"It's crazy to think about," said Genn. "We were talking about No. 60 happening before the class. It's just incredible." 

"Sixty means I will never have another horse like that," he added. "I will maybe have horses that jump bigger fences, maybe that do bigger classes, but there will never be another Happy Z." 

The Scott Starnes-designed course drew 22 starters to perform before an appreciative crowd celebrating "Red, White and Blue Day," a fundraiser for Reining Liberty Ranch. The exhibitors enjoyed the Outback Dinner, sponsored by Meijer under the Morgan Stanley VIP/Sponsor tent overlooking the Grand Prix Ring.

As the jump-off commenced, it became clear that the storm would likely impact those later in the order, although rails fell for the first three entries, Attack II and Amanda Derbyshire, Condero 3 and Bob Brawley and Wilhelm's son Ryan aboard Cookie Monster.

Molly Ashe and Pjotter Van De Zonnehoeve, the fourth in the order, posted the first clear round in 42.63 seconds just before the first drops began to fall. 

Happy Z and Wilhelm Genn clearing their final grand prix fence.

Happy Z and Genn then entered the ring with the rain blowing in. "She's picky about footing and weather. So, it all went in our favor with the weather cooling off, and the rain came actually as a favor to me," said Genn who grew up in Germany. "She likes the cooler weather, too, and she doesn't like the sun or when it's hot."

After negotiating the twisty track without fault, they stopped the clock in 39.16 seconds to the roar of the spectators huddling under tents and standing in the downpour to watch history in the making. 

 "She felt great in the jump-off," said Genn. "She steps it up. We're alike in that way. In those unusual circumstances, the rain pouring, it's fun for me. I step it up a little bit more, and we were both riding hard, and she was amazing."

With Happy Z's time leading the way and the rain pelting down, Genn chose to withdraw Bugatti from the jump-off and give Happy Z her well-deserved celebration. Even in the adverse conditions, the grand prix riders who battled Happy Z in the jump-off returned to the ring to receive their ribbons and salute a champion.

With a tribute to the 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood (High Valley Z--Anais-Anais Z) already scheduled during the grand prix festivities to celebrate her remarkable career, it was a perfect ending to a fairytale story.

Happy Z and Wilhelm Genn with Alex Rheinheimer and Patrice Schreiber

"This is amazing! Happy has done that several times now because I've been talking about slowing down with her and thinking about breeding her," said Genn, of Lebanon, Ohio. "And every time I talked about it she stepped up big the next time. So, I would say, 'OK, let her go a little bit longer.' But this is it, because this was the perfect ending to a beautiful story. I would feel selfish to go on with her. She's done so much for me, and it's hard to keep her happy and healthy. She's never had a major injury, but it's little things. Now, she will begin another chapter in her life, and I'm sure a lot of people will want to have her foals." 

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