Big Ben was the world's best show jumper. He was at his peak for 11 years, when most horses are only at the top of their game for less than half that time. He won the World Championship twice, to go along with many Grand Prix wins. He overcame two severe rounds of colic and was involved in a deadly truck accident, yet continued to compete and win, with Ian Millar's, his rider. Whenever Canada was competing, no matter what the situation was, you knew that if Ben and Ian were the final riders, we were going to win.
Ben's retirement tour in 1994 was incredible! People waited for over 2 hours to get a picture with him. I met him in Collingwood, Ontario and saw his final retirement at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in November, 1994. It was a wonderful night, there wasn't a dry eye in the house as we said goodbye to him. For 5 years afterwards, he lived at MillarBrooke farm in Perth, Ontario. Sadly, Bennie passed away on December 11th, 1999 after a severe bout of colic. Canada and the equestrian world will miss him.
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