Hans Günter Winkler facts for kids
Winkler in 1966, on Scheila
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| Born | 24 July 1926 Barmen, Germany |
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| Died | 9 July 2018 (aged 91) Warendorf, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
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| Occupation | Equestrian | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 1948-1986 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Horse riding | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Show jumping | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Hans Günter Winkler (born July 24, 1926 – died July 9, 2018) was a famous German show jumper. He holds an amazing record: he is the only show jumper to win five Olympic gold medals. He also earned a total of seven Olympic medals. He competed and won medals in six different Olympic Games! During the 1950s and 1960s, Winkler was one of Germany's most popular athletes.
Contents
Early Life and Start in Horse Riding
Hans Günter Winkler was born in Barmen, which is now part of Wuppertal, Germany. His father was a riding teacher, so Hans grew up around horses.
After a difficult time during World War II, Winkler started working with horses. He became a groom at a stable. He also taught Americans how to ride horses. In 1948, he began an apprenticeship in a textile store.
Joining the Riding Committee
Winkler loved show jumping. He won his first competition on October 10, 1948. In 1949, a new Olympic Committee for Riding (DOKR) was created. Its leader, Gustav Rau, invited Winkler to join in 1950.
Winkler trained horses for the committee in the mornings. In the afternoons, he worked as a carpenter. This shows how dedicated he was to his passion for horses.
Halla: A Special Horse
One day, a horse named Halla came to the committee. She was meant for eventing, but Rau thought she wasn't right for it. He asked Halla's owner to take her back.
However, Halla's owner asked Winkler to care for the mare. Winkler agreed, and Halla became a very important part of his riding career. Their partnership would lead to many victories.
Olympic Success and Famous Moments
Winkler won his first German championship in 1952. He couldn't go to the Olympic Games that year because he was considered a professional rider. But by the end of 1952, he was allowed to compete as an amateur.
Winning World Championships
Winkler and Halla won the World Championship in 1954. They won again in 1955. This made them top favorites for the 1956 Olympic Games.
The 1956 Olympic Games
The equestrian events for the 1956 Olympics were held in Stockholm, Sweden. This was because horses couldn't travel to Melbourne, Australia, due to animal health rules.
During the first round of the competition, Winkler had a painful accident. His mare, Halla, jumped early, and he pulled a muscle. He was in a lot of pain.
Despite the injury, Winkler decided to ride in the second round. If he didn't ride, the German team would be out of the competition. He took medicine for the pain. Riding was very difficult, but Halla seemed to know her rider was hurt. She completed the course perfectly, with Winkler only guiding her slightly. Their amazing performance won them both the individual and team gold medals!
More Olympic Medals
Winkler continued to win many medals. Between 1956 and 1976, he won five gold medals in show jumping with the German team. He also earned a silver medal and a bronze medal.
He is one of Germany's most successful Olympic athletes in equestrian sports. He was named German Sportspersonality of the Year in both 1955 and 1956.
Retirement and Later Life
Hans Günter Winkler stopped competing in show jumping on July 13, 1986. This was after the famous Aachen tournament.
After retiring, Winkler became a trainer for the German Olympic teams. He helped them succeed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He also advised companies that wanted to support horse riding. He organized tournaments and worked to help young riders develop their skills.
Winkler wrote many books about horse riding. In 1991, he started a sports marketing company called HGW-Marketinggesellschaft. This company helped create many equestrian competitions. He was also part of the German Equestrian Federation's Jumping Committee. He helped choose the German Olympic Team for the 2000 Games.
Hans Günter Winkler passed away on July 9, 2018, in Warendorf.
Awards and Honors
Hans Günter Winkler received many awards for his incredible career.
- In May 2000, he was the first person to receive the "Goldene Sportpyramide" award. This award comes from a German sports foundation.
- On June 12, 2008, he received the Federal Cross of Merit in Warendorf. This is a very high honor in Germany.
- He also received the media prize Bambi Award.
Major Achievements
Here are some of Hans Günter Winkler's biggest wins:
Olympic Games
- 1956 Stockholm: Team gold medal and individual gold medal on Halla
- 1960 Rome: Team gold medal. He finished 5th individually on Halla.
- 1964 Tokyo: Team gold medal. He finished 16th individually on Fidelitas.
- 1968 Mexico City: Team bronze medal. He finished 5th individually on Enigk.
- 1972 Munich: Team gold medal on Torphy
- 1976 Montreal: Team silver medal. He finished 10th individually on Torphy.
World Championships
See also
- List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
