World's tallest horse - Big Jake - dies aged 20 on Wisconsin farm after he grew to 6ft 10inches tall and 2,500lbs
- The 20-year-old Belgian named 'Big Jake'Big Jake,' was a 6-foot-10 and weighed 2,500 pounds
- He lived on Smokey Hollow Farm in Poynette, Wisconsin with farm owner Jerry Gilbert and his wife, Valicia
- In 2010, The Guinness Book of World Records certified him as the world´s tallest living horse
- When the Associated Press reached out to the farm owner's wife Monday via Facebook, she declined to give the precise date of the colossal horse's passing
- The farm owner plans to memorialize 'Big Jake' by keeping his stall empty and inserting a brick on the outside of it with his picture and name
Two farm owners are mourning the death of the world's tallest horse, who died two weeks ago on their farm in Wisconsin.
The 20-year-old Belgian named 'Big Jake'Big Jake,' was a 6-foot-10 and weighed 2,500 pounds. He lived on Smokey Hollow Farm in Poynette, Wisconsin with farm owner Jerry Gilbert and his wife, Valicia.
In 2010, The Guinness Book of World Records certified him as the world´s tallest living horse.
Two farm owners are mourning the death of the world's tallest horse, 'Big Jake,' who died two weeks ago on their farm in Wisconsin. In this picture, Jerry Gilbert brushes Big Jake at the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, Wisconsin.
Gilbert would showcase the lanky horse at shows like the Wisconsin State Fair and entered him into the Draft Horse Showing. In this picture, 'Big Jake' attends the Midwest Horse Fair in Madison, Wisconsin.
Jerry Gilbert told WMTV that 'Big Jake' was a 'superstar' and a 'truly magnificent animal.' He said Big Jake was born in Nebraska and weighed 240 pounds at birth, about 100 pounds - heavier at birth than a typical Belgian foal
When the Associated Press reached out to the farm owner's wife Monday via Facebook, she declined to give the precise date of the colossal horse's passing.
'We would rather not remember him by a date - it's been a traumatic event for our family,' she said.
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Jerry Gilbert told WMTV that 'Big Jake' was a 'superstar' and a 'truly magnificent animal.' He said Big Jake was born in Nebraska and weighed 240 pounds at birth, about 100 pounds - heavier at birth than a typical Belgian foal.
'Jake was just a special horse,' said Gilbert. 'He was truly a gentle giant. He knew he was special and whenever we would show him, people would be taken back by him by his size and everything,'
In 2010, The Guinness Book of World Records certified 'Big Jake,' (pictured) as the world´s tallest living horse
'Big Jake,' (pictured) lived on Smokey Hollow Farm in Poynette, Wisconsin with farm owner Jerry Gilbert and his wife, Valicia.
Gilbert said he plans to memorialize 'Big Jake' (pictured) by keeping his stall empty and inserting a brick on the outside of it with his picture and name
Gilbert showcased the lanky horse at shows like the Wisconsin State Fair, and entered him into the Draft Horse Showing.
But for Gilbert, 'Big Jake' was much more than a celebrity horse- he was family.
'Our relationship was special,' he told WMTV.' It is amazing what we do for these animals because they are like our children. We care for them, we protect them, we are with them every single day,' said Gilbert.
Gilbert said he plans to memorialize 'Big Jake' by keeping his stall empty and inserting a brick on the outside of it with his picture and name.
'It's very quiet (at the farm),' Jerry Gilbert said. 'The other horses know. I think they have their own grieving time because Jake was the center of attention around here. There is a huge void. It feels like he's still here, but he's not.'
'Day to day, I think we will always feel that Jake is still here,' Gilbert added. 'And I don't think that will ever change.'
The story has been corrected to indicate that Big Jake was certified as the world´s tallest living horse in 2010, not in 2020.
