It was July 14, 2021, when thrill-seekers and advanced eventers witnessed a training incident that claimed Annie Goodwin’s life. The accident in Stable View Farm in Aiken, South Carolina, left everything in limbo. Goodwin’s dreams to win the Rolex, aka Aiken Grand Prix, and ride her horse Bruno were all shattered- until Boyd Martin entered the picture.

The day he heard about the incident, Boyd Martin, a four-time Olympian, was about to depart for the Tokyo Games. Carrying the combination of shock and devastation, he went into that competition.

“The horse is such a good jumper, and she was such an amazing rider.” Reflecting on the incident, Martin shared his thoughts, “You think accidents happen with untalented horses and riders that don’t know what they’re doing. I just didn’t ever think that this could happen.”

Martin, who coached Goodwin for several years, decided to honor her and fulfill her dreams. It was Saturday afternoon, March 5, 2022, when Boyd rode Goodwin’s horse, Bruno, to fulfill her dream of winning the Aiken Grand Prix. They ended up with a dressage score of 25.9, as reported by An Eventful Life.

After the event, Boyd Martin called riding Bruno his privilege. He got emotional as he remembered the 32-year-old eventer, expressing, “Annie was so special to so many people, especially in this community, and then to bring the horse here and her fiancé and mom, dad, all her best mates are here, and the horse on top of that went like a champ … I couldn’t have hoped for better.”

Together, Boyd and Bruno had already reached the sport’s biggest stage and made Goodwin’s highest wishes a reality. Voicing the same sentiment, Tara Stoker Bostwick, chief operating officer at the Aiken Horse Park Foundation, where Goodwin trained, also said, “I hope Boyd does realize that he’s already won, you know what I mean? He’s already got Annie’s horse to the Olympics.”

Annie Goodwin’s coach trained Bruno further, and now the horse will realize Goodwin’s dream by competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The duo is all set to win, remembering their beloved friend, Annie Goodwin!

The dynamic duo will honor Annie Goodwin once again!

Annie Goodwin got Bruno when he was just three; she trained her baby horse to jump and gallop over every obstacle to win. After Goodwin’s death on July 14, 2021, her dream to ride Fedarman B (Bruno) and compete with him was left behind. But Boyd Martin is pushing the stakes further.

The world will witness the glory of one of the top horses, Annie Goodwin’s Bruno. Martin, ahead of the Games, was seen expressing his views on the horse as he said, “This horse is amazing in our small sport, our small bubble. … I think everyone’s sort of cheering for this horse rather than me just because of his story, and he’s almost like a living monument for Annie’s hard work and dedication and love for the sport.” 

Well, he isn’t wrong. Equestrian is a sport for both- the rider and the horse. Though Goodwin won’t be a part of the Olympics, her coach, her horse, and her dreams will be. But none of this was easy.

The partnership between a rider and a horse takes time to develop. So when Martin entered the picture, Bruno was suspicious of him. The horse wasn’t accustomed to the way he rode. And that’s why they started from scratch.

Emotionally enough, the world is waiting to witness the moment. Equestrian enthusiasts have already taken over social media with #RideforAnnie. Annie Goodwin’s father, Putter Goodwin, will also be there at the Paris Olympics.