The KWPN-approved stallion Blauwendraad’s O’Brien has been euthanized today after he broke his leg following a necessary surgery. Together with Angelique Hoorn the Peter Pan-son achieved many highlights, amongst others an 8th individual position at the Olympic Games of Hong Kong.

Twenty years old and very fit. Until this morning the KWPN-approved stallion O’Brien (Peter Pan uit Vonia ster prest v.Goudsmid, f/g M.J. Nieberg uit Rhenen) was exactly that. Last spring the stud owner Jan van Manen, that collected the stallion’s sperm, a hard spot in the testicle of O’Brien. At the end of the covering season his owners Ruud Bogerd and Joyce Nieberg ordered a scan and the results indicated a tumor that had to be removed. To avoid any risks, the other testicle would also be removed during the surgery that was planned this morning. The operation went well, but while standing up after waking up from the anaesthesia, the healthy stallion broke his right knee. Unfortunately, the stallion then needed to be euthanized.

O’Brien had a very successful sports career, that started with Anne van Vulpen and carried on with Angelique Hoorn. In 2007 the pair became Dutch National Champion and they were part of the Dutch team in many Nations Cup-shows. In 2008 they participated in the Olympic Games of Hong Kong, where they achieved a beautiful eighth place. For years the work-willing stallion was a great ambassador of the KWPN. Last year the Peter Pan-offspring, in the past hindered by tendon injuries, made his comeback in the national sports with Gitte Bogerd, the 16-year-old daughter of the owners, with whom he performed well in 1.20m level as a schoolmaster. Up to and including 2015 O’Brien had 63 offspring registered at KWPN. Based on his remarkable sports achievements, O’Brien was approved in spring of 2008 after a brief character examination.