Cortes C was a real trouper. This was a horse who gave his all at some of the world’s biggest show jumping events.
When Beezie Madden announced this week that he had died at the age of 21, I remembered the way he always crossed his front legs when he jumped. I’d call it his trademark.
Beezie Madden at Cortes C at the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in France. (Photo © 2014 by Nancy Jaffer)
Nicknamed “Tiny,” because he wan’t, after joining forces with Beezie, this Belgium warmblood by Randel Z was on many Nations Cup teams, including the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Finals in Barcelona.
In 2013, he and Beezie won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Chantilly in France. A back-to-back winner of the Longines King George V Gold Cup in 2014 and 2015, he also was in great form in 2014 at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in France. There, he was on the U.S. team bronze and was named Best Horse in the individual final, where Beezie was third.
He contributed to the U.S.silver medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but he was sidelined by injury before the team final and retired from competition in 2017.
Beezie recounted on social media that Clark Shipley, his late former groom, called Tiny,“the friendliest horse you’ll ever meet in your life. He’s all over you at all times, mauling you. He loves attention. You could pretty much do anything to him.
“If you walk him around, he mauls every person standing around. He drags you over there. He’s always had this personality. He’s been friendly from the start.”
In retirement, Tiny loved to greet tours at the Madden farm in Cazenovia, N.Y.,and have his picture taken with fans.
Beezie mentioned, “We have no doubt Clark was waiting for Tiny with bags of carrots on the other side.”
As she revlected, “Tiny was one of a kind. With top results as a young horse with (Belgian rider) Gregory Wathelet and then years of being at the top of the sport with our team, I was blessed to have him in my life. I will forever be thankful to Tiny and (owner) Mrs. (Abigail) Wexner for our years together. His passing leaves a hole in all our team’s hearts.”