Gina Miles’ 2008 individual Olympic Silver medal mount, McKinlaigh, has passed away at the age of 26. The Irishbred gelding, who shone at the Games in Hong Kong, died Jan. 18.
Thom Schultz and his wife, Laura Coats, purchased McKinlaigh in 1998 after seeing him in Ireland’s Young Event Horse Competition at the Punchestown Three-Day Event. Gina had just taken over as manager of Schultz and Coats’ Rainbow Ranch in Paso Robles, Calif. When McKinlaigh (Highland King x Kilcumney Hostess) arrived in the U.S. it was agreed that Gina would work with him to see how far he could go.
In their first two years together, the pair won nine out of the 10 events they entered, and by the age of seven, McKinlaigh had completed his first CCI3* (now CCI4*-L) and the pair had been named to the USEF Winter Training List.
The 17.3 hand McKinlaigh placed 11th at his first CCI4* (now CCI5*) at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2002, earning him a place on the U.S. Team for the World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, where they finished 25th.
A win in the Galway Downs CIC3* and another 11th place finish at Kentucky in 2003 put them on the road to Malmo Sweden for the World Cup Final, where they won the bronze medal. He improved his placing at Kentucky from 11th to ninth in 2004 and in 2006 placed fourth in The Fork CIC3*, first in the Rebecca Farm CIC3*, and first in the Fair Hill International CCI3*. That year he won the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series and was the U.S. Eventing Association Horse of the Year.
In 2007, he was 15th in the Badminton Horse Trials CCI4* and was on the gold medal team at the Pan American Games in Brazil, with Ginal also winning the individual bronze medal.
He retired following his Olympic triumph with a perfect cross-country record and spent his remaining years with Schultz and Coats in California. In 2015, he was inducted into the USEA Hall of Fame.
Gina Miles and McKinlaigh after clinching the individual silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong. Photo © 2008 by Nancy Jaffer
“McKinlaigh was one of those horses who defined the word greatness,” said Gina.
“Not only did he shape my entire life, but he inspired so many others. From the pony clubbers who learned from him, the fans that followed him, and those of us that he took along the most glorious ride :You will cherished forever.“