The Hanoverian 08|2012 - the American Hanoverian Society!
The Hanoverian 08|2012 - the American Hanoverian Society!
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