Retirement Ceremony Held for Scuderia 1918 Halifax van het Kluizebos at Piazza di Siena

By Jumper News on 29 29America/Sao_Paulo May 29America/Sao_Paulo 2023

Rome, Italy – May 27, 2023 – When a great champion leaves competition the emotion is always intense. The minds goes to all the times you applauded him. To the courses experienced with bated breath until the last jump. To the victories.

Scuderia 1918 Halifax van het Kluizebos with his extraordinary career has often been at the centre of it all. Today many of his fans went a bit emotional when he took the stage in ‘his’ Piazza di Siena, in the field where after 24 years he brought the 2018 $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* victory back to Italy.

But the most beautiful words that could be spoken to commemorate this touching moment are those that his rider Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) was unable to read due to emotion, and which he entrusted to a written message:

Dear Halifax,

Entering this very special fiel with you today moves me deep inside!

As I write this letter, a few tears of joy and a lot of good memories inevitably escape.

What emotions you have given me and have given all fans of show jumping in Italy and elsewhere.

Thank you because you are a true champion. You always have been… And I am honoured I’ve been part of your career.

Thank you for having shared with me your exuberance, your desire to win and thank you for having shown everyone that you are the best horse a rider could ever wish to ride.

Thank you for everything! Thank you for giving me everything and more, in every showground in the world.

Thank you for being the perfect teammate.

A special thanks of course to Stephan Conter and Luc Tilleman who entrusted you to me when you were only 8 years old. And thanks to Maria and Emanuele Anchisi who made sure that this very special horse wore the Italian colours.

Now enjoy your well-deserved retirement.

You will always be in my heart

Lorenzo

The chestnut stallion, born in 2007, will be passing on his quality to future generations as part of Scuderia 1918 breeding programme.

Source: Press Release from CSIO di Roma – Piazza di Siena – Master d’Inzeo