The 2011 Saddleworld Dressage Festival started off with some very sad news.
On Thursday morning at Werribee Park, popular Dressage rider Blas Lago lost his horse Northern Hector to a sudden heart failure.
Chestnut gelding Northern Hector was born in 1995, he was by Northern Hermes out of Northern Fandango, bred by Northern Warmblood Stud.
He was competed by his owner Blas all his life, starting out in preliminary in 1998. He has been campaigned in Grand Prix since 2005 with over 40 Grand Prix tests with top ten placings to his credit.
Northern Hector completed 33 Grand Prix CDI-Ws and CDI3* tests (GP and Freestyles) since 2007.
He was well known for his expressive passage and piaffe. The Holsteiner gelding always had a reputation as a true workman in the arena and together with Blas they were one of the most popular duos on the Dressage scene.