Vale The Deputy

 

Sad news from the UK where one of Jonelle Price’s top horses, the big striding Irish Sport Horse The Deputy (Hero) has been put to sleep

The Deputy was produced by Jonelle from Novice level through to CCI *** and was without doubt one of her favourites. In 2011 he developed a serious head shaking problem which was resolved and competed at 4* level at Kentucky and Burghley in 2013

He followed up a fifth at Burghley in 2013 with a ninth place there in 2014 and competed at Badminton in 2015

Despite a tendency to have a few poles down in the show jumping, The Deputy and Jonelle had an impressive record on cross country and were a joy to watch

According to the report written by Jackie Green on the ESNZ website The Deputy incurred a minor injury that “turned into a major problem that there was no coming back from” and Jonelle had to make the sad decision late in 2015

Our condolences to Jonelle and Tim and the owners Tim Morice, Jan Morice and Lucy Sangster on the loss of a lovely horse in the prime of his career