Farewell to medal-winning star mare and 'best friend', aged 18

Gareth Hughes' championship ride Classic Briolinca has died nearly six months after she retired from sport

- ELEANOR JONES

GARETH HUGHES and his team have paid tribute to their superstar Classic Briolinca, who has died at the age of 18.

The Trento B mare, owned by Julia Hornig and the Hughes family, suffered complications related to colic and could not be saved. She had retired in May.

She and Gareth were on the team that won silver at the 2022 World Championships, and European gold a year later, and achieved wins and top placings across Europe.

“She was an out-and-out princess,” Gareth told H&H. “She was a supermodel, she’d wake up with her mane, forelock and tail all perfect.

“She knew who she was and where her place was in the yard. She was a beautiful face to see every day, and part of the family. It’s been tough.”

Briolinca arrived as a three-year-old; Julia and Rebecca Hughes found her in the Netherlands.

“I knew she was good; she looked like she wanted to be a grand prix horse from when she was a youngster,” Gareth said. “She wasn’t the biggest mover but she found collection so easy. Her highlight was the technical lines; the really hard collected ones.