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Champion Show Horse Found Butchered

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PALMETTO (CBSMiami/AP) - The remains of a 12-year old award winning jumping show horse by the name of Phedras de Blondel were found early Sunday morning on a farm in Palmetto.

Manatee County detectives say the 1,300-pound animal was led from his stall at Imperial Farms by someone between 8:30 p.m. Saturday and 6:45 a.m. Sunday. It was then taken to a pen in the back of the 27-acre farm, where it was killed and expertly butchered.

Investigators say they believe the perpetrator was someone who wanted horse meat, knew the farm had horses and took Phedras because he was a big, heavy horse.

When the horse was found in the back pen, his legs were gone, with essentially just his head and neck intact.

(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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