THE international dressage world is mourning the loss of the fantastic stallion Totilas, who died this week at the age of 20, following what is understood to be a bout of colic.

By Gribaldi, Totilas was the first ever horse to break the 90% barrier and he set the world alight under The Netherlands’ Edward Gal. They made their international Grand Prix debut in 2009 and two months later won individual gold at the European Championships in Windsor when scoring 90.75%, a new world record, in the Freestyle. Gal and ‘Toto’, as the stallion was known as, broke that record again that year at Olympia, with a score of 92.3% and it held for four years, only to be bettered by the great Valegro and Charlotte Dujardin.2010 also brought amazing results for the pair, including the World Cup champion title and three gold medals at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, USA.

Totilas was then sold to Paul Schockemöhle for breeding and Germany’s Matthias Rath took over in the saddle when his stepmother, Ann-Kathrin Linsenhof, bought the riding rights. The pair missed the 2012 London Olympic Games with Rath was ill with glandular fever and didn’t make it to the 2016 Rio Games after Totilas was diagnosed with periostitis of the coronet band the day after the Grand Prix at the 2015 European Championships.

While the stallion’s record shows an excellent winning streak under Rath, they never managed to reach the same record-breaking scores and heights. Totilas was retired in 2015 and spent his final years at Rath’s Gestüt Schafhof, near Frankfurt, and as a much desired breeding sire.

Edward Gal said: “Goodbye my friend. Heaven has a new star today. But my heart is broken. Rest in peace Totilas. You will always be remembered. Together with you I experienced happiness and even grief. Time passed by and wounds healed. But my love for you lasts for ever. You honoured me with your trust. You were my friend. I will miss you until we meet again.”

Galmay have a mini Totilas with his nine-year-old Glock’s Toto Jr, who he debuted at Grand Prix level in July and won on a score of 79.43%. Toto Jr is from the first crop of Totilas and was sold to Glock, Gal’s sponsors, in 2013 for €100,000.