Jan Byyny’s longtime eventing partner, Task Force, was humanely destroyed on Saturday, March 22, at the Southern Pines Horse Trials cross-country warm-up in Raeford, N.C.
“Jedi” fell while attempting a small coop in the warm-up for the intermediate division at Southern Pines. He suffered a catastrophic hind leg injury.
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The 16-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, owned by J.C. Chester, had contested many international competitions with Byyny, of Purcellville, Va., including competing as an individual on the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. The pair won the 2006 Jersey Fresh CCI*** (N.J.), finished fourth at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** in 2005 and finished as the highest-placed U.S. combination at the 2005 World Cup Final in Malmo, Sweden.
“I was lucky enough to ride Jedi for the last eight years and could not have asked for a better partner, friend and companion,” said Byyny in a statement. “He had many moms and many Jedi moments, but has been a fantastic horse. I will miss him tremendously. Thank you to the Southern Pines crew for taking such great care of us.”