Monopoly

Oil painting of Monopoly, black show-jumping horse

Capturing hearts around the world as he flew over jumps (in the United States, Holland, Rome, at the Olympics in Spain, and all across Canada) Monopoly was noted as the show jumping horse who was very fast in the air!

At the 1991 Pan American Games held in Cuba, Monopoly, a black show jumping horse, won two silver medals! He placed first in the World Cup League in 1993, the Canadian Championships in 1994, and again in 1996, as well as the Shell Cup Derby in 1996. Competing together as a team against other show jumping horses for some eight years, Monopoly’s consistent will to win, coupled with Beth Underhill’s professional horsemanship, netted over $1 million in prize money.

Born in New Zealand, the ebony Hanoverian gelding in the oil painting sired by Witsbold, stands 16.3 hands high. Monopoly is very fond of his groom, Marion Atkinson, and will do almost anything for a reward of polo mints!

In preparation for the oil painting, we photographed Monopoly at Cheltenham, Ontario. My husband and I found this world-class member of show jumping horses to be as gentle as a teddybear--standing untethered for the session in Beth’s barn.