Hunter Harrison, the man behind the ‘HH’ in HH Azur and other top sport horses, passes away

“Godspeed my friend,” Ward wrote on social media. “There are so many things I will miss about you but most of all our talks, your unwavering belief in me and your love of the game. In true Hunter fashion you left me with one last challenge, we will not disappoint.”

At the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, HH Azur helped Ward and the U.S. team to a silver medal at the Deodoro National Equestrian Center. And in Omaha earlier this year the now 11-year-old mare carried Ward to his first Longines World Cup Jumping Final victory on the rider’s 17th attempt. After their dominant performance in Nebraska, the World No.2 stated, “I have always wanted to win an individual championship, not for me but for the people around me, like my father and Paul Vallier, as well as my amazing horses and Hunter Harrison and Francois Mathy, my owners. Hunter always said he was going to do whatever it took for me to win a championship.”

For his part, Brazilian Olympic gold medallist and current Irish Show Jumping team manager Rodrigo Pessoa, who finished fourth at the 2010 World Equestrian Games riding HH Rebozo, said, “An extraordinary man has passed away, a man who always found time for everyone. I will cherish the memories of our discussions and our stories. One thing is certain, trains will be on time now in paradise! Rest in peace Boss.”

In horse sports, a commercial prefix like ‘HH’ is subject to a registration fee with the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI) but provides an identifiable, consistent brand for a string of horses. Many of top British rider Scott Brash’s mounts carry the ‘Hello’ prefix, for example, including the aforementioned Hello Forever, Hello Mr. President, Hello M’Lady, and Hello Annie. Other times, a horse’s name is changed, as was the case with Ryan des Hayettes, who was re-baptized Hermès Ryan after the luxury mark became the commercial sponsor of the CSI 5* horse, which is now ridden by France’s Simon Delestre after being acquired from Canada’s Eric Lamaze.