OLYMPIC event rider Sam Watson has paid a touching tribute to his first championship horse Horseware Bushman who passed away last week at the age of 26.

The Puissance gelding, who was bred by his parents, John and Julia Watson, took Watson from his first young rider championships all the way to five-star and even led him to his wife, Hannah ‘Sparkles’ Watson. Sam competed the big bay throughout his entire eventing career, from his first event at Ballindenisk in March 2003 to his last, also at Ballindenisk, in 2017.