As an extreme sport, horseback riding gives rise to impressive records, which we can hardly imagine without the images.
The 2m47 cleared by Alberto Larraguibel Morales & Huaso
You have probably already heard about this Chilean couple who, on February 5, 1949, crossed a spa at the height of 2m47 in Vina Del Mar, Chile. It was in 1947 that the Chilean officer Alberto Larraguibel Morales was entrusted with the chestnut stallion of English thoroughbred race named Faithful then renamed Huaso.
Huaso was bought by a Chilean army captain as a racehorse to become a dressage horse, but an accident made him lame in one of his hindquarters, which put him out of the dressage discipline. Nervous and difficult to control he was spotted by an army horse master who bought him. He was specially trained for the power tests for more than two years before realizing the staggering performance.
Today, 71 years later, the couple still holds the world record for high jump (on horseback, of course).
The 2m12 cleared without a saddle by Robert Whitaker & Waterstone II
Here is a name we all know: the Whitaker family, a family of horsemen and women. And in the Whitaker family we ask for Robert, the son of the famous John Whitaker!
Robert may not have been an Olympic medalist, but he holds a record! It was on November 25, 2011, during the “Stockholm Globe” in Stockholm (Sweden) that Robert Whitaker and Watersone II took the world record for saddleless jumping by clearing a 2m12 wall.
Enough about height now, let’s take a little distance !
8m40 for André Ferreira & Something
On April 26, 1975 in Johanesburg, South Africa, André Ferreira and his horse Something set the world record in long jumping, by crossing an obstacle composed of a hedge and preceded by a river. A jump of 8m40 in length that made them the world record holders in long jump on horseback.
In life, it is not only show jumping, but also many other disciplines such as dressage!
94.300% for Charlotte Dujardin & Valegro
The British rider Charlotte Dujardin, a Carl Hester rider, has had quite a story with Valegro. Carl had initially picked him up to ride him himself, but then admitted that Charlotte was doing better with the gelding and decided to hand him over.
This was an incredible opportunity he offered to his friend: the couple thus formed was crowned Olympic team and individual champion in front of their public in London in 2012, individual world champion in 2014 in Normandy and European team champion in Roterdam and individual champion in Aachen in 2015.
As if these medals were not enough, together they hold the record for the highest score in Grand Prix Freestyle with a final score of 94.300% in London on December 17, 2014. They were able to stop at the top, and Valegro is now retired at the age of 18. Charlotte is well on her way to matching her own record with her new recruit, MSJ Freestyle, who is shining in the World Cup.
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France, the most successful team
Eighteen times European Mixed Champion and three times World Champion at the WEG (World Equestrian Games), the French Mixed Horse-Ball team is the most successful team in the discipline.
The Green Monkey at $16,000,000
Yes, The Green Monkey is the name of the most expensive horse sold at public auctions. The Green Monkey, from his real name, was acquired for $425,000 at the age of seven months. Presented at the two-year-old sales, The Green Monkey galloped the 200 meters in 9.8 seconds. When he entered the ring, the auction house went crazy and the price exploded!
The young 2-year-old thoroughbred was sold for $16,000,000 (12.6 million euros) on behalf of the world’s largest stud: The Coolmore Stud. Promised to a great sporting career, The Green Monkey fell in a race shortly afterwards, cutting his career short. He will have run only three races with “only” a 3rd place.
Sampson 2m19 for 1524 Kilos
This Shire gelding born in 1846 in England is today considered as the tallest horse in the world. Measuring 2m19 for 1524 kilos at the age of 4 years, Sampson remains to this day the tallest and heaviest horse that ever existed.
Einstein 35cm
The Falabella is known to be the smallest breed in the world and it is one of them that broke the record: the so-called Einstein. This Falabella was born in the United States of America. He measures only 35 cm at the withers! He is now the smallest horse on record dethroning Thumbelina, a chestnut mare of 44.5 cm.
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