Shinko King, one of New Zealand’s leading breeding stallions, was put down May 17, 2012, after a lengthy battle with laminitis. He was 21.

The bay stallion had a star and thin stripe. He was bred in Ireland and was the son of Fairy King.

According to owner Henk Smith, the horse developed laminitis a decade earlier while shuttling between Japan and New Zealand for a couple of years. Shinko King recovered but would have new bouts once in a while.

Shinko King had been based at Paxton Park in Cambridge since 2007. He first stood in Japan before moving to New Zealand’s Ashwell Farm in 1998.

He sired five group one winners: Eskimo Queen, Thumbs Up, C’Est La Guerre, Bramble Rose and Barinka.