Dressage rider Anky van Grunsven of the Netherlands, announced on October 29th that her former partner, Bonfire, has died.

In a statement on her website, van Grunsven said: “My heart is broken. Bonfire died. I bought Bonfire when he was 2.5-years-old. At that age it’s difficult to see if a horse has talent for the Grand prix but already then I knew there was something special about him. And special he was! Our career highlight was in 2000 in Sydney when we won the Olympic gold. Bonfire still is my favourite horse!”

Bonfire, by Welt As, was 30 years old.