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The Hanoverian 08|2012 - the American Hanoverian Society!

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ars are confirmed in Montreal. All eleven riders return<br />

home with a medal. Once again <strong>the</strong> equestrians<br />

are <strong>the</strong> most successful athletes of all German<br />

Olympic participants. <strong>The</strong> competition runs even<br />

better than expected for Germany’s event riders:<br />

<strong>The</strong> team wins <strong>the</strong> silver medal behind USA. A repeat<br />

of an Olympic German-Russian dressage duel<br />

does not occur in Montreal. Only one rider from <strong>the</strong><br />

Soviet Union presents a horse of Olympic caliber.<br />

<strong>The</strong> team from Germany has no trouble winning<br />

gold. Christine Stückelberger from Switzerland<br />

wins <strong>the</strong> individual gold medal on her exceptional<br />

Holstein mount Granat just like she did at <strong>the</strong><br />

World Equestrian Games two years earlier. Harry<br />

Boldt rides Woyceck by Wunsch II/Deputant into<br />

second place; Dr. Reiner Klimke and Mehmed win<br />

bronze.<br />

39-year old Alwin Schockemöhle surpasses his<br />

own performances in <strong>the</strong> individual Olympic jumper<br />

competition. He finishes both rounds without<br />

any penalty points on his 10-year old <strong>Hanoverian</strong><br />

gelding Warwick Rex as <strong>the</strong> only competitor. A<br />

jump-off for <strong>the</strong> gold medal is <strong>the</strong>refore not necessary.<br />

A first in <strong>the</strong> history of <strong>the</strong> Olympic Equestrian<br />

Games that a rider finishes <strong>the</strong> competition with<br />

zero faults. <strong>The</strong> teams have mixed feelings about<br />

<strong>the</strong> Nation Prize at <strong>the</strong> large Olympic Stadium in<br />

Montreal. <strong>The</strong> rain softened <strong>the</strong> grounds considerably.<br />

Alwin Schockemöhle/Warwick Rex, Paul<br />

Schockemöhle/Agent by Agram/Ingraben, Sönke<br />

Sönksen/Kwept and Hans Günter Winkler/Trophy<br />

are in first place toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> French team<br />

after <strong>the</strong> first round. As so often <strong>the</strong> last ride of <strong>the</strong><br />

second round decides <strong>the</strong> outcome! If Alwin<br />

Schockemöhle has a faultless round, Germany<br />

wins gold. Warwick Rex makes two mistakes which<br />

results in eight penalty points: silver for Germany,<br />

gold for France.<br />

1980: <strong>The</strong> Western world boycotts <strong>the</strong> Olympic<br />

Games<br />

Mostly <strong>the</strong> Olympic movement has been able to<br />

separate <strong>the</strong> World Event for athletes from political<br />

developments except for <strong>the</strong> Olympic Games in<br />

Berlin that required a massive intervention of <strong>the</strong><br />

IOC on national-socialistic dictators. <strong>The</strong> neutral<br />

status of <strong>the</strong> games came to an abrupt end in<br />

1979. <strong>The</strong> sport has to make a difficult and worldwide<br />

politically important decision after Soviet troops<br />

invaded Afghanistan: To ei<strong>the</strong>r adhere to <strong>the</strong><br />

Olympic idea and send athletes to <strong>the</strong> games in<br />

Moscow – or protest and ultimately boycott <strong>the</strong><br />

games. In some athletic disciplines <strong>the</strong> Olympic<br />

victory looses its importance, if <strong>the</strong> best in this discipline<br />

do not compete. This certainly holds true for<br />

<strong>the</strong> equestrian games. <strong>The</strong> strongest riders meet at<br />

alternative championships called festivals.<br />

Los Angeles 1984: “<strong>American</strong> way of life”<br />

Latest at <strong>the</strong> opening ceremony everybody realizes:<br />

Los Angeles celebrates <strong>the</strong> Olympic Games of<br />

1984 in accordance with <strong>the</strong> <strong>American</strong> way of life.<br />

<strong>The</strong> youngest German military team of all times<br />

competes in Los Angeles. Claus Erhorn is <strong>the</strong> senior<br />

member of <strong>the</strong> team at <strong>the</strong> age of 25. <strong>The</strong> German<br />

team wins <strong>the</strong> bronze medal behind USA and<br />

Great Britain with strong nerves and three faultless<br />

rides on <strong>the</strong> final stadium course. <strong>The</strong> outstanding<br />

28-year old Mark Todd from New Zealand<br />

becomes <strong>the</strong> individual Olympic Champion. Dr.<br />

Reiner Klimke fulfills his greatest dream in <strong>the</strong><br />

dressage ring. <strong>The</strong> lawyer certainly does not lack<br />

championship medals – one however is still missing:<br />

<strong>the</strong> individual Olympic gold medal. Klimke<br />

and his bay Westphalian Ahlerich surpass any prior<br />

performances in <strong>the</strong> Grand Prix of Los Angeles. <strong>The</strong><br />

pair makes a team victory for Germany perfect<br />

with top scores. In <strong>the</strong> jumping competitions <strong>the</strong><br />

great stars are from <strong>the</strong> host country. Touch of<br />

class and Joe Fargis defeat Konrad Homfeld and<br />

Abdullah in <strong>the</strong> jump-off for <strong>the</strong> individual gold<br />

medal. <strong>The</strong> riders from Germany being Paul<br />

Schockemöhle and Deister by Diskant/Adlerschild<br />

xx, Franke Sloothaak on Farmer, Fritz Ligges on<br />

Ramzes and Peter Lu<strong>the</strong>r on Livius cannot prevent<br />

<strong>the</strong> US-<strong>American</strong> dominance in <strong>the</strong> individual as<br />

well as <strong>the</strong> team competition. <strong>The</strong> German quartet<br />

proves itself beautifully. At times it even appears<br />

as if a silver medal is in reach. In <strong>the</strong> end <strong>the</strong> German<br />

riders must be content with <strong>the</strong> bronze medal<br />

behind USA and Great Britain. Paul Schockemöhle<br />

and Deister once again are <strong>the</strong> best German participants.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y finish <strong>the</strong> individual competition in<br />

seventh place. n<br />

Sport<br />

1968: Donald Rex by Durban/Franz<br />

and Alwin Schockemöhle, best<br />

horse-rider combination in <strong>the</strong><br />

Nation Prize of Mexico.<br />

1964: Dux by Duellant/Staatsanwalt<br />

with Reiner Klimke.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Hanoverian</strong> <strong>08|2012</strong> 5

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