Claus Kock Has Passed Away from COVID- 19

Many people have grown ‘tired’ of the global pandemic and the lifestyle restrictions imposed and unfortunately have become less aware of the avoidance guidelines. The impact of the pandemic has once again been brought to light in the showjumping community as another highly revered gentleman, Claus Kock, has lost his life to this virus.

The founder and owner of the Locarno Stud, based in Namibia, has been a long-standing, well-respected part of the community. Not only did he breed some fantastic horses, including Locarno Cosmopolitan who recently won the Junior President’s Cup with Hailey Strydom, Locarno Ballade who is owned by 1.50m rider Kayla Gertenbach, and Locarno Eldorado who is an up and coming 1.50m horse competed by Ivan van der Sijde, but Kock was also a successful A-grade rider in his younger years.

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He began the Locarno Stud in 1990 with his ideology of, “The beauty and intelligence of the thoroughbred, the jumping of the Holsteiner, the movement of the Hannoverian, the best possible temperament and attitude to performance, the best possible bloodlines.” His love of the thoroughbred has also influenced the start of his breeding programme as he often used Noble Chieftain xx, Jerez xx, Signification xx, Montesano xx, Sovereignety xx, and Masham xx bloodlines which now show as 3rd generation in most of his offspring.

The news signifies a sad start to 2021 for the showjumping community and his family, and marks the second major death in the industry after Greg Pienaar’s passing late last year. Condolences to his family and connections.

-The JumpOff-

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