Earlier this month, Callan Solem announced the retirement of her long-time partner VDL Wizard (Gentleman x Ahorn). With the 17-year-old KWPN gelding, Solem competed at the 2016 Longines FEI World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, where the pair finished 7th overall. In 2015, Solem and VDL Wizard finished second in the CSI4* Longines FEI World Cup in Washington as well as third in the $1,000,000 Grand Prix in Ocala while the following year they were second in the CSI4* Longines FEI World Cup in Lexington. The two were also part of numerous Nations Cup teams for the US, winning the CSIO4* Nations Cup in Coapexpan, Mexico in 2015 and were on the US short list for the 2016 Olympic Games.

With this photo special, we wish VDL Wizard a happy retirement. 

All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.