American Chris Kappler first began riding the Dutch Warmblood when the horse was 8, after receiving him from Ben Boessen. Boessen trained the horse for the large competitions. Kappler rode him to several impressive wins, and Royal Kaliber was named 2002-2003 AGA Horse of the Year and 2003 U.S. Equestrian Horse of the Year.
Royal Kaliber was a part of the US Show Jumping Team at the 2004 Athens Olympics, winners of the team silver medal. However, while jumping in the final round of the individual competition, he had an awkward landing from the 15th fence on course, a large oxer. Kappler felt his mount take an odd step and, with only two fences to go, pulled him up and dismounted. A diagnosis by the team veterinarian found that the horse had an acute strain to his superficial digital flexor tendon of his left foreleg. This made him the third show jumping horse to be injured, which brought up questions of the suitability of the footing. Royal Kaliber was pulled from competition, but his previous effort had still earned him the individual bronze. It was decided to keep the stallion in Europe until he had completely recovered from his injury, before shipping him home. Following the disqualification of gold medalist, Cian O'Connor of Ireland, for a drug infraction, Kappler and Royal Kaliber were finally awarded the individual silver medal, with Rodrigo Pessoa moving up to the gold-medal position.
Royal Kaliber's leg was said to be healing very well following the Games. However, the horse began experiencing problems with colic, and an ultrasound was performed finding intestinal adhesion. The veterinarians Dr. Jack Snyder and Dr. Barry David and Dr. Edwin Enzerink deemed that surgery was appropriate, and on 27 September 2004, they performed the procedure at the Veterinair Centrum Someren in Someren, the Netherlands. Finding the intestine adhered to the spleen, they removed parts of both the large and small intestine. Royal Kaliber appeared stable after the surgery, but his health worsened on 6 October. The veterinary team performed another surgery, and found that further adhesions had occurred, which were non-repairable. The decision was then made to euthanize him on 8 October 2004.
Offspring
By chance, a sample of Royal Kaliber's semen was collected for approval testing. Using the surplus, it was possible to breed a few mares, and the result was four offspring: one was sold to Europe, one given as a gift to trainer Frank Chapot, one to a client of Chapot's, and a filly was kept by the owners of Royal Kaliber.
Accomplishments
2004
Team gold and individual silver medal at the Athens Olympics
