Fiona Kashel and WSF Carthago. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’re deeply saddened to report that WSF Carthago, the mount of Great Britain’s Fiona Kashel, has been euthanized as a result of an injury sustained while on course at Badminton Horse Trials on Sunday. The 13-year-old gelding, owned by Frank Breach, was the first of Fiona’s two rides and the second horse out of the start box, and the pair had executed a clear round up until fence 26, the Jubilee Clump Brush fence, where they were eliminated for a rider fall. Though ‘Revel’ didn’t fall, it appeared from footage at the fence that he may have slipped over the edge of the wide angled ditch in front of the fence. Fiona later opted to withdraw her second mount, Creevagh Silver de Haar.
Badminton Horse Trials released a statement on Monday, which reads as follows:
“A sad postscript to cross country day was the injury incurred by WSF Carthago owned by Frank Breach and ridden by Fiona Kashel. WSF Carthago was treated in the Veterinary Clinic at Badminton and subsequently hospitalised. The extent of injury found in surgery meant successful repair was not possible and our commiserations go to the whole team.”
Fiona Kashel’s WSF Carthago. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Badminton was Revel’s third start at five-star: he finished seventh at Luhmühlen last year in his debut at the level, and completed Pau last autumn. Freelance groom Josh Levi, who has long worked alongside Fiona, posted an emotional tribute on social media to the horse, who had inarguably become an enormous part of the family at Fiona’s Surrey yard.
“WSF Carthago. My Golden Child,” he writes. “I don’t really know how to put into words how I’m feeling right now other than how proud and honoured I am to have had such an integral part of your career and life. From seeing you come onto the lorry in Ireland as a big gangly 5 year old and bringing you home with your beautiful kind eye, to watching you complete your first event, to then be by your side the whole way for 7 1/2 years and getting you to your first 5* last year at Luhmuhlen.
