Final farewell to great five-star campaigner: ‘You took me places I never dreamed of’

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Horse And Hound

Sarah Bullimore and Reve Du Rouet, owned by Chris and Sue Gillespie and Sarah’s husband Brett, pictured at Aston-le-Walls in 2021.

Sarah Bullimore has paid tribute to her great five-star campaigner Reve Du Rouet, who has died aged 22 following a happy and active retirement by the sea.

The pair completed 13 CCI5*s, including four finishes at Badminton. Their best five-star result was at Pau in 2017, when they finished second – 0.1 of a penalty shy of winners Gwendolen Fer and Romantic Love.

Sarah and Reve Du Rouet twice finished fourth at Burghley (2018 and 2019) and were fifth at Luhmühlen 2019. They also jumped clear across country to finish 13th at Kentucky in 2014.

The Bullimores bought the German-bred gelding as a three-year-old from a dealer in Holland. Bruce Saint supported his early career, then Chris and Sue Gillespie joined Sarah’s husband Brett Bullimore as owners.

“He was the most genuine horse with all the heart and ability in the world, not a nasty bone in his body, but boy was he challenging,” said Sarah.

“As a young horse it was just put down to greenness but from eight to 13 years old he was unbelievably tricky.”

She added: “I never realised what mental pressure he put me under, the day he retired was like a huge weight off my shoulders, yet I have missed him every day since!

“There was no fence he couldn’t jump. If I have another half as talented I will be very, very lucky, but I’m not sure if I could go through the mental thought processes involved to keep him in the right frame of mind daily.”

Reve Du Rouet bowed out from competition in 2022, following a cross-country clear at Badminton in the spring and a third-place finish at Alnwick CCI4*-S in the summer, and spent his senior years with Cilla Perchard.

“Huge thank you to Cilla for giving him a lovely retirement on Jersey with his old friend Valentino, enjoying beach rides and more relaxed competitions,” said Sarah, naming the many accolades he won on the island.

“Having had him in my life for so long, my best friend, never taking a lame step throughout his career, tough and sound, I thought he would be around for ever in retirement.

“My biggest yet bestest challenge, I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, you took me places I never dreamed of, highs and lows, I still miss you every day, never forgotten. Sleep tight baby boy.”