At Taupo, he said, the horse “was absolutely eating up the course and felt fantastic. That round until fence 11 is one of the most special memories I have of him.”
The thoroughbred gelding by Strike Diamond was owned by Nick Brooks and Amanda Vosper, and was bred by Lori Jones, who was upset at the horse’s loss. She had bred Tangleton specifically as an eventer, from her own mare Renowned (by Guest of Honor) whom she evented to a high level.
Brooks paid tribute to his trainers Sarah Milne, Andrew Scott and Vanessa Way for their help in producing Tangleton.
“He was a truly incredible horse — firm stable favourite and admired by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. While I’m completely devastated to have lost him so soon and under such ghastly circumstances, I’m focusing on how lucky I was to have had the opportunity to produce a horse of his calibre — I have no doubt he had the goods to succeed at the very highest level. He was pretty special for a random Trade Me find!” Brooks said.
Brooks, who was National Young Rider (U21) Champion in 2007, was not injured in the accident.
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