THERE was widespread shock and sadness in the Irish equestrian world and internationally when Cameron Hanley's top horse, the brilliant Antello Z, had to be euthanised after sustaining an injury while competing at the inaugural Liverpool International Horse Show earlier today.

The 13-year-old gelding (Animo II Z x Continue), who only recently won at five-star Stuttgart with his Mayo rider, was competing in a 1.45m two-phase competition today in Liverpool's Echo Arena. The horse sustained the injury after very uncharacteristically crashed through an oxer and it's not clear yet exactly what happened.

Cameron fell but was thankfully uninjured. The loose horse stopped at the exit to the arena and initially, it was hoped that a visible leg injury may not be too severe. Immediate veterinary attention was on hand to help but sadly, the awful decision had to be taken to euthanise Antello on humane grounds when the extent of the injury became fully known.

Just after 5.30pm this evening, a heartbroken Cameron released this statement on social media: "It's with unbelievable sadness I let you know that my partner Antello had to be put down today due to an injury sustained in the ring, he was such a fighter and he never quit, I had some of my best days in the ring with him, he brought me and those of us who were lucky enough to work with him so much happiness, he will always be in my heart, I loved him so much. R.I.P my friend."

Friends, relatives and fans were quick to react on Cameron's Facebook page expressing words of comfort and regret at such a loss, coming on the first day of the new year.

Liverpool Show organiser Nina Barbour said: “We offer our heartfelt and sincere condolences to Cameron, his support team, the Hanley family and all connections of a truly wonderful horse.”

Antello was a large part of life for the whole Hanley family and their team who all deeply loved their star horse who played a huge role in getting Cameron back to the top of international show jumping after the rider suffered a knee injury himself.

Antello was the last horse Cameron sat on before he suffered a freak knee accident while playing with his children in 2011 and when, after 17 operations to fix his leg, Cameron finally got back into the saddle, it was fittingly with Antello that he scored his first big comeback victory in 2013, winning the DKB Riders Tour Grand Prix in Wiesbaden, Germany.

That same year, Cameron and Antello Z helped Ireland win the Nations Cup and the Reach for the Sun competition at Spruce Meadows in what was a remarkable international comeback for the top Irish rider.

In 2014 Cameron was named the Irish Field Senior Show jumper of the Year and was also Leading Rider at the Dublin Horse Show. He competed Antello at the World Equestrian Games in Normandy for Team Ireland.

The two were briefly separated when Antello Z's previous owners, Eleonore Paschoud and Yves Bouvier, ended their partnership with Hanley's yard at the beginning of last year but happily the gelding returned to Cameron's official ownership later and they once more continued their winning ways on the top circuit.

NATIONS CUP CAMPAIGNER

With Hanley, Antello Z was regularly included by Irish chef d'equipe Robert Splaine as one of his key reliable combinations on Nations Cup teams for Ireland including past Aga Khan teams at the RDS (2013).

The pair were also part of the Irish squad that earned the bronze medal of global team show jumping in the Nations Cup final in Barcelona in 2013.

As our file photographs show, Cameron and Antello Z's very special partnership also resulted in major individual wins at the highest level of the show jumping circuit including:

Wiesbaden

Calgary

Chantilly

Millstreet

Donaueschingen

Stuttgart

Longines Global Champions Tour Airbus Group Master.

The combination's second and third placings are simply too numerous to list.

Today's loss starkly illustrates the highs and lows of show jumping but Antello Z will always be remembered by the Hanleys and his legion of fans as a wonderful, special horse who achieved great heights in a glittering career.

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