Very sadly, Yuri Mansur’s 2024 Olympic mount Miss Blue Saint-Blue Farm (Chacco-Blue x VDL Zirocco Blue) has passed away. According to an announcement from the Brazilian Equestrian Federation, the mare suffered from complications following a colic.

With Mansur in the saddle, the 12-year-old mare has had huge success. This year, the two won the CSIO5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix of Rome, as well as the CSI5* 1.60m GL Events Grand Prix of Fontainebleau, and they placed third in the CSI5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Last year, they topped the CSI5* 1.60m Longines Grand Prix of Hamburg and represented Brazil at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In 2023, the pair had their breakthrough on the international scene with their victory in the CSIO5* 1.60m Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe at CHIO Aachen.

“I’m writing to say goodbye, to pay tribute, and above all, to express my gratitude to an individual, a phenomenon, an angel named Miss Blue,” Yuri Mansur wrote on social media. “I’ll never forget a single moment, every part of this story. From the very beginning—watching a video during the Tokyo Olympic Games, her first jump—and of course, all the great victories that followed. She’s barely gone and I already miss her grumpiness in the stall, her enthusiasm for work, and her sheer brilliance over the jumps. As with every great achievement, it always takes time for the reality to sink in. I still can’t believe I won’t see her again—that I’ll never again spend my days by her side. What gives me strength now, what brings me comfort in this moment, is the overwhelming feeling of gratitude—for her, and for God—for giving me, even if just for a short while, the chance to share life with such a special soul. She changed my career, and lit up my family and my team with her talent and brilliance. A flame that burns so bright and so beautifully can never burn for long. Thank you, Miss Blue, for everything. One day, we’ll be together again.”

The Brazilian Equestrian Federation also paid tribute to the mare, and wrote as part of a long statement: “There are memories and longings that will not be erased, because, without a doubt, Miss Blue Saint-Blue Farm was a unique star.”

At World of Showjumping, our thoughts are with all those close to Miss Blue.