'Many wonderful memories'

Carl Hester pays tribute to the lives of stable stars Valegro and Uthopia

- Oscar Williams

ANYONE who has horses – or any animals – knows that even when you see the end coming, it doesn’t make it any easier. It’s not only the horses’ owners, riders and grooms who have looked after them, but their vets who all have to come to terms with when the time is right.

Many wonderful memories have already been shared in their tributes, but there are a few stories I’d like to tell in memory of our beloved Blueberry (Valegro) and Uti (Uthopia).

One is a vision of Blueberry in New York’s Central Park, standing in the midst of a crowd, a throng of adoring fans, which was one of the most surreal sights you could ever imagine.

He was one in a million, able to handle fame with ease, always remaining calm and peaceful. There are many remarkable stories too of Blueberry bringing joy to terminally ill children behind the scenes.

Another special memory was when the late Hannah Francis visited. Very ill by then, she arrived at the yard on crutches, thinking she was only going to meet Blueberry. Instead, she rode him – not just at walk, but at trot and canter. We were all reduced to tears as her excitement grew.