Big Ben (April 20, 1976 – December 11, 1999) was a world champion show jumping horse. April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ...

• Color: Liver Chestnut
• Markings: Blaze, socks on both hind legs
• Sex: Gelding
• Height: 17.3 hh
• Breed: Belgian Warmblood
• Breeding: by Etretat; out of Oekie
• Breeder: Jacobus van Hooydonk (ǂ December 25, 2005)
• Rider: Ian Millar
• Owner: Ian Millar

First named "Winston", Big Ben was born at Hooydonk Farm in Kalmthout (northern Belgium). Although his dam was only 15 hh, Big Ben grew to be a very large horse of 17.3 hands. In 1983, he was sold to a farm in the Netherlands for only $2000, and renamed "Big Ben." A few weeks later, he was purchased by equestrian rider Ian Millar for $45,000, and brought to Millar Brooke Farm in Perth, Ontario, Canada. December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ian Millar (born January 6, 1947) is a Canadian show-jumping world champion. ... A junior horse riding event at the Melbourne Show Equestrianism relates to the riding of horses. ... Ian Millar (born January 6, 1947) is a Canadian show-jumping world champion. ... Perth is a town in eastern Ontario, Canada (pop. ...

In 1984, the horse began competing in show jumping events in what would become a long and successful career. With Millar on board, Big Ben won more than 40 Grand Prix titles including six Spruce Meadows Derbys, as well as taking the world show jumping championship two years in a row. His first World Cup came at Gothenburg, Sweden in 1988 followed by another the next year in Tampa, Florida. As well, in 1989 he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, in Cheltenham, England, the Grand Prix of Bordeaux, France and the Grand Prix of Stuttgart, Germany, earning the number one ranking in the world for Millar. Spruce Meadows is a major equestrian facility located in Calgary, Alberta. ... Gothenburg (Swedish: â–¶(?)) is a city and a municipality on the western coast of Sweden, in the County of Västra Götaland. ... Franklin Street, looking North, Tampa c. ... The centre of Cheltenham. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Travel guide to England from Wikitravel English language English law English (people) List of monarchs of England – Kings of England family tree List of English people Angeln (region in northern Germany, presumably the origin of the Angles for whom England is named) UK... City motto: Lilia sola regunt lunam undas castra leonem. ... Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Germany and has about 600,000 inhabitants (June 2004). ...

Big Ben also won the du Maurier International twice which at the time was the world's richest grand prix event. After 11 years of competing around the world, in 1994 Big Ben retired to the farm in Perth, Ontario at the age of 18. He was inducted in the Ontario Sports Legends Hall of Fame and joined the great thoroughbred racing horse, Northern Dancer as the only other horse to ever be inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. In 1999, Canada Post honored the horse with his image placed on a stamp. His story was told in the book titled "Big Ben" by author, Lawrence Scanlan. Northern Dancer was a Canadian-bred thoroughbred racehorse, a bay colt born May 27, 1961, by Nearctic-Natalma, by Native Dancer. ... Canadas Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame established in 1955 to preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canadas heritage of sport[1]. As of June 2004, there were 436 inductees. ...

Big Ben is top left on the stamp

Big Ben survived two colic attacks, as well as a terrible trailer accident in 1992, where 2 horses died, one was so injured it was forever unrideable, and another would never enter a trailer again. Big Ben won a Grand Prix only 2 months later. Image File history File links Bigben_stamp. ...

A national icon, Big Ben was 23 years old when he was euthanized at Millar Booke Farm on December 11, 1999 after two veterinarians said nothing could be done to ease the suffering caused by a third case of colic. He was buried on a knoll overlooking the farm. December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Colic may refer to: Baby colic – a condition, usually in infants, characterized by incessant crying. ...

Big Ben has been immortalized as a Breyer model.

Achievements

• Won over $1.5 million in prize money
• First horse to win 2 consecutive World Cup titles
• 2 gold medals at the 1987 Pan Am Games
• Member of the 4th place team at the Los Angeles Olympics
• Second place World Cup Showjumping Finals in 1986
• Winner of Masters Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows in 1988 and 1989
• Winner of Grand Prix of Stuttgart
• Canadian Champion in 1990
• Won the Spruce Meadows Derby 6 times
• One of two horses inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame