At the age of 17, Katie Dinan’s Dougie Douglas (Ard VDL Douglas x High Roller) has been retired from the sport – and last week the Irish bred gelding was thanked off with a retirement party at Dinan’s stable. 

Dougie Douglas has had a long and successful career; first with Holly Smith, and then with Dinan – who took over the reins in 2015. With Smith in the saddle, Dougie Douglas had his international breakthrough when he jumped double clear for the winning British Nations Cup team in Odense in 2014 and then went on to win the CSIO3* Grand Prix at the same event. The year after, the pair was on the winning British Nations Cup team in Rome and took the top honours in the CSI4* Bunn Leisure Derby Trial at Hickstead. 

Dougie Douglas’ success continued with Dinan, who has had numerous top-three finishes with the gelding. On their record is a victory in the CSI3* 1.50m Pennsylvania National "Big Jump" at Harrisburg, second-place finishes in the CSI4*-W 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Washington, the CSI4* 1.60m Grand Prix Axeria-SFAM in Valence, the CSI3* 1.55m Empire State Grand Prix at Old Salem Farm, as well as third-place finishes in the CSI3*-W Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Live Oak, the CSI4*-W Lexington 1.55m, the CSI3*-W 1.60m SOVARO® Longines FEI World Cup™ Qualifier at the Palm Beach Masters, the CSI5* 1.55m Championat of St. Moritz and the CSI3* 1.50-1.60m Traverse City Tournament of Champions Grand Prix.

“I am so grateful for Dougie and the over 6 years we competed together,” Katie Dinan said to World of Showjumping. “Dougie gave 100% all the time and was always a fighter. He was an incredibly reliable competitor and such a personality in the stable. I have fond memories of us competing all over the world — he could shine in any venue, whether a big grass field or small indoor — and also just galloping through the trails in North Salem. I will miss showing together but am so fortunate we can retire him at our farm with his old pal NuNu (Nougat du Vallet).”

“I think he is a horse that made two girls’ dreams come true,” Holly Smith said. “The best friend we could ever have had. A heart of gold. The most respectful and honest animal I have ever had the privilege of meeting. The most handsome horse I have ever seen, but his heart and his brain are even more special.”

At World of Showjumping, we wish Dougie Douglas a happy retirement!