Godspeed to a true champion gone way too soon. Now you really have wings.
From McLain’s FB page:
With a very heavy heart I have to share that Sara has passed away this morning due to complications from colic. Our entire Castle Hill family and every person she has touched has lost a great friend. Thank you Sara not just for all the dreams you made come true but simply for being who you were. You always will be my champion in every way. God speed good friend.
McLain
Thoughts and prayers and ((hugs)) and tears for Sapphire’s family ~
[I]OH ! 
Thoughts and prayers and ((hugs)) and prayers for the family Sapphire leaves behind ~
RIP ~ Sapphire ~ knowing you will always be loved and remembered ~[/I]
Just saw this on Facebook and was coming here to see if anyone had posted it yet… Very sad. RIP good mare.
I just saw this on FB this morning. RIP to a wonderful mare and true champion. Thoughts and prayers to all who knew here and were involved in her life and career.
This is just heartbreaking. So sad for Mclain, Lee and not least Goldika.
She and McLain were an amazing team. How sad.
Amazing mare. Godspeed beautiful girl.
P.
I remember watching her retirement ceremony… hate colic as it does not discriminate… the best horses, the best care available… still colic wins too many times.
Condolences to all her connections. She was loved and admired by many.
Imagine the competitions she and Hickstead are having now…
Speechless and beyond sad.
She and Royal Kaliber can fly together. Think of all the horse angels those two could make.
Condolences to all who knew and loved her.
So sorry to hear this. Condolences to McLain and all the horse’s connections. Their partnership was truly breathtaking. It was a privilege and an inspiration to watch them together.
She was an incredible horse. So sorry to hear of her passing.
I was lucky enough to be on a KLM flight as a ‘air groom’ and Sara was one of my ‘passengers’ after Aachen in 2011. Such a sweet mare.
Jump to the Rainbow Bridge Sweet Sara.
She and Brentina are my poster girls for chestnut mares.
I saw her and Hickstead in a jump off at Spruce. The contrast could not have been more different. I forget who won. Didn’t matter. The explosive exaggerated stallion, Hickstead against the calm and rideable mare, Sapphire.
I think, maybe, Saphire won because Hickstead lost a fraction over every fence in the air.
[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;7635408]
I saw her and Hickstead in a jump off at Spruce. The contrast could not have been more different. I forget who won. Didn’t matter. The explosive exaggerated stallion, Hickstead against the calm and rideable mare, Sapphire.
I think, maybe, Saphire won because Hickstead lost a fraction over every fence in the air.[/QUOTE]
You are so brilliant, sixteen hands! One of my Spruce best moments.
(The other being seeing Milton, Jappeloup and Big Ben I the arena together.)
You are so brilliant, sixteen hands! One of my Spruce best moments.
(The other being seeing Milton, Jappeloup and Big Ben I the arena together.)
Hickstead lost it on the first turn, I think. 2/100ths of a second!
Sapphire won the award for best horse in Aachen in 2005 - didn’t have a single fence down all week, until the final jump in the Grand Prix jump off. Truly a horse of a lifetime :sadsmile:
How incredibly sad. My deepest condolences go out to McLain and his team on the loss of this great mare. I was luck enough to see the two of them go in the Harrisburg GP. She was incredible! They were a breathtaking team. I lost my guy to colic in 2007, so I know how it feels. Words just can’t describe it. RIP Sapphire.
