Team Switzerland lost two of its main stars last year. Clooney, the reigning European champion ridden by Martin Fuchs, fell out just before the European Championships with a serious injury and Bianca, Steve Guerdat's top mare, died a few months ago. "That is of course a bitter pill to swallow. Bianca was so much more to me than a horse," Guerdat says with tears in his eyes. "Losing her was very difficult for me. It is like losing a loved one: it leaves a void that can never be filled. So I want to dedicate this medal to her. I hope she is watching from above and that I have made her proud".