Photo via Slezak Eventing
The hardship that started yesterday with the KESMARC explosion continues today for the Ocala community and all of Eventing Nation. Katlyn Hewson’s horse Jack’s Irish Z was humanely euthanized during the intermediate cross-country for the Ocala Horse Trials at the Florida Horse Park. Organizer Peter Grey told me that Jack’s Irish Z broke his leg following the second to last fence on the course. Katlyn was uninjured.
Jack’s Irish Z was an Irish sport horse imported to the US in 2008. Samantha met up with Katlyn at Midsouth last year for an interview and Katlyn is just as charming in person as she comes across in video. I met Katlyn at The Fork two years ago; she is well loved in both the Canadian and US eventing community.
Weekends like this remind us of eventing’s harshness and our own fragility. Our thoughts and prayers reach out to the Katlyn, her family, and the Slezak eventing team that was such a big part of his Irish’s development.
