An “unbelievable” occasion horse who excelled on the prime stage and went on to get pleasure from 11 years of blissful semi-retirement has died aged 28, having been liked all through his life.
Francis Whittington and Sir Percival III, owned by Margrete Paget, had 10 four-star (now five-star) runs, together with coming tenth at Burghley and fifteenth at Badminton, and received the Burnham Market World Cup qualifier in 2008. They have been reserves for the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, and for 2 European Championships.
Percy retired aged 17 and spent his final 11 years with the Colderick household, which Francis stated “couldn’t have been the extra excellent house”.
“He couldn’t have been extra liked,” Francis informed H&H. “We’ve identified them for ever they usually’re improbable associates of Margrete’s; we’re all going to get collectively and have dinner to have fun him. He was wonderful.”
Francis and Percy at Burghley 2010.
Francis had had Percy since he was 4; Margrete purchased him from Oliver Townend’s father Alan.
“After we noticed him for the primary time, together with his head over the secure door, our minds have been made up already, earlier than we’d even ridden him,” Francis stated. “He was a pleasant horse however he emanated this character, which is what took him via all the way in which.
“Barely cheeky, all the time clever and pondering forward. After we first noticed him, he appeared to have this sparkle – which he did. He wasn’t essentially all the time going to toe the road – ‘let’s simply do it my manner’ – however that character made him go on to be among the finest cross-country horses there was. He was quick-thinking and with out being quick, he was extremely quick throughout nation.”
Francis cited one 12 months at Burghley when though they’d a cease at one fence, they nonetheless completed inside the time.
“There can’t be many horses who’ve made the time at Burghley with a cease!” he stated. “You have been by no means nervous earlier than you went out on the cross-country; you knew he was wanting forward, targeted, travelling. He was nippy, that was key, he adjusted his ft, might learn the difficult questions and was responsive – he completely liked it.”
Francis stated the dressage was by no means Percy’s favorite part – “I believe it was the identical for each of us!” – however “we liked the cross-country and that’s what actually stood him aside”.
Percy throughout nation with Harriet
And it nonetheless does; in 2022 information evaluation consultants EquiRatings listed the horses with probably the most clear and inside-the-time CCI5* cross-country rounds between 2008 and 2022 and Percy was fourth, having had seven clears and 6 inside the time from 10 runs.
“He was distinctive,” Francis stated. “It was a fantastic journey, with the Pagets, the entire manner. It’s solely afterwards that you simply absolutely recognize it as on the time, it’s nerve-racking and also you’re preventing and striving, however afterwards, you possibly can look again and assume ‘What a journey that was’.”
Francis added that, when wanting again on the highlights of that journey, there are a pair that stand out, in addition to the World Cup win.
“Somebody took probably the most unbelievable photograph of us leaping into the lake at Badminton,” he stated. “I’ve nonetheless obtained it as my profile image on WhatsApp and it jogs my memory of that spherical; he was simply cruising, floating spherical, I didn’t actually should assume. It was a really particular second.
“One other second was the 12 months I had meningitis. I used to be fortunate to be alive, and some weeks later rode spherical Badminton. He pulled out the perfect dressage take a look at ever, then we have been cruising on the cross-country, and I didn’t realise however he’d misplaced a shoe.
“I used to be as weak as a kitten, and struggling, and as he got here up the step, he slipped. He moved heaven and earth to remain upright however as a result of I used to be so weak and ailing, I simply popped off. By the point we’d set off throughout nation, all those forward of us after dressage had fallen by the wayside. That might have been his time however I wasn’t nicely sufficient to assist him – however he was unbelievable.”
Bowing out on the prime
Francis stated the pair had some nice runs at Badminton however Burghley was “one in every of his favorite locations”. Percy bowed out from the highest stage after Pau 2013, which had been his first four-star, six years beforehand.
“We didn’t trot him up on the final morning at Pau,” Francis stated. “He’d cruised around the cross-country however felt a bit stiff on the Sunday and I stated ‘He doesn’t must do the final day’.
“So we had him for the winter, then he went to the Coldericks, who did probably the most wonderful job giving him a beautiful retirement. He was blissful and liked – and I went to hack him there within the forest and he was an absolute handful! Percy pickle – he’d stand there, and if he felt somebody wasn’t giving him their full consideration, he’d look sideways at them after which rigorously step on their toe.
“He was a cheeky bugger at instances and we had some moments, however we had an terrible lot of enjoyable and probably the most unbelievable expertise. We’re all so fortunate to have had him.”
Francis paid tribute to Sharon Moore, his former head woman, who liked Percy dearly and “was excellent with him – she was an incredible a part of his journey”.
Harriet informed H&H she occasions, and her household has been associates with the Pagets for years; her mom Ishbel went with Francis, Percy and Margrete to lots of the prime occasions, so that they have been delighted to have him after his top-level profession.
“We simply stated we’d do as a lot or as little as Percy needed to do,” she stated. “And we ended up doing all of it. Nothing excessive stage, however some enjoyable eventing, and we reside on on the Ashdown Forest, so he spent most of his retirement on the market. It was simply the dream for him, actually. My dad, who’s ridden a bit however not masses, rode him within the forest, took him on sponsored rides and galloped him on the seaside and he adored him.
“And for me, when my eventers have been having holidays over the winter, I’d have classes on him, and he’d train me all of the strikes. It was a really energetic retirement as a result of he liked to work; every part he did, he was so passionate about.”
Margrete Paget all the time introduced Percy his favorite Trebor Further Robust Mints when she visited him on the Coldericks’
Harriet agreed with Francis about Percy’s character; he incessantly let himself out of the secure to search out individuals, and was the boss of the sphere.
“However in a pleasant manner, everybody simply knew he was the boss and revered him,” she stated. “He simply was so enthusiastic. It didn’t matter what you requested of him, he simply threw every part into it. And I believe that’s in all probability what made him such a improbable occasion horse and what saved him so youthful via his retirement.
“He simply liked life and needed to do it, and even a few weeks earlier than he died, we have been main him out to the sphere, and he was simply broncing on the top of the rope; it makes me so blissful that my final recollections of him have been when he was nonetheless the identical. He didn’t age in any manner, he was almost 29 however he was nonetheless a 10-year-old in his coronary heart.”
Harriet stated Percy was recognized with power coronary heart points a 12 months in the past and that though at first the center returned shortly to its regular rhythm, and stayed there, the difficulty recurred just lately, and extra critically.
“All of us felt very, very strongly that he owed completely nothing to anybody, and we needed him to go searching wonderful,” she stated. “And he did. He was nicely, he was shiny, blissful. The day earlier than, he was so blissful, and that’s how he wanted to go. It was very clear it was the time, which makes it no simpler; the yard’s simply not the identical with out him. We’re fortunate within the sense that we will do this for them, it was the correct time and he regarded an image for his age, which was how we all the time needed to recollect him. Regardless of how unhappy you might be, you need to do the correct factor for him.
“It’s so unhappy however the outpouring of affection for him on Fb makes you realise what a legend he was. After they’re a part of your loved ones – you always remember, we have been all the time in awe of him – however if you see these feedback and look again, you realise he was such a legend and I’m extra in awe of him than ever.
“I’m so grateful we had him for therefore lengthy, and that he was so nicely for therefore lengthy, however we loved him day-after-day. We have been so fortunate.”
You may additionally be considering:
Francis Whittington tells H&H in regards to the ‘cross-country machine’ who’s allergic to carrots
Some of the in style 4-star occasion horses of the previous decade will step all the way down to compete at CIC3* stage
Discover out extra in regards to the proficient British eventer who secured his first CCI3* win at Blenheim final weekend
Credit score: Future
Keep in contact with all of the information within the run-up to and all through the main exhibits and occasions throughout 2025 and past with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe immediately for all you might want to know forward of those main occasions, plus on-line studies on the motion because it occurs from our professional staff of reporters and in-depth evaluation in our particular commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Arrange your limitless web site entry now
H&H information editor
Eleanor is an skilled journalist who spent over eight years working for native and nationwide newspapers earlier than becoming a member of H&H as information editor in March 2016. Enthusiastic about equine welfare and exposing the reality, Eleanor has reported on all features of the business, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage guidelines to mules. Her sport of alternative is showjumping, through which she competes her personal horses, and she or he additionally enjoys reporting at native leaping exhibits via to worldwide championships.
