The Billy Stud’s Billy Buckingham (Billy Congo x Clover Hill) has passed away, at the age of 12. 

“It is with great sadness that we have to announce that our homebred Billy Buckingham sustained a life-ending fracture to his fetlock joint yesterday,” reads a statement from The Billy Stud. “He was in super form after returning from a successful trip to the Sunshine Tour and was enjoying a few easy weeks before working towards what we hoped might be another attempt at the Hickstead Derby. We are all devastated to lose a horse we have watched develop from a foal bred by Donal Barnwell to the star he became.”

With William Funnell in the saddle, Billy Buckingham represented Great Britain at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018. The pair also jumped on numerous Nations Cup teams for Great Britain, and won the Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby in 2018. Recently, William’s wife Pippa competed the chestnut gelding. 

“He was an enormous horse with a character to match and will leave a giant hole in our team & hearts,” concludes The Billy Stud’s statement.