Goodbye to Cortaflex Mondriaan at Hickstead
Thursday 7 July 2011
Showjumping fans had the chance to say farewell to a legend last month, when William Funnell’s ride Cortaflex Mondriaan was retired at the Hickstead Derby.
Julie Slade’s 17-year-old bay gelding holds an impressive record in the Hickstead Derby. He finished third in his first attempt in the class in 2003, he won in 2006, finished fourth the following year, then achieved back-to-back wins in 2008 and 2009 and won almost £250.000 throughout his career. Mondriaan’s wins put him in a select band of horses who have won the Derby three times, alongside Mon Santa (Michael Whitaker) and Corrada (Peter Charles). Only Eddie Macken and Boomerang have won the Derby a total of four times.
Mondriaan paraded in a garland of carrots in front of a packed crowd in the International Arena at Hickstead – the scene of so many of his great triumphs.
Lizzie Bunn, Hickstead director, says: “Mondriaan is a true Derby Champion. He is a member of an elite group of horses to have won it on three occasions and but for a bout of colic that hampered his preparation last year, he might have equalled Boomerang's record of four wins.
“He loves Hickstead – when he canters into the International Arena, particularly in front of a huge Derby crowd, he grows several inches. He will be remembered as one of the all-time Derby greats,” she adds.
As an integral part of the Funnell's stable of horses, Mondriaan has been fed on Allen & Page feeds for many years, helping to fuel his success.
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New ASM for Essex, Suffolk and KentWe are delighted to announce the appointment of Annie Hughes as the new Area Sales Manager for the Essex, Suffolk and Kent region. Date: 27 April 2012 YHL winner has ace lessonAnna Young was our very lucky winner of the star prize at Your Horse Live 2011 – a lesson with top event rider and all round superstar Pippa Funnell! Date: 13 April 2012 |