Laura Collett and Mr Bass. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
British Olympic gold medalist Laura Collett announced last week that she would be retiring one of her stalwart top campaigners, Mr. Bass, from competition after the 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding reaggravated an old injury sustained at Badminton in 2019
“‘Chuck’ means the absolute world to me and owes me nothing,” Laura wrote on her social media. “He’s my best friend and I owe it to him to do the right thing, therefore we have made the very difficult decision to retire him from top level Eventing. I can’t actually explain how hard it is to comprehend that I will never get to enjoy flying round the toughest XC tracks with him again.”
View this post on Instagram
Owned in partnership with Nick How and Keith Scott, Mr. Bass made his mark on the sport in his young horse career, winning the World Championships for 7-year-olds at Le Lion d’Angers in 2015. He would later go on to debut at the top level of the sport by finishing second at Luhmühlen in 2018. After sustaining a tendon injury at Badminton in 2019, Mr. Bass made a full recovery and finished in the top 20 at Pau last year. In 2021, he helped Great Britain win the Aachen CCIO4* Nations Cup of Eventing leg.
We’re wishing “Chuck” a happy retirement, and in celebration of his career here’s a look back at some of our favorite photos:
-
- The experienced Mr Bass provides a useful first round for Laura Collett, who makes a double appearance in the top five. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
-
- “He just tries so hard,” says Laura Collett of Mr Bass, who takes fourth place after dressage despite being ‘shaped like a wheelbarrow’ (her words, not ours). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
-
- Laura Collett and Mr Bass sit in the top ten after a classy effort across the country. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
-
- Laura Collett and Mr Bass. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
-
- Laura Collett and Mr Bass. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
-
- Laura Collett and Mr. Bass. Photo by Jenni Autry.
-
- Laura Collett and Mr Bass. Photo by Jenni Autry.
-
- Laura Collett and MR BASS during the dressage phase, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire, 2019
