Show jumper Christian Ahlmann has canceled the start of the World Cup in Leipzig due to the tragic death of his horse D’Aganix 2000 Z. As the Belgian Zangersheide Stud announced, the twelve-year-old stallion had to be euthanized despite veterinary care after an accident while unloading in Leipzig.
“A terrible and unfortunate accident while unloading in Leipzig meant that D’Aganix 2000 Z was able to free himself from the truck for reasons that are not yet fully understood. He fell on a slippery surface and sustained such a serious injury to his thigh that there was no longer any chance of recovery,” wrote Ahlmann on his Instagram account.
As the German Equestrian Association (FN) announced, Ahlmann then canceled his participation in the World Cup as part of the “Partner Horse” in consultation with the organizer. “His other horses have already started their journey home,” wrote the association.
The two-time Olympic bronze medalist and three-time world champion Ahlmann wanted to compete with D’Aganix at the World Cup in Leipzig this weekend. The 51-year-old last rode the stallion in Geneva last December and had already achieved several successes with him.
Beerbaum mourns Goldfever
Former world-class show jumper Ludger Beerbaum is now mourning the loss of his former top horse Goldfever. The stallion died at the age of 35. “Of course we are all very sad today that Goldfever is no longer with us – but we also all look back with great gratitude and a little pride on the successes and the time together,” the four-time Olympic champion was quoted as saying on the homepage of his stable in Riesenbeck.
With Goldfever, the now 62-year-old won, among other things, team gold at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. The duo also won the team title at the European Championships once (2003) and came second as a team once (2007). In the individual, there was European Championship silver (2003) and bronze (2007). The pair also won top-class and important competitions such as the Grand Prix in Calgary (2002) and in Aachen (2002 and 2003).
Disqualified in Athens 2004
At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Beerbaum was disqualified because of a banned medication on Goldfever. Beerbaum emphasized several times that he knew nothing about the banned active ingredient in the ointment with which the stallion was treated, nor that it could penetrate the bloodstream. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) confirmed the exclusion a year later.
Beerbaum and his teammates lost team gold. Ahlmann, today’s national coach Otto Becker and Marco Kutscher at least received bronze, Beerbaum came away empty-handed.
After leaving the sport in 2009, Goldfever was used in breeding for some time in Beerbaum’s stable in Riesenbeck.
