Big Ben (horse)

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Big Ben
Breed Belgian Warmblood cross Thoroughbred
Sire Etretat
Grandsire Vagabond
Dam Oekie
Damsire Flevo
Sex Gelding
Foaled 1976
Country Belgium
Colour Liver Chestnut with a blaze and socks on both hind legs
Breeder Jacobus van Hooydonk
Owner Ian Millar
Earnings $1.5 million +

Big Ben (April 20, 1976 – December 11, 1999) was a world champion show jumping horse.

First named "Winston", Big Ben was born at "van Hooydonk Farm" in Kalmthout (northern Belgium). Although his dam was only 15 hh, Big Ben grew to be a very large horse of 17.3 hands high (1.80 m). Because of his height, he was named Winston after Winston Churchill, who had died 13 years previously but had been one of the most important and influential political leaders of the twentieth century. In 1983, he was sold to a farm in the Netherlands for only $2000, and renamed "Big Ben." A few weeks later, he was purchased by equestrian rider Ian Millar for $45,000, and brought to Millar Brooke Farm in Perth, Ontario, Canada.

In 1984, the horse began competing in show jumping events in what would become a long and successful career. With Millar on board, Big Ben won more than 40 Grand Prix titles including six Spruce Meadows Derbys, as well as taking the world cup show jumping championship two years in a row. His first World Cup Final came at Gothenburg, Sweden in 1988 followed by another the next year in Tampa, Florida. As well, in 1989 he won the Grand Prix of Bordeaux, France and the Grand Prix of Stuttgart, Germany, earning the number one ranking in the world for Millar.

Big Ben also won the du Maurier International twice which at the time was the world's richest grand prix event. After 11 years of competing around the world, in 1994 Big Ben retired to the farm in Perth, Ontario at the age of 18. He was inducted in the Ontario Sports Legends Hall of Fame and joined the great thoroughbred racing horse, Northern Dancer as the only other horse to ever be inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 1999, Canada Post honored the horse with his image placed on a stamp. His story was told in the book titled "Big Ben" by author, Lawrence Scanlan.

Big Ben survived two colic attacks, as well as a terrible trailer accident in 1992, where 2 horses died, one was so injured it was forever unrideable, and another would never enter a trailer again. Big Ben won a Grand Prix only 2 months later.

A national icon, Big Ben was 23 years old when he was euthanized at Millar Brooke Farm on December 11, 1999 after two veterinarians said nothing could be done to ease the suffering caused by a third case of colic. He was buried on a knoll overlooking the farm. In 2000, Big Ben's personal groom, Sandi Hill, wrote a touching tribute to Big Ben in the book titled "An Apple a Day: A Heartwarming Collection of True Horse Stories" edited by Kimberly Gatto.

Big Ben's grave site at Millar Brooke Farm
Big Ben's grave site at Millar Brooke Farm

In 2005, the Perth and District Chamber of Commerce erected an arresting bronze statue of Big Ben with Ian Millar riding in a picturesque park setting along the banks of the Tay River in beautiful downtown Perth, Ontario not far from Big Ben's final resting place.

Big Ben has been forever immortalized as a Breyer model.

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