Retired police horse, race track legend Chief de Beers remembered by police
He was a legend of Queensland horse racing, before retiring into service with the police, who have remembered him as a ‘gutsy and brave’ and adept at breaking up street brawls.
Police & Courts
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A bushfire- fighting police horse that busted up street brawls has been remembered as gutsy and brave.
The retired Chief de Beers passed away peacefully last Friday just weeks shy of his 29th birthday.
Affectionately known as ‘Chief’, the champion racehorse entered the Queensland Police Service Mounted Unit upon retirement from racing in 1999.
Former handler, Acting Sergeant Belinda Worthington, said she had a great relationship with Chief.
“We just clicked – I loved riding him,” she said.
“He was my main patrol horse for around nine years, and the horse I used for ceremonies.”
Acting Sergeant Worthington formed a strong bond with Chief with the duo “ breaking up street brawls, bravely entering a bush fire, and putting a regal hoof forward to herald public events.”
“His gutsy temperament was also his strength,” Acting Sergeant Worthington said.
“You couldn’t use force to retrain his instinctive and programmed racing behaviour.”
Chief was recently awarded the prestigious Blue Cross Medal for his service to the community by the Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation, in conjunction with the Blue Cross Fund in the United Kingdom.
Before becoming a police horse Chief dominated the track at Doomben where he won 20 of 51 races, with 17 placings.
After being donated by his owners to police Chief duties ranged from ceremonial escorts at the opening of the Royal Queensland Show, to operational patrols, and later as the Governor’s police horse.