Sadly, two more Pollard Eventing’s horses have died as the result of a tragic trailer accident on May 25th.
Michael and Nathalie Pollard’s 14-year-old grey Thoroughbred gelding Icarus (Fly), was euthanized on Saturday, May 26th, and Michael Pollard and John Bryant’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Jude’s Law (Jude), was also destroyed on Sunday May 27th, both at Rood & Riddle Veterinary Clinic in Lexington, KY.
Icarus sustained serious injuries in the accident, resulting in a severed ligament and deep lacerations surrounding his right hind fetlock joint. Following intensive treatment at the Pollard Eventing Training Center in Dalton, GA, Icarus was shipped to Rood & Riddle for surgery. Despite every effort by Dr. Chris Newton and his team the extent of injuries presented no other option but to save the horse from further pain.
Icarus came to the team as a Preliminary horse and successfully ascended to Advanced with Nathalie Pollard. Michael Pollard took on the ride in 2009. Some of his many notable achievements include winning the 2009 Jersey Fresh CCI 3*, the Zeppa International Trophy as well a 19th place finish at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, and a Land Rover High Performance Grant to compete at 2011 Burghley. Fly competed at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event just last month.
Jude’s Law sustained fatal injuries, which manifested Sunday morning and he was rushed from the Pollard Eventing Training Center in Dalton, GA to the Lexington clinic. The veterinary team led by Dr. Chris Newton admitted Jude immediately for surgery where he was diagnosed with a ruptured secum.
Jude joined the Pollard Eventing Team in July 2011. He competed Advanced with his previous rider, Beth Temkin, including Rebecca Farm CIC 3*, under the ownership of Hilary Bates who rode him at Training Level. With Michael Pollard, he was runner up at the Richland Park CIC 2* in 2011. This season he won the Pine Top Spring Advanced Horse Trials and the Southern Pines Advanced Horse Trials before going to Jersey Fresh earlier this month to finish runner up in the CCI3*. He was one of 20 horses still in contention for the 2012 Olympic Games and was the third ranked USEA horse through the first half of the year.
The accident occurred just five miles from the Pollard Eventing Training Center in Dalton, Georgia, on Friday morning when their trailer turned over trapping all six horses on board, when the driver of another vehicle pulled out in front of them without seeing the trailer. Five of the horses made it out alive and were cut free. VDL Ulando H died at the scene. The remaining horses include Schoensgreen Hanni, Raphael and Little Star, who sustained minor lacerations.
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