American international Grand Prix horse Idocus has been officially retired from competition to stand at stud. The 19-year old Dutch warmblood stallion by Equador x Zonneglans had his last moment of fame under U.S. Olympian Courtney King-Dye in April 2008 at the 2008 World Cup Finals
where he placed fifteenth. Idocus' owner Christine McCarthy relocated the stallion to California to stand at stud at DG Bar Ranch.
"Christine made a lot of sacrifices throughout his competitive career so that Idocus and I could do all that we did. But he has a job, and he is good at it. He has proven he can produce quality horses, and maybe someday I will have one of his children to carry on," Courtney King told Dressagedaily.com
McCarthy bought Idocus' dam Eretha in foal and imported Idocus as a weanling in 1990. The stallion was trained up to Grand Prix level by Lendon Gray and Courtney King .in 2001 Idocus returned to Holland as an 11-year old to be approved for the KWPN society as a breeding stallion. In order to boost his competition career, McCarthy decided to keep him in Holland and put him in training with the Van Baalens. Under Marlies van Baalen he qualified for the Dutch team for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2005, Idocus came back in training with Courtney King, who achieved the stallion's highest placing in his career: finishing sixth at the 2007 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas, U.S.A.
"It was sad to say goodbye, but I know he is happy, and still in work with a young rider, and this will be a great opportunity for the breed to have him where he belongs. Still I miss him, there was a special bond between us, and I am so lucky to have had him in my life," King commented.
Quotes: Dressagedaily.com
Related Links
Courtney King and Idocus at the 2008 World Cup Finals
Idocus Back in Training with Courtney King
Idocus In Training at Van Baalen Farm