Will Coleman’s Conair and Andrew McConnon’s Powderhouse both died this past weekend at The Fork Horse Trials in Norwood, North Carolina, held April 5-6, 2014.
Competing in his first two-star event, Powderhouse, a 15-year-old Australian Thoroughbred, collapsed and died following the stadium jumping phase on April 5th. Though McConnon was mounted at the time, he was not injured.
The Fork released the following statement:
“It is with great sadness that we announce that Powderhound, owned and ridden by Andrew McConnon, collapsed and died while returning to the stables after competing in the CIC** jumping phase while competing at The Fork event in Norwood, N.C., at approximately 1:45 p.m. on April 5.
The entire organizing committee and officials extend its heartfelt condolences to Andrew McConnon at this difficult time.”
McConnon posted the following statement on his Facebook page:
“It is hard to find words adequate enough to express the sorrow felt upon the tragic death of a loved horse and competitive partner, and those that know and love Andrew and Powderhound are indeed without words. ‘Carlos’ was only in Andrew’s barn for a short while, but he was very much loved and very much appreciated for the warhorse he was. He was a wonderful event horse that knew his job and did it well, and we were all looking forward to watching their partnership grow. This tragedy is once again a reminder that we are so lucky to have horses in our lives, and must appreciate them every moment of every day. Hug your horse, and give Andrew a hug as well. Many thanks for all of your kind words.”
The next day, on the advanced cross-country course, Conair, an 11-year-old Anglo-European gelding, fell at fence 17. Though the horse got back up and galloped away, he later collapsed and died. Coleman sustained a broken collarbone in the crash.
For the second time that weekend, The Fork released a statement:
“It was it with great sadness that we announce that Conair, ridden by Will Coleman and owned by the Conair Syndicate collapsed and died at The Fork event in Norwood, NC, USA at approximately 9:45 a.m. [on April 6th]. Earlier Will and Conair had a fall on the Advanced cross country course and Conair proceeded to run back towards the barns. He was stopped and then transported to the barn for veterinary evaluation.
After the preliminary veterinary exam was completed, Conair collapsed and died. Cause of death has not yet been determined.
The entire organizing committee and officials extends its heartfelt condolences to Will Coleman and the Conair Syndicate at this difficult time.”
On April 7th, it was revealed that though the final necropsy report had not yet been released, preliminary examination suggests some form of internal hemorrhaging as the cause of death.
On his Facebook page, Coleman stated:
“It is difficult for me to make any sort of statement regarding the events of yesterday. While I have yet to receive the full necropsy report, it is clear from preliminary findings that Joey passed from some sort of internal hemorrhaging. As soon as we arrived at the main stables at the Fork, it became apparent that his injuries were more severe than just a banged stifle, and at that point, there was very little that we or the vets could do. It all happened so fast. I take some comfort in that Katie, Shannon, Nanki, and I were there for Joey’s final moments. He certainly would have known how loved he was.
For me personally, the whole episode was the realization of my greatest fear as a professional event rider. We are a courageous bunch, but our horses are sacred. In many ways, I cherish their well-being more than my own. I am sure that many of my peers feel the same way. Just as I take responsibility for everything regarding their care, training, and happiness, it is hard for me to not feel responsible for this horrid accident.
That being said, things happen in life that are simply tragic and hard to explain. The loss of a horse is no different than losing a family member. One of the few things that lessens the pain is being able to tell them how much they meant to you and how much they were loved before they are gone. Lucky for us, a horseman gets to convey that to his horses everyday; in the way that we care for them, exercise them, and train them, in the various ways that we make them aware that their happiness matters to us. In this regard, I have no doubt that Joey knew how much he meant to us. Anyone who knew him could testify to his zeal for life and work. He did not get by on talent. He was all heart, the “Rudy” of equines. His work ethic will continue to inspire me, and his joyful presence will always be missed.
Myself and Katie want to thank Joey’s owners, The Booth family, Team Rebecca LLC, and Nanki Doubleday, for their support and understanding. You have been amazing throughout, and I thank you now for your friendship more than anything. Shannon, you are an amazing horse manager, and your selfless care for these animals and regard for their happiness is second to none. Thank you for giving them so much love on a daily basis, and for being a part of our family here. Katie, I am lucky to have you by my side, now and always. And to Rodney and Alex, thank you for the gift of this wonderful horse. Joey came to us a happy horse and I am confident that he leaves us now as one. We will cherish our time with him, as I know you do. To fellow eventers, thank you for your generous and comforting support. It never ceases to amaze how this community can pick up a comrade when his or her world seems to be falling down around them. Andrew McConnon and I are lucky to call ourselves eventers after this weekend.”
The United States Eventing Association extended their condolences in a post on their website April 8th. In it, they express their sympathy, provide statistics and information on accidents in the sport and encourage people not to jump to conclusions or place blame. Read the statement here.
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