Samantha McIntosh’s starry stallion Check In 2 is fully recovered after a high temperature forced a withdrawal from the Longines FEI Nations Cup competition at St Gallen in Switzerland recently.

The 15-year-old German-bred bay stallion picked up an infection after travelling to St Gallen and McIntosh was devastated to have to pull him from the Nations Cup class, meaning New Zealand couldn’t field a team.

“It was a real bugger,” she said. “He was such a star in Rome (at the CSIO5*), placing in every class. It is just what we are up against when we can only turn up with three team horses. It is always horse first and sport second.”

However, once back at his French base and with a quiet week, McIntosh says he is now completely recovered and ready for his next adventures.

“I will build him up again now and start working towards his next big start at La Coruna in mid-July.” The CSI4* at La Coruna in Spain runs from July 20-22.

Check In 2, who is owned by Takapoto Equestrian, was the star of New Zealand’s Nations Cup victory in Abu Dhabi where he jumped three faultless rounds. He joined McIntosh in late 2015 and the two have formed a solid partnership including many top 10 finishes at CSI5* and 4* level.

Check In 2 was bred by Gilbert Boeckmann and is by Bockmann’s Cordalme Z out of Ilonka (by Lord Pezi).

 

By Diana Dobson – HP Media Liaison
Photos by Libby Law/ESNZ