When Tragedy Opens
New Doors By Amber Heintzberger
international-caliber event rider, had just given birth to their fourth child in January. Michael was a strong contender for the Olympic team, with several first-class horses.
E
Tragedy Strikes On May 25, just miles from the Pollards’ training stables in
northwestern Georgia, a groom was hauling six of their horses when another vehicle cut her off, resulting in the truck and trailer flipping over. All six horses were trapped in the trailer after the accident and had to be cut out of the vehicle. Five were rescued. The sixth, Canadian Warmblood stallion VDL Ulando H (by the Holsteiner stallion Corlando out of Dutch Warmblood mare Fanieta), died at the scene. Olympic prospects Icarus, a 14-year-old U.S.-bred
Thoroughbred gelding (Boundlessly—Suzan’s Silver) and Jude’s Law, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Coever’s Diamond Boy—Coolreagh Lady), were euthanized later at Rood and Riddle Veterinary Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky after every attempt was made to save them. The other three horses, 2011 Pan-American team gold winner Schoensgreen Hanni, Raphael (owned by Carl Bouckaert) and a broodmare named Little Star, were treated for injuries and recovered from the incident. “Hanni” and Raphael were able to return to upper level competition. The Pollards grieved for their horses and then, making the best of a nightmare situation, began the process of putting their lives and eventing careers back together.
Rebuilding the Team They were able to form a syndicate to purchase Ballingowan
Pizazz from Michael’s Pan-American Games teammate Shannon Lilley, a first step in rebuilding their business, and a light in the darkness following the accident. (See article entitled, “Sport Horse Syndications Popular with Eventers” on page 90.) Along with Ballingowan Pizazz, Schoensgreen Hanni tops the list of Michael’s current competition horses. The
Michael and Nathalie Pollard rebuild after a heartbreaking trailer accident.
verything seemed possible for Michael Pollard in the spring of 2012. He had been a member of the Gold medal winning U.S. team at the 2011 Pan- American Games, and wife Nathalie, herself an
9-year-old German-bred mare owned by Nathalie has come back from the accident to compete at the three-star level. They had a scare when veterinarians discovered an irregular heartbeat in the mare before the Fair Hill CCI*** in October, but with treatment for atrial fibrillation she was able to return to training quickly. She finished third overall at the Galway Downs CCI*** in California the first weekend in November, with Michael in the irons.
Michael Pollard and Icarus at the 2012 Rolex Kentucky. Icarus unfortunately did not survive the trailer accident.
Warmbloods Today 19
Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
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