Did you know

  • Eventing was first introduced at the Olympic Games in 1912 when Sweden won the first team gold in the sport. The individual gold medal winner was also Swedish: Axel Nordlander and Lady Artist. 109 years later, another mare won individual gold for Germany: Amande de B’Neville (SF). (Oscar de Fontaines x Elan de la Cour. Rider: Julia Krajewski. Breeder: Jean-Baptiste Thiebot.)
  • Both individual silver medallist Bella Rose (dressage) and bronze medal winner Vassilly de Lassos (eventing) are out of dams by Anglo-Arabian (AA) stallions. The AA, Holsteiner, Irish Sport Horse, Selle Français and Trakehner studbooks were the standouts in event horse breeding at Tokyo.
  • Where were the three individual gold medal horses placed in the World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses (WBFSH) pre-Olympic rankings? TSF Dalera BB (TRAK). (Easy Game x Handryk. Breeder: Silke Fass. Rider: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (GER)) was already the top-ranked dressage horse in the June rankings; Amande de B’Neville was 28th and Explosion W was 48th. Watch this space.
  • The country with the most horses in the show jumping team medals at Tokyo? Belgium (five), including all three of the Swedish gold medal team horses: H&M All In (sBs) Kashmir van Schuttershof x Andiamo Z. Rider: Peder Fredricson. Breeder: Bas Huybregts; H&M Indiana (BWP) Kashmir van Schuttershof x Animo’s Hallo. Rider: Malin Baryard-Johnsson. Breeder: W. Vanderlinden-van Turtelboom-Ruys; and King Edward (BWP). Edward 28 x Feo. Rider: Henrik von Eckermann. Breeder: Wim Impens.
  • Jessica Springsteen’s Don Juan van de Donhoeve (sBs). (Bamako de Muze x Heartbreaker. Breeder: Gustaaf Quintelier) on the USA silver team and Belgium’s Pieter Devos’ Claire Z (ZANG). (Clearway x Coronad. Breeder: PGMBH Hammes) complete the home run for the BWP, sBs and Zangersheide studbooks.
  • King Edward, the bare-footed jumping sensation with six clear rounds at Tokyo, is by the dressage stallion Edward 28 (HANN).
  • VDL Cardento competed at the Athens Olympics and had three Tokyo show jumping progeny, including the Irish team horse Kilkenny. Casall ASK (London Olympics) had four and Chacco-Blue (London) was the most-represented sire with six, including the sensational Explosion W.

    • Irish Olympics