Ringwood Cockatoo, Bettina Hoy’s 2004 Athens Olympic Games partner, retired from competition on Oct. 11 at the Boekelo CCI*** in the Netherlands.

Hoy began competing Ringwood Cockatoo in 2000 and went on to represent Germany at the 2004 Olympic Games, where they finished ninth. They also won the individual bronze medal at the 2007 European Championships in Pratoni, Italy, the team bronze at the 2005 European Championships in Blenheim, England, and the team gold medal at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.            

Ringwood Cockatoo and Hoy were winners at the three-star level 10 times in their career. They also hold claim to two four-star titles, winning at Luhmuhlen (Germany) in 2005 and Pau (France) in 2008. This year, the pair won the dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in April and finished second overall. 

Ringwood Cockatoo’s final trip around the ring with Hoy was met with applause and a few tears as they rode to J.P Fair’s “Thank You For Being A Friend,” a song written specially for the occasion.