United States Eventing Association

In Memoriam: Indy 500

Andrea Baxter has announced her five-star horse Indy 500 died this week due to complications from foaling. She was 19.

“Indy” came to Baxter’s family farm, Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California, as a 4-year-old in need of breaking and training. Her owner, Linda Miller, planned to sell her, but Baxter fell in love with the mare’s personality and made a trade to keep her.

The pair competed in the USEA Young Event Horse 4-year-old classes in 2009 before Baxter decided to give Indy some time off to mature. She bred the unraced Thoroughbred (Cromwell x Tensofthousands) to the Holsteiner stallion Linaro and got Laguna Seca, who she would go on to compete the CCI4*-L level.

In 2011, the pair competed in two YEH 5-year-old divisions (a rule at the time allowed for mares who had a foal during their YEH career to compete an extra year). They continued to move up the levels until they reached Advanced in 2012.

They made their five-star debut at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2017 and went on to complete it again in 2018 and 2019. They completed the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials (England) in 2018 and 2019. Their last competition together was the MARS Maryland 5 Star in 2021. The pair spent 10 years at the Advanced level together.

Indy had recently given birth to a foal, Cha Ching 500, but endured complications after his birth.

“You were truly my horse of a lifetime and I’m lost without you. Baby Cha Ching 500 has big shoes to fill. I hope he’s just like you! I never knew I could be so upset but thank you for showing me that too,” wrote Baxter in a Facebook post.

The USEA sends our deepest condolences to Baxter and all of Indy 500's connections.