Dalton, GA. USA. Friday, May 25, 2012
Michael Pollard's team of international event horses was involved in a road traffic accident just five miles from his training center in Dalton, Georgia this morning when their trailer turned over trapping all six horses on board. Five horses were cut free and survived with lacerations but tragically Michael's new stallion VDL Ulando H died at the scene. No-one was injured in the accident which was caused by the driver of another vehicle pulling out in front of them without seeing the trailer. Icarus, Schoensgreen Hanni, Jude's Law, Raphael and Little Star sustained minor lacerations. They are all at home and in a comfortable condition. Michael was not at home at the time. The horses were being driven by his groom, and according to police at the scene, there was nothing that could have been done to avoid the oncoming vehicle.
Even though this is his fifth time winning the CCI5*-L in Kentucky and the 12th five-star win of his career, Michael Jung still thinks luck plays a factor in every competition.
Phillip Dutton couldn’t refrain from laughing as William Coleman described the start of his partnership with the now 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Off The Record (VDL Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay).
It was a somewhat uneventful morning in the final horse inspection for both the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S and Defender Kentucky CCI5*-L, which is always a great testament to the exemplary horse care that these top athletes receive and the horsemanship exhibited by their riders.
And just like that, it's the final day of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event and it's a full one in terms of the schedule. Before moving on to the final phase, competitors in both the CCI4*-S and CCI5*-L divisions will have to undergo the final horse inspection at High Hope Lane which will kick off with four-star competitors at 8 a.m. EST and be followed immediately by the five-star contingency.