Bonfire

Gestion Bonfire (March 21, 1983October 28, 2013), or Bonfire for short, was an Oldenburg gelding that competed in dressage with Dutch rider Anky van Grunsven. Between 1991 and 2000, the pair competed in multiple national and international championships, including three Olympic Games and two World Equestrian Games. They won one gold medal and four silver medals at the Olympics and one gold and three silvers at the World Equestrian Games. Although known for having a hot temperament, Bonfire mellowed as he aged, becoming one of Van Grunsven's best horses – until she found his replacement, Salinero, she did not think she would ever find a horse to match Bonfire's talent. A statue of Bonfire stands in Van Grunsven's home town of Erp. Early life The brown Oldenburg gelding was born March 21, 1983, bred by Karl Bernd Westerholt of Lemwerder, Germany. His sire was Welt As and his dam was Warine (his dam's sire was Praefectus xx). Van Grunsven first met Bonfire when he was two and a half years old, having been under saddle for only a week. He was later purchased by Van Grunsven's father. At first it appeared that the young horse would be a poor prospect, as his hot temperament led to poor gaits. However, he did well at learning advanced dressage moves such as the piaffe and passage, and so Van Grunsven continued to work with him. He improved, and by the time he was seven years old, he was competing at the Grand Prix level. His temperament continued to lead to difficult rides, and he had a tendency to spook at small items near the ring; these tendencies decreased as he grew older.