Five competitive equine world records

1. Highest official jump: 8 feet, 2 inches

The red line marks the top of the obstacle. Image source

Officially, the highest jump achieved is eight feet, two inches (2.47 metres, or about 18 inches over Radar‘s withers) by Huaso and Captain Alberton Larraguibel Morales of Chile. The record was at Vina Del Mar, Chile, on February 5th, 1949.

Here they are on the other side:

The highest unofficial jump is eight feet, three and a half inches:

Fred (Freddie) Wettach, Jr. riding his horse King’s Own. They jumped in front of 25 people with motion picture photographers capturing the occasion. The record was not considered official because it was not made in front of a public gathering. Source

This page has lots more background information, and has a great animation of Morales and Huaso clearing the jump. As for me, I’ve always been a nervous jumper, and if I’m going to be that high in the air there’d damn well better be a flight attendant nearby.

2. Most entries in a horse race: 228

The record for most runners in a horse race is 228 set in Bayanwula, Xiwuzhumuqinqi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China on 25 July 2005. Imagine trying to call that race. Source

3. Fast Quarter Horse over a quarter mile: A Long Goodbye

A Long Goodbye clocked :20.885 over the quarter mile in a trial for the MBNA America New Mexico Challenge (G1) at Sunland Park. The 5-year-old gelding by Pure D Dash races for Julian DeVargas of Laguna, New Mexico. Source I’m too dumb to do the math: how many miles per hour would he have been going? Yikes.

4. Highest show jump by a donkey: four feet

In 1990, a jack named Little Jack Horner (pictured above) jumped nearly four feet in exhibition at Bishop Mule Days, becoming the only formal jumping donkey in the world. He is (was?) owned and trained by Meredith Hodge of Lucky Three Ranch.

5. Highest Grand Prix dressage score: Anky van Grunsven and Salinero

Anky van Grunsven and her gelding Salinero set a record in the final leg of the FEI World Cup at Indoor Brabant, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, partnering her reigning champion Keltec Salinero to a record-breaking score of 87.925% last year:

“I’m not sure exactly what is the key but over the last few shows Salinero has felt more confident, our communication is getting better and better, and in the training now we have the chance to work more on the details,” said a delighted van Grunsven.

“I really have the feeling that he is getting older and wiser”, she said of the 12-year-old who only two years ago won Olympic gold.

“It was magical”, said Jennie Loriston-Clarke, who judged at B. “Salinero was so much more relaxed, so off the ground, and Anky rode so well to the music.”

All the technical scores for the talented partnership were in excess of 80% with the artistic marks over 90%, including an incredible 96% from Bernard Maurel at E. This performance beat Anky’s own previous highest score of 87%, achieved at last year’s Dutch national championships. Link

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