Reiner Klimke (; 14 January 1936 – 17 August 1999) was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze

medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be in ...

s in

dressage Dressage ( or ; , most commonly translated as "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrianism, equestrian sport defined by th ...

at the

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the Olympiad, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inaugural Games took place in 1896 in Athens, then part of the King ...

— a record for equestrian events that has since been surpassed. He appeared in six Olympics from 1960 to 1988, excluding the 1980 Games that were boycotted by West Germany.

Equestrian career

Klimke studied Harry Boldt and Gustaf Rau. He won team gold in 1964, 1968 (both on Dux), 1976 (riding Mehmed), 1984 and 1988 (both with Ahlerich), and the individual gold in 1984 on Ahlerich. He is the most recent man to win Olympic gold in dressage. His two bronze medals came in the individual event in 1968 and 1976. Klimke also had a fine record at the World Championships, winning six gold medals: two individual, in 1974 on Mehmed and in 1982 on Ahlerich, and four team: 1966, 1974, 1982, 1986. At the European Championships, he was the individual champion in 1967, 1973, and 1985 and rode on seven winning West German teams (1965, 1973, 1983, 1985, and others) . Klimke also competed in

eventing Eventing (also known as three-day eventing or horse trials) is an equestrian event where the same horse and rider combination compete against other competitors across the three disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This ...

early in his career. He was a member of the winning West German three-day event team at the 1959 European Championships, and finished 18th in individual eventing at the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 1960 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awar ...

, making him the best German combination. He also won a Grand Prix

show jumping Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrian events that also includes eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics. Sometimes shows ar ...

competition in Berlin.

Personal life

Reiner Klimke was the son of a psychologist and a neurologist. With his wife, Ruth (also a top show jumping and dressage rider), he had three children: Ingrid, Rolf, and Michael. Ingrid competes in

and

; she won a gold medal at the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fro ...

, twenty years after her father's last Olympic gold. Michael also competes at the Grand Prix level in dressage. Klimke not only rode and trained, but also ran a law firm and served on several boards, including the FEI Dressage Committee. Klimke died from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

at age 63 in

Münster Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...

, his place of birth. Prior to his death, he had planned to start at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2000, and also known as the Games of the New Millennium, were an international multi-sport event held from 15 September to 1 October ...

Publications

* ''Cavaletti: Ausbildung von Reiter und Pferd über Bodenricks'' Stuttgart: Franckh 1966 * ''Military: Geschichte, Training, Wettkampf'' Stuttgart: Franckh 1967, "Eventing" * ''Cavalletti: Schooling of Horse and Rider over Ground Rails'' (translation of ''Cavaletti'' by Daphne Machin Goodall) London: J.A. Allen 1969 * ''Le Concours complet: histoire, entraînement, compétition'' (translation of ''Military'' by Pierre André) Paris: Crépin-Leblond 1977 * ''Grundausbildung des jungen Reitpferdes: von der Fohlenerziehung bis zum ersten Turnierstart'' Stuttgart: Franckh 1980 * ''Horse trials'' (translation of ''Military'' by Daphne Machin Goodall) London: J.A. Allen 1984 * ''Ahlerich von der Remonte zum Dressur-Weltmeister; ein exemplarischer Ausbildungsweg'' Stuttgart: Franckh 1984 * ''Basic Training of the Young Horse: From the Education of the Young Foal to the First Competition'' (translation of ''Grundausbildung'' by Sigrid Young) London: J.A. Allen 1985 * ''Ahlerich: The Making of a Dressage World Champion'' (translation of ''Ahlerich'' by Courtney Searls-Ridge) Gaithersburg, MD: Half Halt Press 1986 * ''Von der Schönheit der Dressur vom jungen Pferd bis zum Grand Prix'' Stuttgart: Franckh-Kosmos 1991 * ''Klimke on Dressage: From the Young Horse Through Grand Prix'' (translation of the above by Courtney Searls-Ridge and Jan Spauschus Johnson) Middletown, MD: Half Halt Press 1992

References

Eurodressage article on Klimke

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Klimke, Reiner 1936 births 1999 deaths German dressage riders Dressage trainers German event riders Olympic equestrians for West Germany German male equestrians Olympic equestrians for the United Team of Germany Equestrians at the 1960 Summer Olympics Equestrians at the 1964 Summer Olympics Equestrians at the 1968 Summer Olympics Equestrians at the 1976 Summer Olympics Equestrians at the 1984 Summer Olympics Equestrians at the 1988 Summer Olympics Olympic gold medalists for West Germany Olympic gold medalists for the United Team of Germany Olympic bronze medalists for West Germany Sportspeople from Münster Equestrians from Münster (region) Olympic medalists in equestrian Recipients of the Olympic Order Articles containing video clips Writers on horsemanship Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics 20th-century German sportsmen

Equestrian career

Personal life

Publications

See also

References

External links