Authentic, the horse Beezie Madden rode to two team Olympic gold medals, individual bronze, and two FEI World Equestrian Games silver medals, died Wednesday at age 30, according to a post by Beezie Madden/John Madden Sales Inc. on social media.

“ ‘Bud’s’ intelligence and cheerful personality made him exceptional to work with and carried him through his many great accomplishments, as well as his long retirement,” Beezie wrote in the social media post. “So many of my big ‘firsts’ of my career were with him as a partner. I owe him so much and am grateful to everyone, especially Mrs. Wexner, who made it possible for him to be such a special part of my life for so long.”

The Maddens first spotted the Dutch Warmblood (Guidam—Gerlinda, Katell), bred by H. Morsink, as a 3-year-old at Stal Heins, under Johan Heins and Harrie Smolders. Three years later, they purchased Bud as a 6-year-old in partnership with Elizabeth Busch Burke. By 2003, Beezie and Bud had amassed an impressive resume at the European indoors and picked up a win at the Stuttgart Masters (Germany).

In 2004, he topped the six-round Olympic selection trials and was named to the team for the Athens Olympics. There he was foot-perfect in the team competition, helping the U.S. win gold. He also helped the U.S. team finish second in the Nations Cups at Aachen (Germany) and Spruce Meadows (Alberta), which helped earn him the title of the Chronicle’s Show Jumping Horse of the Year.

“Each time things have gotten bigger and more difficult, he takes on the challenge and digests it,” John said at the time. “A lot happened this year; it was a big transition. It was really gratifying, because I think a lot of people do things the right way, and sometimes it still doesn’t happen for them. So, when it all clicks like that, it’s really special. It’s something I’ll always remember.”

After the Games, Bud was nearly sold, at which point Abigail Wexner stepped in to purchase the gelding, and the following year, Bud helped Beezie win her first American Invitational (Florida) as the only double-clear of the class, a feat he repeated in 2007. He won the ATCO Power Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Spruce Meadows in 2005 before securing a second-consecutive win in 2006.

In 2006, he was named to the U.S. team for the FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, where he won the opening speed round and followed that with another faultless Nations Cup performance to help the U.S. take silver. In the individual competition they ended up in a three-horse jump-off after a faultless Final Four, where Bud tipped the front rail on the final oxer and earned silver.

That year he also helped the U.S. to podium finishes in Nations Cups in Aachen and Wellington, Florida, as well as a third-placed finish at the Samsung Super League Nations Cup Final in Barcelona. Once again, he was named the Chronicle’s Show Jumping Horse of the Year.

“It was very exciting—almost more so now, looking back on it,” Beezie said in the Chronicle article about his Horse of the Year honors. “At the moment, you’re kind of wound, concentrating on what you have to do to win a medal. But when you look back on it, you realize all over again just how hard it was to do,” she said. “And to do it on a horse we’ve brought along from the beginning was very special. We’ve had him since he was 6, and he’s been a fun horse his whole life. He’s fast, he’s careful, and he’s scopey. You always have a chance to win on him.”

In 2007, he won the $340,642 Grand Prix of Aachen, making Beezie the first U.S. rider in 16 years to win the prestigious class.

In 2008, Bud made his second Olympic team, and in Hong Kong his continued his medal-winning ways, earning team gold and an individual bronze. He jumped his final class in July 2009, and he later had a formal retirement ceremony at the New Albany Classic (Ohio).

Bud lived out his years at Madden Mountain in Cazenovia, New York, where he watched over the weanlings and yearlings, earning him the moniker “Uncle Bud.”

“I am grateful for every minute I spent with Bud,” John Madden wrote in their social media post announcing his death. “He was born great. He had an aura about him, and every life he touched was better for it.”