Mikaela Soratie's Royale de Topaz Passed Away

Dressage

Finland

Finnish Grand Prix rider Mikaela Soratie had to say goodbye to Royale de Topaz, the first horse she trained herself to international Grand Prix level.

Royale de Topaz was a 17-year old Finnish warmblood by Royal Dance out of Cor de Saphir (by Chablis). He was bred by Anne Nurmesniemi and Niina Yrjölä.

The tall bay stallion arrived in Soratie's barn as a 4-year old. In Finland at national level he won the Breeders' Prize as 4, 5, and 6-year old as well as the 7-year old Championships.

In 2008 the pair represented Finland at the 2008 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, Germany, where they were 10th in the preliminary round (8.18 points) and 15th in the Finals (7.38). He was the first Finnish bred horse to reach the finals at a World Young Horse Championship.

In 2009 the combination returned to Verden for 6-year old World Championships and finished 9th in the consolation finals with 7.42 points.

Soratie trained the big bay up to Grand Prix level and had their shining moment in 2015, when they were 6th at the Finnish Grand Prix Championships and did this first and only international competition in Ypaja in June. They were 8th in the Kur to Music.

Royale de Topaz had been a career starting dressage horse for Soratie.

"I had to say goodbye to a very special horse, the horse of my lifetime, Royale de Topaz," said Soratie. "Topi was my greatest friend and I was so lucky to have him in my life for 13 years. Together we have travelled, moved countries, and trained with amazing people. As a young horse he won as a everything that you can win in Finland and we got to go to the World Championships for Young Horses twice and he was my first horse that I got up to Grand Prix."

While Soratie did not achieve the top scores she dreamed of, Royale de Topaz gave her a big learning curve and developed her as a rider.

"He was never easy but that was for sure one of the reasons he became so special to me," she said. "I have learned so much from him and I owe him everything."

Royale de Topaz had developed serious dental issues and could no longer chew. Instead of having him deal with complicated surgeries it was decided in his best interest to put him to sleep on 4 June 2020.