The story of Sigesmund, a Freud colt born in 2016, really started seven years before his acquisition by MyRacehorse with his dam, Officer Leah.

The Racingwithbruno team purchased Officer Leah for $75,000. They had high expectations for the filly, but she was involved in a traffic accident while going from farm to track, requiring 250 stitches to close her wounds. She only raced three times before being retired and bred.

Officer Leah was named after a CHP officer who had given Bruno De Julio of Racingwithbruno two driving citations for seat belt violation and later in the month failure to come to a stop at a stop sign in the Marina Del Rey area. On the second traffic violation De Julio even showed the CHP officer his namesake’s picture, but he wasn’t impressed.

A slow-to-develop sort who was bought back as a yearling in Saratoga, Sigesmund made four starts as a 4-year-old with one third, but was eventually retired due to signs of discomfort and concerns about his desire to compete. 

MyRacehorse immediately commenced a search for his retirement home and were delighted when Bethel Park Stables in Pennsylvania agreed to take Sigesmund. Trainer Jeff Englehart had sent many of his retired horses to Bethel Park and couldn’t have been more complimentary of them. 

Since then, Sigesmund has found his new home with his new owner, a then 12-year-old girl named Hadley, retraining and competing in Three-Day Eventing. 

Three-Day Eventing is an equestrian event where a single horse and rider combine and compete against other competitors across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test that required mastery of several types of riding. Often called “the ultimate test of horse and rider,” it tests the resolve of the partnership between horse and rider across the three phases, usually taking place over the course of a weekend.

We are thrilled Sigesmund was able to find his happy ending in his new home after transitioning off track and look forward to what comes next for him and young Hadley.