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Equine America Billy Diamo

Horse & Hound

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February 25, 2021

William Funnell describes his Olympic shortlisted 18.2hh home-bred as “the best I ever had”. Jennifer Donald finds out more about this loveable gentle giant with a playful streak

- Jennifer Donald

Equine America Billy Diamo

Need to know

EQUINE AMERICA BILLY DIAMO

Age: 11

Breeding: Cevin Z x Andiamo

Rider: William Funnell

Owner/breeder: The Billy Stud

Greatest achievements: represented Great Britain in Nations Cup of Drammen (2020) and St Gallen (2019); third in the 1.60m CSI5* grand prix at Windsor (2019); double clear in the World Cup qualifier at Sharjah (2020); runner-up in the CSI3* grand prix at Abu Dhabi (2020); third in the CSI4* grand prix at Liverpool (2018).

RIDER WILLIAM FUNNELL

“I took over from our Billy Stud rider Lucy Townley at the end of Diamo’s seven-year-old year and he did some nice things as an eight-year-old. Then at nine, he jumped his first five-star Nations Cup at St Gallen and was third in the Rolex grand prix at Windsor. That made a big statement that he was a five-star horse.

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