Totilas facts for kids
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| Breed | Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) |
|---|---|
| Sire | Gribaldi (Trakehner) |
| Dam | Lominka (KWPN) |
| Maternal grandsire | Glendale (KWPN) |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | May 23, 2000 |
| Country |  Netherlands |
| Breeder | J.K.Schuil & A. Visser |
| Owner | Paul Schockemöhle, Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Equestrian | ||
| Representing Netherlands |
||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2010 Lexington | Team Dressage |
| Gold | 2010 Lexington | Special dressage |
| Gold | 2010 Lexington | Freestyle dressage |
| European Championships | ||
| Gold | 2009 Windsor | Team Dressage |
| Gold | 2009 Windsor | Freestyle dressage |
| Silver | 2009 Windsor | Special dressage |
Representing  Germany |
||
| European Championships | ||
| Silver | 2011 Rotterdam | Team Dressage |
| Bronze | 2015 Aachen | Team Dressage |
Totilas (born May 23, 2000 – died December 14, 2020) was a famous Dutch Warmblood horse. He was also known as Moorlands Totilas for a few years and was nicknamed "Toto." Totilas was a stallion, which means a male horse. He stood about 17.1 hands tall. Many people thought he was one of the best dressage horses in the world. Dressage is a horse sport where horses perform a series of planned movements. Totilas was the first horse ever to score over 90% in a dressage competition. He also held the world record for the highest score in Grand Prix Freestyle Dressage.
Before the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, Totilas and his rider, Edward Gal, had already set many world records. An American journalist even called them "rock stars in the horse world." Totilas stopped competing in August 2015. He passed away on December 14, 2020, because of problems from colic, which is a type of stomach pain in horses.
Contents
Totilas' Early Career and Rise to Fame
Totilas was born in the Netherlands. He was trained by Jan K. Schuil and Anna Schuil-Visser. When he was five years old, he started competing in major events. His first rider was Jiska van den Akker. At the 2005 World Breeding Championships, he was the best horse from the Netherlands. He finished fourth among five-year-old dressage horses.
Later in 2005, Edward Gal was asked to ride Totilas. In 2006, sponsors Cees and Tosca Visser bought Totilas. After this, the horse competed as "Moorlands Totilas." Edward Gal rode Totilas for most of his international career. They started competing together in 2008. Gal and his team quickly realized Totilas was very special. Gal said, "He has an incredible amount of talent; it's simply a pleasure to ride him."
Setting World Records
In July 2009, Gal and Totilas broke a world record in Grand Prix Freestyle. They scored 89.50% in England. Soon after, they broke their own record with a score of 90.75%. This win earned them a gold medal at the 2009 FEI European Jumping and Dressage Championships. They also won a silver medal in special dressage and a gold in the team dressage event.
In December 2009, they set another record in London, scoring 92.30% in GP Freestyle. This was more than 10 points higher than the second-place horse. They also won the FEI World Cup final in the Netherlands. They even set a world record in the Grand Prix Special event, scoring 86.460% in July 2010.
At the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games, Totilas and Gal won three gold medals. They were the first horse-rider team to win all three available dressage gold medals at a single FEI World Games. This included team, special, and freestyle events.
Concerns About Training Methods
Totilas' career had some discussions, especially about his training. Some people had concerns about a method called "LDR" (low, deep, and round) or Rollkur. Critics thought his amazing movements were not natural. They believed this training might be harmful. Some even said it made dressage scores seem better than they should be. However, judges at the time often praised his performances. They said people should recognize his brilliance.
Many people believed Edward Gal's skill was a big reason for Totilas' success. Anne Gribbons, an expert from the United States, said Totilas brought the sport to a new level. She explained that he had amazing power and balance when moving.
Totilas as a Breeding Horse and His Sale
Totilas was approved for breeding in 2009. This meant he could have foals. In 2010, his breeding fee was about €5,500 (around $7,000 US). This was a very high price for a warmblood stallion. About 175 mares were approved to breed with him. His first year of breeding brought in almost €1.4 million. In September 2010, an embryo from Totilas sold for €32,000. His first foal, a dark brown female horse named Moorlands Guinevere, was born in January 2011.
In October 2010, a famous horse breeder named Paul Schockemöhle bought Totilas. The price was not officially shared, but it was thought to be between €9.5 million and €15 million. Edward Gal had said Totilas was not for sale. But his owners explained that after his wins, they could not ignore the interest in him. Gal was very upset by the sale. He said, "It's like I'm struck by lightning."
The news surprised many in the dressage world. The Dutch national team was disappointed. They felt their chances for the Olympics were hurt. This was because Totilas was sold to someone in Germany, a close rival.
Totilas Under German Ownership
In March 2011, Paul Schockemöhle changed Totilas' show name back to "Totilas." Schockemöhle and co-owner Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff chose Matthias Alexander Rath to be the horse's new rider. Rath was a 26-year-old German rider and Linsenhoff's stepson.
Totilas and Rath first appeared together in November 2010. They competed for Germany at the European Dressage Championships in August 2011. They did not win individual medals. However, their scores helped Germany win a team silver medal.
Injuries and Retirement
Totilas was injured during the winter of 2011-2012. Rath and Totilas were expected to compete in the 2012 Olympics. But Rath became ill and had to withdraw from competitions. Rath hoped they could compete in the 2016 Olympics. By then, Totilas would have been 16 years old.
Totilas was injured again in 2012. He did not compete for two years. Rath and Totilas returned in May 2014. They competed in two events but had to withdraw from another due to a new injury. They returned again in 2015. Rath and Totilas won a bronze medal in the team event at the 2015 European Championships. Some people thought Totilas looked a bit lame during this event. He was then pulled from the special freestyle event.
The 2015 European Championships was Totilas' last competition. An MRI scan showed bone inflammation in his left back hoof. He officially retired in August 2015.
Totilas spent his retirement in Germany. He still traveled for breeding. He made a special appearance in 2019. Rath and Linsenhoff rode him in his retirement. Totilas passed away from colic on December 14, 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Totilas para niños
- List of historical horses
