Totilas is dead at the age of 20… thinking about the black stallion, I’m reminded of the Dickens quote about the best and worst of times, since truly Totilas summed up everything that is great about dressage – and everything that is dire!

First the good times, and I will never forget that balmy night in August 2009 in the Royal Windsor Park and the freestyle performed by Totilas and Edward Gal,

it was simply brilliant. Okay when the magic of the evening wore off, you could see the weaknesses, the failure to really trot up behind in the extensions in particular, but dear me, I don’t think I have ever seen better canter pirouettes, and the horse seemed so relaxed about his work.

At the end of a test, Edward could simply drop the rein, the stallion quietly looking at the adoring fans, and they would leave the arena, walking along, on the buckle…

Waiting for the winning score in Lexington

The next year, Toto starred at the WEG in Lexington, but all the European horses at that show were a little below par, perhaps the result of the long trip to Kentucky. Before the year was out Totilas was sold to Paul Schockemöhle, reputedly for €11,200,000 who then sold the riding rights to Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff, and the ride went to her stepson, Matthias Alexander Rath.

Sjeff Janssen and Edward Gal watching Matthias and Totilas at the 2011 Euros

The pair produced some okay tests with Klaus Balkenhol training them, but when they moved to the stables of Sjef Janssen in 2012 it all started to get ugly, very ugly.

The 2015 Euros in Aachen

The horse spent quite a lot of time out injured, but the saddest moment of all was his final test in 2015 at the European Championships in Aachen. He had been lucky to get through the trot up, and we were all waiting with bated breath to see what would happen in the Grand Prix…

This is what I wrote then: Time for Toto. My colleague (full-time equestrian journalist on a leading German magazine) dashes up to take her place. She has been watching the warm up… And? When he is tense he is alright, but the minute he relaxes, he looks lame. And he looks lame as he trots out of the halt, there are whistles and catcalls from the crowd. The movement-by-movement marks chose this moment to disappear. Odd that. There is a mistake going into the ones, and the canter pirouette – once the black stallion’s party piece – looks grumpy and put upon. More lame trot across the diagonal, and that’s it. His final test?

The incident also showed up how appalling top level dressage judging can be, again this is from my Aachen report:

Five judges have him low, German! Katrina Wüst, 72.9. and 20^th; Sweden’s Annette Fransén-Iacob, 74.6, 13^th; Eddy de Wolff van Westerrode, 73.2, 10^th; France’s Jean-Micheal Roudier, 71.6, 21^st – one judge thinks it is worth a 79.3 (Anne Gribbons – her 3^rd highest) and ye gods, two think it is worth 80!!! Denmark’s Susanne Baarup, 80.1 and 4^th and Britain’s Andrew Gardner, 80.1 and 4^th. They end up on 79.8 and most people I meet afterwards, even the Germans, think this is not good for dressage. As Bob Dylan once put it Money doesn’t talk it swears, obscenity who really cares, propaganda all is phony… Next morning we see that Ms Barrup has been appointed to the Jury at Rio, this comes a week after she was one of the jury that infamously awarded Andreas Helgstrand a silver medal at the World Young Horse. Exactly what message is the FEI dressage committee sending?

And yes, it was his last ever test, the stallion was withdrawn from the Special and sent to a clinic where it was proven that he had periostitis of the left hind foot.

Governor, by Totilas out of Parzival’s full sister

Everything about the stallion’s time in Germany was gross, including the range of tasteless yellow Toto merchandise (I wonder where that all ended up?) His stud fee was bumped up to a ridiculous €8,000, something an extraordinary number of mare owners were prepared to fork out. When they saw the result, the fee became more modest – in 2020 it is €2,800.

Which is not to say he didn’t produce some stunning offspring with the right mare. He also produced more than his share of little mediocre ponies. I was at the 2014 KWPN stallion show when everyone, including the then head of the dressage commission, Wim Ermes thought the champion colt would be Governor – by Totilas out of Parzival’s full sister, but the elegant black colt was a bit flat in the championship ring and the prize went to Glamourdale (Lord Leatherdale / Negro).

Monte Cristo a Totilas son

And at this year’s licensing, there were some really beautiful Totili on show, including this one, Monte Cristo out of a Ferro / Krack C mare.

My wish is that long after we forget the awful things that happened to the horse, Totilas’ legacy will live on through his offspring, and in the memory of those brilliant performances with Edward. I hope so.

Totilas Memories

Back in 2008, Edward and Totilas competing at Aachen at Prix St George level. There was lots of talk about the new young Dutch star for Edward. Stands were full of people wanting to see the combination.

Next, at the Euros at Windsor, part of the Dutch team. About to enter the arena. The British announcer had never heard of the horse obviously and announced him as Totil-ars, much to the amusement of the crowd. He was soon corrected…

Next stop Kentucky for the 2010 WEG – out onto the arena…

And the Kür under the lights, what atmosphere

And honoured as KWPN Horse of the Year in 2010