Paul Tapner has shared the sad news that his big grey horse Kilronan was put to sleep on Friday
“His health and soundness had rapidly deteriorated over the winter months from a condition affecting his spine and central nervous system” says Paul on the Tapner Eventing Facebook page
The 16 year old grey Irish Sport Horse by Ghareeb was bought by Paul’s long time owners Captain Fred and Penny Barker for Paul to campaign in 2009. He went on to represent Australia at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy in 2014, finishing 14th individually and had a good career 4* career with three Badminton and two Burghley completions.
He seemed to love the course at Hopetoun, winning the CIC3* there for two years in a row in 2012 and 2013; in 2016 Paul retired Kilronan from 4* competition and focused on the CIC3* series of the Event Riders Masters, finishing third in the Series, partly thanks to Kilronan’s top ten placings at Blair Castle and Barbury.
“He was a highly sensitive soul in the stables whose full trust he only ever gave to his long serving grooms Rowan Collins and Georgina Tapner, giving them both much joy and pride to care for him. His sensitive nature completely vanished when he launched out of a XC start box, transforming into an exceptionally talented and brave XC horse, with an ability to make it all seem easy and effortless during his partnership with Paul”
RIP Kilronan
Watch Kilronan and Paul on cross country at Chatsworth International Horse Trials 2016 where they placed eighth in the CIC3*
