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Product Description
United States Army Olympic equestrian competitions have been largely overlooked in historical writings. This book tells the stories of the triumphs, the contributions, and the failures of the U.S. Army Olympians, and also captures the humor and good times as well as the drama and disappointments of the U.S. Army Olympians from the 1912 Games in Stockholm, to the 1948 Games in London. The stories are rich in detail, and include the controversial 1936 Summer Games held in Berlin, Germany. Many personal vignettes as told by team members enhance the story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The best source available on this important equestrian history
This is the best and only source available on the Army Equestrian Teams.There is a paucity of sources on the earlier years, probably due to the principals having died prematurely in WWI or WWII.The book hints at, but does not give a complete discussion about the change-over from military to civilian teams.This change-over involved several competing missions that changed, the Army mission, the US Equestrian Team mission, and the whole Olympic amateur versus professional contretemps.The latter was handled differently in different sports over many years before coming to today's resolution.

The biggest story was the hinted at political/military/espionage story of having the Army team in GERMANY for two months in 1936.I guess someone else will have to write that book.And please let me know when you do!

Thompson has filled the book with history of the various teams and how they were formed.There are many photos.However, as indicated above, some of this history has been lost due to the stories and photos not being captured and archived at the time.The lost part did not make it to this history, but you can see where some individuals don't get much coverage probably due to a lack of information, not any fault of the author. ... Read more

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In January 1955 six riders sailed for England. The men had just 14 months to learn it all, living and training together in military barracks south of London, under the tuition of Franz Mairinger, an instructor from the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. The Australians soon discovered their horses simply were not up to international standard; and so, in addition to their tough training regime, they had less than a year to find and train new horses. They competed in one of the most difficult cross-country courses in Olympic history, with almost every jump at maximum height and width, and slippery ground due to bad weather. The Australians put up a tough performance and, after the second day, they were in contention for the bronze medal.In an astounding effort for a country with no international equestrian experience, they came fourth and were congratulated by the Queen. Then in a cruel twist, the team was not permitted to take their Olympic horses home; they had to be sold to pay for costs and due to Australian quarantine regulations. After the Olympics, the men blazed a trail for the Rome Olympic team, which won gold just four years later.Wyatt (Bunty) Thompson is the last surviving member of the first Australian Olympic equestrians. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Important history
This is a brilliant book about the first Australian 3 day event Olympians. With little or no knowledge of dressage these Aussies went overseas, intensively trained and showed the world that Australia can or does produce some of the best horsemen and women in the world. So glad this book was written so that the story will not be lost.
Highly recommended. ... Read more

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Purchase includes free access to book updates online and a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Ludger Beerbaum, Hans Günter Winkler, Reiner Klimke, Alwin Schockemöhle, Fritz Thiedemann, Josef Neckermann, Hermann Schridde, Liselott Linsenhoff, Franke Sloothaak, Nicole Uphoff, Monica Theodorescu, Harry Boldt, Fritz Ligges, Ann-Kathrin Linsenhoff, Matthias Baumann, Gerhard Wiltfang, Claus Erhorn, Ralf Ehrenbrink, Gabriela Grillo, Hartwig Steenken, Dirk Hafemeister, Thies Kaspareit, Wolfgang Brinkmann, Herbert Krug, Uwe Sauer. Excerpt:Medal record Alwin Schockemöhle (born May 29, 1937 in Meppen ) is a former German show-jumper . He was a successful international show-jumper in the 1960s and 1970s at individual and team events in Olympic Games and European Championships . Paul Schockemöhle is his younger brother. Biography He won his first Olympic gold medal in 1960 on the show jumping team, followed in 1968 by a bronze medal. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, he won both gold in the individual and a silver medal with the German team which he was part of with his brother. He has several times been crowned champion of Europe and Germany. Major achievements item European Championships item Multiple: References (URLs online) Bibliography Websites (URLs online) A hyperlinked version of this chapter is at url{http://booksllc.ne... ... Read more

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Whether you're an experienced rider or an enthusiastic beginner, A Basic Guide To Equestrian offers practical pointers for riding, training, and caring for your horse in a safe, responsible, and enjoyable way. If you love horses and enjoy watching equestrian eventsat shows and on television, this book will tell you what to look for and help you appreciate the finer points of dressage, show jumping, and three-day eventing. You'll learn the basics about buying a horse, finding a stable, taking riding lessons, or purchasing a new saddle or bridle. ... Read more