British international Grand Prix rider Stephanie Croxford has retired her top horse Mr. President after their final show ride together at the 2013 British Dressage Championships in Stoneleigh, last weekend.
Wrapping up her Grand Prix ride at Stoneleigh, Croxford dismounted her chestnut gelding, ran her stirrups up and patted him, while she hand-walked him out of the arena in tears. The crowds showed their support with clapping and a standing ovation.
Mr President is a 19-year old gelding originally bred in Ireland by an unknown Guelderlander x Hackney stallion out of a Dutch Warmblood mare. He is amicably called Mr P or "Rimmer." Croxford acquired the horse as a saddle broken youngster for just £2,500. Croxford named the horse after former U.S. President Bill Clinton "because he used to be a one for the ladies. He used to spend all his days separating the mares from the geldings in his field before courting his captured girls."
Croxford, who is an environmental geologist by profession, started showing Mr President at Grand Prix level when the gelding was 9. In their 10-year spanning Grand Prix career, their career highlight was the victory in the 2007 CDIO Saumur Grand Prix Kur to Music. They also competed at international shows such as the World Cup qualifier in London, Odense and Mechelen, and CDI's in Addington, Biarritz, Frys, Hartpury, Saumur, La Mandria, and Hickstead.
About Mr President's retirement, Croxford once said, "come the day that I feel that he no longer wants to drag me down the centre line with a big grin of his face looking for the judges to prove how good he is, then that is the time to say “thank you and good night”. He will then be allowed to live is life out as he feels fit in a nice big grassy field with a friend for company and a very large mud hole, where he can wallow away the hours."
Photos © Risto Aaltonen
Related Links
Eurodressage Photo Database: Mr President
Hester and Storr Take Saturday's Titles at the 2013 British Dressage Championships
Benjamin Lewis Croxford born
1, 2, 3 for Britain at the 2009 CDI Biarritz