CHI Genève 2013 - Copyright (C) SteveGuerdat.com
The 17-year-old bay Selle Français mare, owned by Swiss watch manufacturer Yves G. Piaget of Geneva, “slipped” and broke a bone in her front right leg Sunday morning 26th January. Jalisca was seen immediately by two veterinary specialists who performed a series of radiographs and confirmed the fracture. The fracture could not be repaired in such a way as to guarantee the horse’s welfare or survival, and the decision for euthanasia was made.
Although Steve Guerdat was competing at the CSI-W in Zurich, Switzerland, over the weekend, he returned home in time to say a “tearful farewell” to the mare. “You are and always will be one of the most beautiful things that has ever happened in my life, and I will never be able to thank you enough for all you have done for me,” Steve Guerdat said. “I will miss you, my princess 'Lisa.' ”
With Steve Guerdat, Jalisca Solier was part of the bronze medal Swiss show-jumping team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. She was also a member of the gold medal team at the 2009 European championships.
In December 2013, Steve Guerdat announced the mare’s retirement in front of an emotional crowd at the CSI in Geneva, where she had saw some of her greatest achievements, including the 2006 Grand Prix Rolex World Cup and the Top Ten World Cup Finals in 2010. Fans in the audience flew Swiss flags and banners thanking Jalisca Solier for her contribution to Swiss equestrian sport during the ceremony.
“From the first time we met, I had a feeling that I’ve rarely felt. I’ve tried a lot of horses, and often, it’s a gamble,” Steve Guerdat said. “But with Jalisca, it wasn’t. We got along marvelously, and she (was) the queen of the stables.”
