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With heavy hearts, we share our condolences to Adam Conrad on the loss of his beloved mare, Smoking Koi Quixote, known simply as “Koi.”
Koi was more than a mare. She was the one that started it all.
Adam raised Koi as his very first foal when he was a senior in high school, and from the beginning, she was unforgettable. He shared that he and Debra Shoemaker Diaz rushed home after getting the call that she had been born, a moment he would always remember. Koi earned her name from the unique fish-like marking on her face, but she earned her place in Adam’s heart by becoming the mare who sparked his love for raising horses.
Over the next 26 years, Koi became a foundation in every sense of the word. She was the kind of mare Adam could depend on to raise one of the nicest, best-looking foals of the year. Through her babies, including the last colt she had just last year, her legacy continues in the most meaningful way a great broodmare’s can.
The last few months had been hard on Koi, and Adam shared that he knew the time was coming. Last Monday, she let him know she was ready. With the support of his friend and veterinarian, Dr. Shana Thoms, Adam was able to give Koi a peaceful goodbye after a long and deeply loved life.
Some mares shape a program. Some shape a horseman. Koi did both.
From all of us at StallionCompare, we extend our deepest sympathy to Adam and to everyone who knew and loved this special mare.
Rest easy, sweet Koi. Twenty-six years was a gift, but it's never truly long enough.
