Horse saved from barn fire honored

Neville Bardos, who made a remarkable recovery from injuries suffered last year in a Chester County barn fire, shared horse of the year honors presented Friday night at the United States Equestrian Federation awards dinner in Cincinnati.

For the first time ever, the USEF gave its top honor to a pair of horses; Sjoerd was also named horse of the year, according to a report on USEFnetwork.com.

Neville Bardos survived a Memorial Day fire that took the lives of six other horses in the West Grove barn of his rider, Boyd Martin, who pulled the horse to safety. But Neville Bardos' throat was severely damaged by smoke inhalation and other parts of his body were burned.

The Australian thoroughbred gelding, now 13, recovered at the Fair Hill Equine Center, which included treatment in a hyperbaric chamber. He made an impressive return in September, competing in the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in England. Neville Bardos finished seventh on the difficult cross-country course.

Sjoerd, 6, was named world or grand national champion 14 times in 2011.