Jock Paget’s Clifton Lush, chosen to represent New Zealand at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, has been put down following a paddock accident
The 18 year old chestnut thoroughbred gelding that finished sixth at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in 2016 and third in 2015 was retired last year when Jock returned to be based in New Zealand. The pair was selected as part of the New Zealand Rio eventing team however a freak stable accident at the event prevented them from competing
On his Facebook page Jock says
“It is absolutely devastating that we say goodbye to Clifton Lush, he was flying around his paddock as he sometimes likes to do and suffered an injury that he won’t recover from to have a comfortable enough retirement. This is obviously a major blow to anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. He was such a legend and he was living proof that with enough heart you can do anything. I had the pleasure of working with Lush for 6 years and I am hugely grateful for everything he taught me and how he gave everything and then some when I needed him to, he made the biggest of tracks feel like nothing but he would never give anything away in the warm up. He was a true warrior and loved his job. Huge condolences to his owners Lucy and Shaun Allison and Frances Stead and Russel Hall, he was retired last year with the greatest intentions and its a crying shame that this little legend won’t get the retirement he deserves. He is being cremated and the ashes will be spread in Lucy and Shaun's orchard. RIP buddy”
