03/02/2026
Utopia Belles — 1997–2026
This morning we sadly said goodbye to one of the greatest show horses to ever grace our stable, at the age of 29.
Belle first came through our doors in 2007 as a sales horse. She was a tough one to sell — a mare’s mare, opinionated, and hot. While we could never sell her, she was leased many times throughout her long show career, right until her final show season at 22. From Eric Lamaze to a junior’s first 0.8m jumper, Belle had 18 riders throughout her career in Canada and won consistently with every single one of them.
There are great competitors, and then there was Belle. No matter the skill of the rider, if you pointed her at the jumps, she was going to jump clear and be so fast she was virtually unbeatable. She could find distances herself and had the biggest heart, closely matched only by her biggest ears. She taught countless riders the thrill of winning, and I’m not certain there has ever been a horse that has worn so many championship ribbons. She truly was a show horse.
The last six years of Belle’s life were spent living out, simply being a horse, retired with her friends at our farm. She began her retirement as the perfect babysitter and mentor to our filly and ended it as Sir R’s great love and constant companion.
Thank you, Dian & Kai, for giving us the opportunity to take over Belle’s ownership and give her the retirement she so deeply deserved. And a huge thank you to our wonderful vet and friend .jantzi, for the loving care of Belle throughout her retirement and on her final day.
