Ireland's Shane Breen has celebrated the official retirement of his 18-year-old stallion, Golden Hawk (Vigo d'Arsouilles, breeder: Tom De Craene), this week with a ceremony at the Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby meeting.
Born as Figo de Muze at Belgium's Tom De Craene (known from his breeding stables Den Bisschop), the stallion moved as a six-year-old to the stables of Shane Breen.
The pair won the 2018 CSI4* Grand Prix in Liverpool as well as secured victories in Hicksteead, London, Oslo, Valence, Villamoura, etc.
On his official Facebook page, Breen paid tribute to the stallion:
"An emotional day as we retire the great Golden Hawk at The All England Jumping Course, Hickstead.
Golden Hawk joined the Breen Team at 6-years-old and under the careful education of Shane and his team, he proved himself early on in his career and then went on to be a consistent performer on the world stage to become the iconic showjumping stallion we all know today.
He’s been an essential part to not only Shane’s career, but also the Irish team, making numerous appearances including jumping double clear in the 5* Nations Cups in La Baule to help Ireland onto the podium for 3rd as well as helping the team to 3rd in the 5* Nations Cup in Rome in 2016. He finished 5th individually with Shane in the FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona in the same year. He’s jumped one of the few clear rounds in the Hickstead Derby in 2019 where he came 3rd and finished 2nd in the Hickstead Derby in 2022 behind stablemate, Can Ya Makan.
Golden Hawk was no stranger to the winner’s circle, winning numerous classes and Grand Prixs, including the 4* Grand Prix in Liverpool in 2018, the 4* Bunn Leisure Trial at Hickstead in 2019 as well as topping the podium in the 5* Table A at London Olympia in 2018 and the 5* Table A at Oslo in the same year. He was also on the podium at Dublin in the 5* Longines International Grand Prix of Ireland in 2016 where he came 2nd.
Golden Hawk has truly become a staple of the Breen Team and although we will miss him in the ring, we look forward to seeing his legacy pass on in his progeny who are already following in his footsteps and jumping consistently at the 5* level.
Thank you Golden Hawk!"