‘The memories will stay with us for ever’: farewell to Olympic medal-winner after happy retirement

The Olympic, world and European medal-winning stallion Damon Hill has died aged 24, after a happy retirement.

The Donnerhall son, who with Helen Langehanenberg was on the German team that won silver at London 2012, and team European gold a year later, had spent his twilight years with his owner Christian Beck’s family.

“Farewell to a very special horse,” said Christian’s daughter Jil Marielle Becks.

“Sadly, we had to say our final goodbyes to our beloved Damon Hill. Dami has had a fulfilling and successful life, characterised by big moments in the dressage quartet.”

Damon Hill was trained to grand prix level by Ingrid Klimke. When Ingrid was injured in 2005, Damon Hill and Helen won the five-year-old young horse World Championships title.

In 2006, the stallion won the six-year-old title with Ingrid, but the ride went to Helen in 2010.

They became stalwarts of the German team, who also won two individual silver medals at the 2013 European Championships, team gold at that year’s World Cup final and team gold and two individual silvers at the 2014 World Equestrian Games.

They were among the few who could challenge Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro in their heyday, beating them at Aachen in 2014.

“Every time you think with him that things are already perfect, he gets better again,” Helen said after the 2013 World Cup Final.

Their partnership came to an end in 2014, when Christian said Damon Hill would stand at stud. He also competed internationally with Jil.

“Dami was allowed to spend the last years of his life with us, where he could enjoy his well-deserved retirement in the best attention and care,” said Jil. “His expression, his personality, his offspring and the memories he gave us will stay with us for ever.”

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