In Memoriam

William D. "Billy" Haggard (USA), respected rider and owner, passed away on 5 January 2004. Haggard was best known for his success aboard Bold Minstrel, the only horse ever to represent the United States at the World Championship level in two different disciplines. Haggard rode Bold Minstrel in two consecutive Pan American Games, earning the Eventing Team Silver Medal in 1959 and the Team Gold in 1963. In 1964, he loaned Bold Minstrel to fellow eventer Mike Plumb who piloted him to the team Silver Medal in the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Later on, under Haggard's ownership, the wonderfully versatile Bold Minstrel began to train in show jumping with William Steinkraus and the pair went on to win the team Silver in the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg.
Haggard also owned and lent other talented mounts to members of the US show jumping team. In 1996, a tragic accident in the warm-up ring left Haggard paralyzed, but his cheerful and optimistic spirit never wavered.