One of the amazing horses who helped elevate New Zealand to the top of the eventing world in the 1990s, Bounce was the ultimate all-round athlete. He was calm, reliable and rarely made an error – he and Vaughn Jefferis were a legendary partnership, winning the national one- and three-day championship titles in New Zealand before bursting on to the world stage.
In 1994 they were third at their first Badminton – behind fellow Kiwis Mark Todd (Horton Point) and Blyth Tait (Delta), and just a few months later, the pair won individual gold at the World Championships, held at The Hague in the Netherlands.
“People in the know weren’t surprised by that victory because he was such a good horse, but he did kind of appear from nowhere,” Vaughn recalls.
He went on two years later to win team bronze at the Atlanta Olympics, and in 1998 he and Vaughn were members of the New Zealand team who won gold at the World Equestrian Games in Rome.
There were three more Badmintons, for a second, a fifth and a 10th place, and in 1998 he was named the European Eventing Horse of the Year.
Always with Bounce was his groom Jo Osborne, who travelled with him throughout his career. Vaughn says her contribution helped make Bounce a very personable horse, as well as keeping him looking immaculate.
Vaughn and Bounce’s co-owner, Peter Tatham, turned down some big money for him, but never regretted it for a minute. “Neither of us ever wanted to sell him.”
Instead, he returned to New Zealand and went out in style, winning the Advanced (now CCI4*) title at Puhinui two years in a row, in 1999 and 2000, before he was retired.
“It was a tough decision because at 18 he was so sound and well and had so much more left, but I wanted him to leave on a high,” says Vaughn. “He had such a huge following – he was a cute little black horse with a lot of spark. He was always happy, and could jump anything.”
Bounce, an unraced New Zealand thoroughbred, was bred by WM Harwood out of Western Note (Great Western/Notable) by the stallion Mr Lee (Le Filous/Marion Belle).
He was first bought by Vicki Glynn as an unbroken youngster, and was initially called Mr Walter. “There was always something special about him,” Vicki recalls.
She eventually sold him to Jen Buchanan, who produced him to Intermediate level. At that time, in 1990, Vaughn had just sold his top horse Enterprise and was looking for a promising youngster.
“I loved that horse from the moment I saw him,” says Vaughn. “He was just a beautiful quality athlete. He did gorgeous dressage, had a fantastic gallop, and was a careful and beautiful jumper.”
After his retirement, Bounce spent the rest of his long life at leisure at Vaughn’s Matangi property, finally being laid to rest in 2013, beside the stables, at the grand age of 31.
In 2014, Vaughn donated the Bounce Trophy, in honour of his special horse, to the winner of the Advanced (now CIC4*) title at Kihikihi.
