Mistral Hojris–“Alf”–To Say Farewell at London Olympia in December
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19 November 2013
Mistral Hojris that Laura Tomlinson rode to Olympic and European Championship team gold medals will officially retire at London Olympia on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
The iconic Christmas show will pay tribute to “Alf,” as the bright chestnut Danish Warmblood gelding is called by Laura, at a farewell ceremony on Tuesday night.
Mistral Hojris (Michellino x Ibsen), now 18 years old, was first competed by Laura as a Young Rider in 2005 and moved to Grand Prix in 2007.
Since then, the pair competed at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, the 2010 World Equestrian Games and three European Championships.
Laura and Alf helped define modern British dressage.
The pair began an international dressage career in 2005 at the European Championships for Juniors and Young Riders where they won team silver and individual bronze medals.
Perhaps the most notable achievements were team silver and individual bronze medals at the 2009 European Championships in Windsor, England; three silver medals at the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky; team gold and individual bronze at the 2011 FEI European Championships in Rotterdam and team gold and individual bronze at the London Olympics.
On the horse she owns with her parents, Wilfried and Ursula, Laura said: “Alf has given me and my family so much joy over the years, especially on the four occasions that we’ve competed together at Olympia, and in my eyes he’s more than earned his retirement.”
Alf’s retirement at Olympia, The London International Horse Show will mark the end of a highly successful eight year partnership which captured the hearts of dressage supporters worldwide and taken British dressage to a new level.
