Rich Fellers’ Rolex FEI World Cup Final winner Flexible died on Aug. 23. He was 25.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of the legend Flexible,” said a post on Flexible’s Facebook page. “He died yesterday peacefully of natural causes in his sunny paddock. He was 25 and still in work, occasionally jumping which he loved. He was a once in a lifetime horse who taught us all so many life lessons and brought so much joy to our family and everyone around him. Will forever miss you and carry you in our hearts sweet boy.”
Fellers started riding Flexible when the stallion was 6. The pair competed in seven FEI World Cup Finals and won in 2012 in s’Hertogebosch, the Netherlands. They also represented the United States at the 2012 London Olympics, finishing eighth individually. That year they were named the Chronicle’s overall show jumping horse and horseman of the year.
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Flexible, an Irish Sport Horse stallion (Cruising—Flex, Safari), sired several successful show jumping horses and overcame the odds to come back to the sport after injuries during his career.
He retired in 2017 to Fellers’ farm in Oregon City, Oregon. He remained active in his retirement and still enjoyed jumping from time to time.
