Vyacheslav Voronin was always among the world's best high jumpers throughout his lengthy career. . Sweden's Patrik Sjoberg is one of the most consistent high jumpers of all time. Kirsch, George B. Weihegold is a black Oldenburg mare born on July 7, 2005, in Germany. Birthplace: Liverpool, Lancashire, England, Best career jump: 7 feet, 9 1/2 inches (1994), Olympics: Barcelona 1992 (DNM), Atlanta 1996 (Bronze). Fosbury invented the method used by high jumpers the world over "The Fosbury Flop." Representing the Ukraine, Protsenko has come up just short of the elite high jumpers in the world seemingly throughout his entire career. Where do we even begin with Dragutin Topic? Smith became so famous that he embarked on a brief, but unsuccessful, singing career. Steffen Peters was born in Wesel, Germany on September 18, 1964, and became an American citizen in 1992. Sadly, that partnership ended in the spring of 1980 when Boomerang was forced into retirement through injury. I am sure the film was Blue Hawaii, but it was the b movie that excited me. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. In order to fund her riding, she had to work hard as a waitress and then bartender. It just so happens that was the first national network meteorologist position. 5. She went on to purchase a six-stall barn in Orlando, but was in need of a trainer. The last three Olympic gold medal winners have been at least 6-foot-4, and world record holder Javier Sotomayor is also 6-4. . On one of his rare visits back to his native Ireland, Eddie had made the long journey from his home in Langley, British Columbia. Can anyone .. please, please, please .. go far enough back [early 60's I believe]. Incredibly Nick, John and Michael are still going strong, and they have been joined by the likes of Scott, Ben Maher and Laura Renwick, to name a few. 1925:BritishShowJumpingAssociation formally incorporated as a company, with Lord Lonsdale at president and Lt Colonel Charles (Taffy) Walwyn appointed chairman. Bill and Melinda Gates' 19-year-old daughter began riding at age six. Like most high jumpers, Bondarenko was in his prime in his early 20s and at his very best directly following the 2012 Olympics, where he took seventh place. Van Grunsven has won numerous honorary awards including 1993-1996, 1998, 2000, and 2004 Rider of the Year in the Netherlands, 1994 Sports Woman of the Year and in 2001 she was named Rider of the Century. Equestrian Harry de Leyer purchased an unremarkable farm horse off a slaughter-bound truck for a paltry $80 and began using him to teach riding lessons to his children. By early ..Tosca,Foxhunter ,Flangan etc..would`nt that be a treat? 1949: The first Horse of the Year Show is staged at Harringay Arena in North London. When Hemingway, the high jumper, did finally get his chance on the big stage, he came through in a huge way with a silver medal, then dropped one of the great Olympic quotes in history. You jump up and backward and kick your legs over the bar. He first began training in America in 1984 before opening up his barn in the states in 1991. It was the idea of Captain Tony Collings, and put into action by BSJA chairman Mike Ansell. Best career jump: 8 feet, 1/2 inch (1993), Olympics: Barcelona 1992 (Gold), Atlanta 1996 (DNM), Sydney 2000 (Silver). I suppose it was as you grow up they were people we saw on TV. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. Sadly, he passed away on December 14, 2020, from complications after colic surgery. Don't look at the martingale, lol! Harvey Smith (1974) Harvey John Smith (born 29 December 1938) is a former British show jumping champion. So many memories and so many great achievements from these very special combinations of superb equestrians. It was Britain's only gold of the Games in any sport. >. She has won more Olympic medals than any other equestrian athlete. Theodora Elisabeth Gerarda Anky van Grunsven is the only rider to win gold medals at three consecutive Olympic Games. Olympics: London 2012 (Bronze), Rio de Janeiro 2016 (Gold). 1952: Her Majesty The Queen grants her Patronage to the British Show Jumping Association, while Great Britain's team of Harry Llewellyn (Foxhunter), Duggie Stewart (Aherlow) and Wilf White (Nizefela) win team gold at Helsinki Olympics. This incredible horse then made several guest appearances alongside another outstanding grey, the steeplechaser Desert Orchid. I remember seeing Stroller at the HOYS at Wembley, when you were able to walk around the stables and see all the horses and ponies. He has been described as the greatest ski jumper to have never won an individual Winter Olympics medal. Shows in the '70s, like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and Sanford and Son changed the face of television by including social commentary in between the laughs-a-minute. Indeed, long gone are the days when the likes of Eddies great show jumper Boomerang could be easily found grazing in a field on the Emerald Isle. Are your brains ticking away? We had completed the 50th clear round ever achieved on the course and it was the first by a woman rider.. Best career jump: 7 feet, 9 1/2 inches (1996), Olympics: Seoul 1988 (DNM), Barcelona 1992 (Bronze), Atlanta 1996 (Silver). Bertram Allen has climbed three places to number 18 as the Wexford 21-year-old continues his reign as Ireland top . Van Grunsven competed at every Olympics from 1988 and 2012. The mass TV audience made an idol of a pony with an easy-to-remember name bearing no commercial pre-fix one lesson British show jumping forgot. He followed that with a silver medal in the 1980 Olympics. "You don't lose gold medals. an astounding decade highlighted by team silver and gold medals in the 1972 and 1976 Olympic Games respectively, and individual gold (Tad Coffin) and silver (Michael Plumb) medals in 1976. It seemed the natural thing to graduate to horses, Marion recalls. Although in the early days the Brits used to go abroad, by train too hearing some of the takes, and win at all the glamourous shows. In 1992, van Grunsven and Bonfire competed at the Olympic Games, taking home team silver for the Dutch team. He became an NCAA champion at Texas State and was one of the favorites at the 1992 Olympics before a knee injury set him back, and he finished in eighth place. Topic never medaled, but he makes this list because he competed in six Olympics. Weihegold and Werth began competing together in 2014. Then, in 2016, the pair took home team bronze at the Olympic Games. While travelling between shows, Eddie relies on his second wife Kathi (whom he married in 2008) to run their New Kells Farm, a 10-acre facility in Langley, south east of Vancouver. She was feted on her return to Britain and named Sportswoman of the Year. What would his medal count have been if Cuba hadn't boycotted the Olympics in 1984 and 1988? 1968: Marion Coakes and the incredible 14.2hh pony Stroller win individual silver medal at the Mexico Olympics. Peters is a four-time Olympic competitor and three-time winner of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Horseman of the Year award. 1925: British Show Jumping Association formally incorporated as a company. Sotomayor's career has an interesting case of sliding doors. When rain hit the day of the high jump finals in 1976, only Jacek was prepared for it. Don't be surprised to see Barshim make more history in the future. Here, a who's who of the well-connected riders on the show-jumping circuit. Just the next year, they took home another gold at the Olympic Games in individual and a silver in team dressage. Household names Back in the 1970s, showjumpers were household names, with the likes of Harvey Smith, David Broome, Nick Skelton and the Whitaker brothers taking centre stage. His career intertwined with the end of the Cold War, and he was eventually able to represent his native Ukraine in international competitions for several years, then eventually became an elected official in the country. Bonfire retired after the 2000 Olympic Games. Thank you so much for those, it was great to see the old man again (Nizefela) I looked after him in his retirement,a great horse and so was his rider. When not on the international competition circuit or in Wellington, Florida, Bloomberg is at home on her farm in North Salem, New York. She won a total of nine medals: three gold medals, five silvers, and one bronze. Standing just 6-foot-1, Steve Smith has owned the British records for indoor and outdoor high jump since the early 1990s. This ended their chances of an Olympic medal and Totilas was out from competing for two years. Bonfire passed away on October 28, 2013, after battling complications relating to Cushings disease. Smith was born in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and still maintains his stables at Craiglands Farm, High Eldwick, Bingley, near Bradford. In 1989 Smith was honoured for being the first man to have jumped in 100 Volvo World Cup Qualifying Rounds. In April 1877, while performing at the Royal . He was The Netherlands national champion an impressive nine times. Who Is Gabriel Hogan? Dressage has become a popular sport and a fan favorite to watch at the international level. He held the world record for outdoor once and indoor twice as well as medaling in three consecutive Olympics. Jessica Springsteen The 24-year-old daughter of Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa grew up riding on her family's 300-acre Stone Hill Farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey. During the 1970s in his spare time he competed in professional wrestling.[2]. No Chinese high jumper has medaled since Jianhua. The expression "Doing a Harvey Smith" entered the English language for giving a V sign.[1]. Over the years Terry has judged at county shows and show centres all over the country including Great Yorkshire, Newark and Notts, Bramham, and the Festival of Show Jumping. Best career jump: 7 feet, 10 inches (1984), Olympics: Los Angeles 1984 (Bronze), Seoul 1988 (DNM). In the 1960s and 1970s, showjumping was a hugely popular sport on television and, along with the likes of David Broome, he was a household name. Best career jump: 7 feet, 10 1/4 inches (2000), Olympics: Sydney 2000 (DNM), Athens 2004 (DNM), Beijing 2008 (DNM). Birthplace: Belgrade, Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia), Best career jump: 7 feet, 9 1/2 inches (1993), Olympics: Barcelona 1992 (DNM), Atlanta 1996 (DNM), Sydney 2000 (DNM), Athens 2004 (DNM), Beijing 2008 (DNM), London 2012 (DNM). At 18, the daughter of millionaire Murray Kessler, CEO of Lorillard Tobacco Company, was the youngest show jumper ever to compete in the Olympics (she's on the .css-gegin5{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#9a0500;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-gegin5:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Short List for 2016, too). Peters has won multiple medals at the Pan American Games, including four gold medals. Stroller was second in the Hickstead Derby in 1968, and third in 1970, that year achieving an astounding victory in Germanys formidable Hamburg Derby. In 2006, Dutch owner Cees Visser for investment company Moorland purchased Totilas and Edward Gal became his rider. A retirement ceremony was held at van Grunsvens hometown, with a celebration ride at an international jumping competition in Maastricht, Netherlands. Cuba's Javier Sotomayor is the greatest high jumper of all time and has held the world record since 1993. Recently she's been training with Eric van der Vleuten in Someren, a town in the southern Netherlands. So far, Weihegold has scored 90% or higher five times. Stroller was imported as a job-lot from Ireland by the Sussex dealer Tommy Grantham. During the spring months I divide my time between Florida and Thermal in California, says Eddie, who counts Mandy Porter and Stephanie Saperstein among successful Grand Prix riders who have benefited from his expertise. The 22-year-old daughter of billionaire James G. Dinan, who founded York Capital Management, plans to ride full-time, telling FEI.org that she may relocate to Europe after she graduates from Harvard in May. The People's Republic of China had never won an Olympic medal before 1984, but despite Jianhua dominating high jump competitions throughout Asia in the years leading up to those games, his bronze medal in Los Angeles wasn't met with the acclaim you might think. Lovingly known as Diddy, the bay gelding was opinionated from a young age. Austin used that as motivation and became an Olympic champion in 1996, winning a gold medal with an Olympic record jump of 7-foot-10 that still stands today. He was imported as a foal to Vermont for owner Laura Graves. Best career jump: 7 feet, 4 1/4 inches (1968). This post may contain affiliate links. You must log in or register to reply here. One year later, he finished in fourth place at the World Championships, then didn't compete for three years. A biology major at Stanford, she splits her time between classes and competitions in Lexington and Wellington. Back in the 1970s, showjumpers were household names, with the likes of Harvey Smith, David Broome, Nick Skelton and the Whitaker brothers taking centre stage. As we mention in our ultimate fans guide to Charlotte Dujardin, she took up dressage after encouragement from her trainer Debbie Thomas. Ryan became The Today Show 's first on-air weatherman in the 1970s. Mutaz Essa Barshim is a rare high jumping talent. In the late 1960s, a sweeping change in technique brought the high jump to another level. "I'm ecstatic about winning the silver (medal)," he said. 3. Brumel underwent 29 surgeries to save his foot, but his high jump career was effectively over, and he spent the rest of his life as an actor, screenwriter and playwright. In 2012, the duo took home team and individual gold at the Olympic Games. With precision and athleticism, dressage requires excellent communication between horse and rider. And so as the sport enters another Olympic year, with all roads leading to Rio in August, British showjumping is well-set as reigning Olympic champions and possessing current world number one in Brash, a ranking he has held almost unbroken for 25 months and a reign of dominance highlighted by him completing the 1million Euros Rolex Grand Slam aboard the brilliant Hello Sanctos in unprecedented fashion. Famous daredevil drivers and stunt show stars from the past 100 years. Ludger Beerbaum, of Germany, is one of the world's most successful show jumping riders and still competes today. That year, Marion and Stroller captured the Queen Elizabeth Cup at the Royal International, and won it again six years later. Actually, boomerang is a term which could also be used to describe the 63-year-old, whose feet rarely touch the ground these days as he flits back and forth between coasts and continents. How much better and more fun everything was when showjumpers trawlled the sales and the hunting field instead if the purpose bred stuff nowadays. In 1990, after retiring from competition, Harvey joined with wife and trainer Sue Smith, a former showjumper herself, to form a racing team at their Yorkshire base, Craiglands Farm. We earn from qualifying purchases. ", Died: Jan. 15, 2013, (age 71, Brockton, Massachusetts), Best career jump: 7 feet, 3 3/4 inches (1960), Olympics: Rome 1960 (Bronze), Tokyo 1964 (Silver). was wrong about Sunsalve starting life in the States, but the filming of him out hunting was very American like. There were altitude problems, but Stroller was also suffering a decayed and split upper tooth. We are the current Olympic and European champions, while Scott Brash has been world number one for the past two years. He was bred by Oliver Anderson in Norfolk in 1950 and prior to David Broome having him he was owned & ridden by Elizabeth Anderson. 2023 horseyhooves.com, part of the Hopnetic network. BritishShowjumpingcelebrated its 90th birthday on New Years Eve and what nine decades years it has been with numerous medals and superstars created. Other greats in the sport include the 14.2hh pony Stroller who won Olympic silver, Hickstead founder Douglas Bunn, chef dequipe Ronnie Masserella and the famous Hickstead Derby. 9 Facts About the Peter Morris Actor on Heartland. She was an outstanding natural rider this proved to be the key to unlock Strollers incredible abilities and they forged a fabulous partnership. . Funny how we remember the names from years ago - I can hardly name a show jumper, horse or rider, now. 4. A record four wins of the Hickstead Derby between 1976 and 1979 and the memorable three-in-a-row Nations . He was the first-ever to score above 90% in a dressage competition. 1968: Marion Coakes and the sensational 14.2hh pony Stroller win individual silver medal at the Mexico Olympics. He was the smallest and among the greatest. 1998: Di Lampard, Britains currentshowjumpingperformance manager, wins Hicksteads Queen Elizabeth II Cup for a second time with Abbervail Dream. He was in search of a young horse for one of his show jumping clients, most of which are based along the west coast of Canada, right down to San Diego, California. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life. Our readers support us. Looks like White City I think. Wow, real blast from the past, I remember all of them. This list includes actual horses that exist in the historical record. In 12 years of international competition, he's never come in first place but has several runner-up finishes, most notably at the European Championships in 2014 and the European Indoor Championships in 2019. Copyright H&C TV Ltd 2023. Who could ever forget the great combination of Eddie Macken and Boomerang as they blazed a storm on the world show jumping circuit in the 1970s? Classic Touch was also a German horse. 1952: Harry Llewellyn (Foxhunter), Duggie Stewart (Aherlow) and Wilf White (Nizefela) win Britains only gold at the Helsinki Olympics. And it works like a charm. All in the Family (1971-1979) A working class man constantly squabbles with his family over the important issues of the day. Totilas spent his retirement standing at stud. In 2020, Graves announced the retirement of Verdades. Best career jump: 7 feet, 10 1/4 inches (1991), Olympics: Seoul 1988 (Silver), Barcelona 1992 (Bronze). Charles Dumas was the first person to clear 7 feet in the high jump and won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics while he was a freshman at Compton College just one year after he shocked the U.S. track and field community by winning a national championship at the 1955 AAU meet. . Shortly after, van Grunsvens father purchased him. In 2014, Verdades and Graves surprised the dressage world by coming in second in the Grand Prix at the United States Dressage Festival of Champions. The British Showjumping Association is a Limited Company registeredin England and Wales with the registration number 210797. Laura Graves is the first-ever American dressage rider to be ranked #1 in the world in the FEI World rankings. Strollers last puissance class was at the Antwerp show in 1967. She's currently ranked 9th in the North American East Coast League. The Soviet Union found an uncut gem of a high jumper in Rudolf Povarnitsyn when he came out of nowhere to set the world record in the summer of 1985. .css-1du65oy{color:#323232;display:block;font-family:NewParis,Georgia,Times,serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;-webkit-font-smoothing:auto;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1du65oy:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.0625rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1du65oy{font-size:1.3125rem;line-height:1.2;}}T&C Culture Watch: On the Agenda for March 2023, How to Watch Rihanna's Super Bowl Halftime Show, No Crypto Advertisements at the 2023 Super Bowl. 1970: David Broome becomes Britain's first showjumping world champion, winning gold at La Baule in France with Beethoven. Best career jump: 7 feet, 9 1/2 inches (1988). Most recently, she has found success with her mares Bella Rose 2 and Weihegold. The world's top 10 showjumpers 1. Later in 2010, German breeder Paul Schockemhle purchased Totilas for an estimated 10 million. Peters also won team bronze at the 2016 Olympics with Legolas 92. 1961: The first Hickstead Derby takes place at the All EnglandJumpingCourse in West Sussex, a venue founded by the late Douglas Bunn. Verdades was inducted into the Equus Foundation Horse Stars Hall of Fame in 2016. There wasnt a horse exciting enough to keep me in the saddle, so I decided it was time to quit.. Schulten-Baumer, a dressage trainer, formed a close bond with Werth. or at the Winter Equestrian Festival December through April, you can find her at charity galas in New York City, supporting causes like the American Ballet Theatre and the New York Botanical Garden. Mr Cripps soon realised that he owned a good jumping pony. When she was 18 in 1965, Marion rode Stroller to triumph in the ladies World Championship at Hickstead. Sjoberg inspired an entire generation of Swedish high jumpers, including 2004 Olympic gold medal winner Stefan Holm and bronze medal winner Kajsa Bergqvist. Sadly it is not an Irish-bred horse, which we would have preferred, but good, young Irish-bred horses are hard to find. British Showjumping reached a major milestone today,December 31 - a day that marks 90 years since the Association was officially incorporated. Best career jump: 7 feet, 10 inches (1985), Olympics: Los Angeles 1984 (Gold), Seoul 1988 (DNM), Barcelona 1992 (DNM). Sotomayor, 6-foot-4, won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics and the silver medal at the 2000 Olympics and sandwiched an appearance at the 1996 Olympics in which he did not place because of an injury. He then became BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Roman wet down the jumping area in Poland ahead of the trip to the Olympics and made Jacek train on it for several days. Verdades is a bay Dutch Warmblood gelding born on April 17, 2002, in the Netherlands. But he finished 10th at the Sydney Games. Their success continues on as they have placed either first or second in all their competitions throughout 2020 and 2021. Best career jump: 7 feet, 10 1/4 inches (2014), Olympics: London 2012 (DNM), Rio de Janeiro 2016 (DNM). The black mare is owned by Christine and Frank Arns-Krogmann, leased by Madeleine Winter-Schulze, and ridden by Isabell Werth. Retired in the 1970s, Stroller lived until the age of 36. The d'Inzeos (fabulous riders BTW) usually rode Irish horses especially sourced for them and fantastic horses they were too. For her services to equestrianism, Dujardin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2013 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2017. The Best TV Shows of the 1970s. David Broome, Mr Ross, Sportsman and Philco among my favourites.. Ginny Leng (Elliott) on the eventing side with Priceless and Nightcap both by the same sire of my first ever horse who if she had. Hennadiy Avdyeyenko was a virtual unknown when he showed up to the World Championships in 1983 representing the Soviet Union, but he walked away with a gold medal and shocked the international track and field community. Announcer Frank Waters writes about the "Golden Age" when riders and horses were as famous as movie stars. A record four wins of the Hickstead Derby between 1976 and 1979 and the memorable three-in-a-row Nations Cup victories on home ground in Dublin are just some of many great moments this great duo enjoyed during their five years together. FEI/Libby Law Photography 3. In 2016, Verdades and Graves took home bronze in team dressage at the Olympics. She was born on July 22, 1987, in Burlington, Vermont, and began riding at a young age. His latest quest had taken him the length and breadth of Ireland in just three days, but thankfully, it was not in vain. Over 90 percent of medal winners since 1972 have used it in the Olympics. Davis grew up in the mountains above Los Angeles "with horses in my front yard," she says, and began riding as soon as she could walk and taking lessons at age five. Back From The Brink: 'Farm Family' Pulls Together Groom Spotlight: Monica Stanke Relishes Her Role As An USEF Announces Adequan U.S. Para Dressage Team For CHI Al Training Grant Brings Coastal Dressage Experience To The U.S. Dressage Teams Named For Wellington Nations Cup, In Photos: Repeat Winners And Fresh Faces Saturday At AGDF, Bluetooth OLD Transmits Another Freestyle Win In Wellington, Ringside Chat: Morgan Barbanon Is Making Her Mark At AGDF, Lusitanos Take Center Stage In Kyra Kyrklund Master Class. The Puissance is probably the most famous show jumping competition in the world; designed to push both horse and rider to their limits. The pair was the runner-up at the 2019 World Cup Finals. 14-year-old acrobat Rosa Maria Richter was the world's first female human cannonball in London, 1877. At just three years old, Dujardin came in second place at a Pony Club show jumping competition. After being difficult to work with, Graves was set to sell him. 2012: Great Britain team of Nick Skelton, Ben Maher, Scott Brash and Peter Charles end 60-year wait for Olympic glory by winning team gold at London Games. Gerd Wessig came out on top in one of the greatest high jump duals in track and field history, edging defending Olympic champion Jacek Wzsola in the finals of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. 5 January 2017. The best high jumper of the modern era, Derek Drouin is still the reigning Olympic champion after bringing home a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics. He was a TV star whose fans wrote to ask for hairs from his tail. Valegro is a dark bay Dutch Warmblood gelding that was born on July 5, 2002, in the Netherlands. Conway was actually the top-ranked high jumper in the United States from 1984 to 1991 and in the world in 1990 and 1991, although his bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics was looked at as a disappointment after he won a silver medal at the 1988 Olympics. He was not easy to ride, but he had immense scope and talent.. He coached her from 1986 until 2001, during which she rode horses Gigolo FRH and Antony FRH to numerous victories on the international level. Though he prefers to keep numbers to an average dozen, all his clients demand attention during the busy jumping season and his time at home, during that period, is limited. Wessig's world record stood for three years, and his Olympic record stood for eight years. In March she ranked 27th at the 2016 World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden; she is ranked 7th in the Longines Western European League. Harrie Smolders of the Netherlands, pictured here riding Don VHP Z. And we'll soon find out who made the cut for the U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Team that goes to Rio. Valegro went on to win multiple medals at the European Championships, World Equestrian Games, and World Cup Finals. Still wanting to be involved in horses, Graves ended up taking a position with dressage trainer Anne Gribbons. His career was often controversial: in 1971 he was disciplined (overturned on appeal) after he gave a "V sign" to the judges following a near-perfect round which won him the British Show Jumping Derby for the second year in succession; this act also earned him a 'tongue-in-cheek' part in an advert for Victory V sweets with the slogan 'They've got a kick like a mule!' This year she spent 12 weeks. Graves begin riding with Debbie McDonald and things began to click with Verdades. He was leading show jumper of the year at the Horse of the Year Show in 1970, and won Hicksteads British Championship in 1971, 11 years after he appeared at the first Hickstead show in the Grasshopper Stakes, finishing sixth. After some rough experiences with Verdades, including breaking her back, Graves decided to go to cosmetology school. Valegro and Dujardin quickly rose to success and have won multiple gold medals. The pair is on their way to competing at their second Olympic games. Wszola's father, Roman, was a longtime track and field coach in Poland and deserves a great deal of credit for the win in Montreal.