An infection has claimed the life of the gorgeous black stallion who was in the bloodlines of all three horses on the 2021 U.S. Olympic silver medal dressage team.
The decision to euthanize 28-year-old Sandro Hit was made when veterinarians determined that continuing treatment for the infection would be painful and serve no purpose.
Sandro Hit, bred by Reinhold Harder, was by Sandro Song out of Loretta (by Ramino X Welt As). Purchased by German dealer Paul Schockemöhle as a foal, he won the world young horse championship in 1999 at the age of six. He began his breeding career the following year..
Salvino, ridden on the U.S. team by Adrienne Lyle, was a son of Sandro Hit, who also was the grandsire of the mounts ridden by Adrienne’s teammates, Sanceo (Sabine Schut-Kery) and Suppenkasper (Steffen Peters). The licensed Oldenburg in addition was the sire of Dorothee Schneider’s Showtime, part of the German gold medal team in Tokyo.
In 2019, Sandro Hit was third among dressage sires in the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses rankings.
“His loss hits us very hard,” his owner said.