This morning the Nijhof Stud announced that the legendary stallion Clinton has passed away at the age of 24.

With Dirk Demeersman in the saddle, Clinton finished fourth at the Olympic Games in Athens back in 2004 as also ended second in the prestigious Grand Prix of Aachen in 2005. After an impressive sports career, Clinton retired at the age of 13 after the World Equestrian Games in 2006 and went on to become one of the world’s most well-known sires – dominating the WBFSH stallion rankings again and again. “Fortunately, his rider Dirk Demeersman, who made him world famous, was able to say goodbye to him last week,” it is written on the Nijhof Stud’s Facebook page.

Clinton’s legacy lives on through his offspring that include the equally famous Cornet Obolensky, as well as Eldorado van de Zeshoek and Zacharov.

In a previous interview with World of Showjumping, Demeersman stated that Clinton was the most special horse he had during his career: “I got him as a 5-year-old and after the first fence I jumped with him, a small vertical, I said ‘This one is going to take me to the Olympic Games’ (…) I am happy I got to ride Clinton, it was a dream to ride a horse like him."

Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © Dirk Caremans/Hippo Foto