Reiner klimke biography

Reiner Klimke was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics — a record for equestrian events that has.
Reiner Klimke was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics — a record for equestrian events that has since been surpassed.
Reiner was born in Münster where he lived all his life.

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Reiner Klimke

German equestrian

Passage and piaffe by Reiner Klimke
Born	(1936-01-14)January 14, 1936 Münster, Germany
Died	August 17, 1999(1999-08-17) (aged 63) Münster, Germany
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	66 kg (146 lb)
Sport	Equestrianism
Club	RuF Gustav Rau, Telgte RV St. Georg Münster

Reiner Klimke (German pronunciation:[ˈʁaɪnɐˈklɪmkə]^ⓘ; 14 January 1936 – 17 August 1999) was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics — 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.

His two bronze medals came in the individual event in 1968 and 1976. Klimke also had a fine record at the World Championships, win

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By 1975 German team rider Dr. Reiner Klimke had already won nearly everything in dressage. With his Hanoverian geldings Dux (born in 1951, by Duellant) and Mehmed (born 1960, by Ferdinand) he had won all team and individual titles possible, except the elusive individual Olympic gold medal which he just missed in 1968 and 1976.

Time to change that thought Dr. Dohmen, the director of the Westfalian studbook, and he decided that Klimke, a famous native of the North Rhine-Westfalia area, should have a Westfalian horse in his stable.

So he selected several horses in 1975 Westfalian auction for Dr. Klimke to try out. One of these was Herbert de Baey's leggy bay 4-year old gelding Ahlerich by the thoroughbred Angelo xx out of Dodona (by Donar).

Klimke tried him first and was sure: This one or none! During the auction the price was climbing high to a level Dr. Klimke wasn't prepared to pay. Finally the Westfalian studbook, Clemens Freiherr von Heeremann- Zydtwyck and Klimke bought the hopeful together for the top knock down price of 42,000 DM (21,000 euro).

Klimke's innumerous duties

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His Impact on the International Dressage Scene

The success and reputation of German riding is closely linked with one name: Dr. Reiner Klimke. The lawyer from Münster, Germany was already a riding legend in his lifetime. Together with his horses Dux, Mehmed and Ahlerich Reiner Klimke became one of the most successful riders in history.

At the beginning of his riding career, Reiner Klimke was already impressive with his success in Eventing. He was on the medal-winning Team at two European Championships, part of the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and won the at the German Eventing Championships before specializing purely in dressage.

In the dressage saddle at the Olympics, he won a total of six Gold and two Bronze medals and was for a very long time one of the most successful German Olympians. Having won six World Championships and eleven European Championships he is one of the most successful dressage riders in the world.

Outside the dressage arena, Reiner Klimke was also a very active representative. As Deputy Chairman of the Sports Commission, he sat in the state parliament of No