United States Eventing Association

The US Eventing Association would like to extend their sincerest condolences to Mike Winter, King Pin Syndicate, and the rest of their eventing team on the loss of the talented four-star eventer King Pin.

Sadly, Kingpin suffered a fall during the cross-country phase at last weekend's Rolex Kentucky CCI4*. Winter was uninjured, and veterinary and medical personnel were in attendance at the time of the fall.

Upon receiving news of the necropsy results, Equine Canada has just released the official cause of death.

“King Pin suffered a hemorrhage of the large vessels in the abdomen unrelated to any jumping effort or trauma,” said Dr. Christiana Ober, the Canadian Eventing Team veterinarian. “This is a very rare condition and the actual cause is unknown.”

Winter’s partnership with the talented 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse has led to many international triumphs, including helping the Canadian Eventing Team win the silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, BRA, where they also finished in eighth place individually.

Winter, a native of Montreal, QC, but who now resides in Newnan, GA, and King Pin also finished in 12th at the 2008 edition of Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. With King Pin, Winter was a member of the ninth place Canadian Eventing Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Kingpin was a talented event horse, and will surely be missed by all his fans.