Four star event horse Ballincoola yesterday suffered a heart attack while warming up to show jump at a BSJA competition near Bury St Edmunds.

During his career the 16-year-old gelding had amassed 1637 British Eventing points, completed 15 three day events, five of which were long format and nine of which were at four star level.

Mr Consistency

Known at home as Max, his best result on paper was winning the Land Rover Burghley title in 2005 but he was Mr Consistency, finishing 11th in 2004, sixth in 2006, fifth in 2007 and second in 2008, his final run with William Fox-Pitt. As planned, Max then returned to the Payne family for Michael’s sons to gain experience on. William said at the time, “It was partly my idea for Fergus to take the ride, although a part of me thinks I might regret it now – but if Fergus was my son or grandson I’d want him to have a horse like Ballincoola.”

Max won at his first three day attempt for owners Judy Skinner and Michael Payne, at Burgie CCI**. Whilst it was Michael’s first foray into owning an event horse, for Judy it was something of a turning point. “I can’t remember how many horses I had been involved with over many years, but for whatever reason they all fell by the wayside. Max was the first to get to the top – in 2002 just completing the two star at Burgie would have been a good result. He restored my faith in why I own event horses.”

The year after his Burgie win Max was runner up at Bramham CCI***, then in 2004 he completed on his dressage score at the Rolex Kentucky CCI****, finishing in fourth place. He started at Badminton three times: in 2005 when third after the dressage phase he was retired on the Steeplechase after suffering a heart fibrulation. He was subsequently checked regularly after cross country runs. The following year he placed ninth and in 2008 he finished third. Max only ever picked up one refusal across country at four star level, at Burghley in 2004. “I got it wrong at a fence and he quite rightly chose to save my skin,” William Fox-Pitt said.

Share and share alike

Found by William at Andrew Hazeltine’s yard in 2002 as a potential purchase for Judy, at the time she was thinking sharing might be a better option. “I mentioned it to Michael (Judy’s son-in-law) purely in passing, and he said, ‘what about me?’ Delighted as I was, I said he had to clear it with my daughter first! Regardless of Max’s results, our shared ownership has given me a very special bond with my son-in-law which I feel priviliged to have.”
Michael has similar feelings. “I just look at what Max has done for my family. It’s been a joy both to witness his great results and watch Fergus complete both his first two and three star competitions. Unfortunately Hector (Michael’s second son), who had just taken on the ride, never got to benefit from Max’s experience.

“When Max won the British Eventing Horse of the Year (for winning the most BE points that season) in 2008 I was so proud – he so deserved the recognition.”

Horse of a lifetime

“He was my horse of a lifetime,” Judy said. “My only sadness is that despite being reserve three times he never made the British team and therefore perhaps hasn’t had the credit he deserved.”

Max has been buried on the Payne family farm.