Watch the full video of William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning at Chatsworth International 2016 here
The first stallion to win Badminton Horse Trials, Chilli Morning, has died suddenly in his field at home
During his 10-year eventing career, the Phantomic-sired stallion amassed 1,716 BE points, seven international wins and 49 top ten placings.
Owned by Christopher and Lisa Stone, Chill Morning started his British Eventing career under Nick Gauntlett in 2006, taking him to five-star level before William Fox-Pitt took over the reins in 2012.
William and Chilli Morning collected the individual bronze medal at the 2014 World Equestrian Games and helped Britain win team silver. In 2015, William rode him into the record books, as he became the first stallion to win Badminton Horse Trials and the pair represented Britain at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. They finished in 12th place, having led after the dressage phase, and just 10 months after William suffered a severe head injury in a fall from a young horse
Chilli Morning was retired to stud after Rio 2016 and many of his progeny are now making moves in their own eventing careers
“Lisa and I are very sad to say that Chilli Morning has passed away” said Chris Stone on Twitter “He had been hacking as normal yesterday and was in his turnout paddock this morning when he collapsed. He died instantly. He leaves us with the best memories”
“Chilli was a truly fantastic horse. How lucky was I to have ridden him for five years? As the first ever stallion to win Badminton he will never be forgotten, and he really deserves his place in the history books. What a life he has had and just how much he gave me and everyone here at Fox-Pitt Eventing" says William Fox-Pitt on his Facebook page
“Thank goodness he was a stallion and we have therefore got his progeny to follow. Chris and Lisa Stone have even got three Chilli clones, so watch this space. Also, I have got a foal arriving next year by him so it will be lovely to have the memory continued”
