Miss Fio

Sex, Age: Mare, 1988
Breed: Australian Thoroughbred
Discipline: Show Jumping
Stabled in: Bedford Hills, NY
Owner: Trelawny Farm
Trainer: Eric Hasbrouck
Veterinarian: Fairfield Equine Associates

It was one of those lucky meetings. In early 1998, Eric Hasbrouck, an accomplished show jumper with many wins at the grand prix level, was searching for a new horse. In Spain, he found an exciting Australian Thoroughbred just starting out in the grand prix ranks. The bay mare, Miss Fio, had average looks, and at about 16 hands in height, was smallish for a show jumper by today's standards. But Miss Fio and Eric "clicked right away," and began to form the kind of partnership that can lead to great success.

Almost immediately, however, there was a problem. In February 1998, while competing at the Winter Equestrian Festival near Palm Beach, Florida, Miss Fio had to undergo colic surgery. Luckily, the surgery was straightforward, and she was able to recover in time to participate in the qualifying trials for the forthcoming World Championships in Rome. The World Championships, held every four years, rank almost on par with the Olympic Games in terms of quality of competition and prestige. Finishing 11th in the trials, Miss Fio missed earning a spot on the U. S. team.

Miss Fio went on to compete at the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden in November 1998. Her double clear round in the Nations Cup helped the U. S. Equestrian Team win the gold medal, and a second place finish in the $50,000 Grand Prix of New York earned a nice check for her owners.

Back in Florida again in February 1999, Miss Fio was in great shape and jumping well. But then, just like the previous year, she suffered from colic, this time narrowly avoiding surgery.

Then began a period of over six months of intermittent illness and colic. She would be good for a short while and then would "not be right." She would be moody and cranky. She would bloat -- her stomach blew up and down. She made it halfway around the Pan American Game trials but couldn't make it through the combination.

Eric knew something was wrong. "People thought I was crazy. Her coat was not bad, but she was extra cranky, however she is a cranky mare anyway," explained Eric. In fact, Miss Fio is a sensitive mare and bad cribber. While she gets along great with Eric as a rider, she is less than amicable around the stable.
"It was a daily frustration, and we struggled to identify the problem. We did every test and every blood work; we adjusted her training and fitness regimen," said Eric.

At about this time, his veterinary clinic, Fairfield Equine Associates, purchased a new endoscope, a diagnostic tool which enables the veterinarian to see deep into a horse's stomach. They tried it on Miss Fio and found she was suffering from severe ulcers. Eric's veterinarian recommended GASTROGARD® (omeprazole), and he started her immediately on a course of treatment. Three weeks later, Miss Fio and Eric won a World Cup class.

During her winter break in 2000, she went without treatment. But because of her history of problems on the road, Eric put her back on GASTROGARD before commencing her 2000 competition schedule -- a full-strength, treatment dose for several weeks and then a maintenance dose. This time when she arrived in Florida, where she had had so many problems in the past, she was feeling great and jumping very well.

Just when things were looking good for the partnership, however, the unexpected happened. Riding one of his young horses in a jumper class in Tampa, Eric broke his leg when the inexperienced horse crashed through a fence. Alas, GASTROGARD couldn't help this problem!

It was a severe break requiring plates and pins to support the leg. Eric slowly was able to return to riding. In his first major competition since the injury, he and Miss Fio participated in the qualifying trial for the Olympic Games held at the U.S. Equestrian Team headquarters in New Jersey. Over a big and challenging course, they competed well, but missed finishing among the top 12 competitors, from which the 2000 Olympic team was to be selected.

With Miss Fio free of ulcers and Eric's broken leg sufficiently mended, the timing was right for this talented partnership to make its mark. And they didn't waste any time! In early July of 2000, they finished second in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Cup at Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Canada, over a grueling three-round course.