Christine Bates and Adelaide Hill on the CCI4* cross country at the 2015 Australian International 3 Day Event.
"When Adelaide Hill arived as a two and a half year old, he lived with Masterprint for about three years. They were paddock buddies and I always hoped that Basil (Masterprint) would teach him all the good things about being a good eventer and none of the naughty things. I think he has"
In October 2015 top Australian eventing rider Christine Bates said farewell to a very special horse, Masterprint
“I’ve only ever kept two horses in my career” says Christine in our interview “Masterprint was one and Adelaide Hill (Christine’s current top horse) is the other”
The horse that competed against the likes of Australian equine heroes such as Jeepster, Navarone and Peppermint Grove and “kept everyone honest” still had his quirky habits of kicking out when let loose in the paddock or when his leg straps were being done up but at 28 years of age, the time had come to say goodbye
Christine remembers how Masterprint (Basil) was responsible for her taking up eventing after her junior career in show jumping and how the horse, that was deemed to ‘never compete again’ following serious foot surgery, went on to win the Melbourne 3 Day Event and the Sydney 2000 Test Event in 1999 after they fixed his phobia of drop jumps into water, resulting from the foot problems
Christine told us all about their many years together and how much this horse meant to Christine and all of her family during his lifetime
Christine Bates talks about Masterprint
Masterprint at home aged 28
