Canaris, a successful advanced-level event horse, died on May 26. He was 25.

Owner and rider Jim Wolf imported the Dutch Warmblood as a 5-year-old in November of 1989 to begin his eventing career. The pair established an enduring partnership from the very beginning.

At 17.2 hands, Canaris was once considered “bigger than a horse needs to be,” by Bruce Davidson, but his cat-like quickness in the combinations, tremendous scope, and big heart enabled him to excel at the highest levels of the sport.

Canaris distinguished himself early in his career, winning a preliminary division at Ledyard (Mass.) in 1992 as one of only eight clear rounds on cross-country out of 27 competitors. He went on to become the USCTA Area I Intermediate Horse of the Year in 1993.

At the advanced level, Canaris garnered  ribbons at the Millbrook Horse Trials (N.Y.), the Morven Park Horse Trials (Va.), the Pine Top Farm Horse Trials (Ga.), the Fair Hill International Horse Trials (Md.), and the Kentucky Horse Trials.

Although Canaris wasn’t the fastest horse at the long-format events, he did complete the Fair Hill International CCI*** and the Rolex Kentucky CCI*** for several years with only one rail in stadium and one glance-off cross-country.

Canaris retired in 1998 and remained with Wolf at his farm in New Hampshire and later in Aiken, S.C., to complete a 20-year partnership.