The 9 Greatest Equestrians Of All Time
The 9 Greatest Equestrian Athletes of All-Time
Show jumping, dressage, hunter trials … these are just a few of the events that equestrians and their trusty steeds compete in for glory.
But who are the greatest equestrians ever? The Sporting Blog team put together their Top 9!
Equestrian legend Sir Mark Todd
We’ve rounded up 9 equestrian athletes widely regarded as some of the best in the sport's history.
1. Charlotte Dujardin
The first British rider to win individual dressage gold at the Olympics
The first rider to hold six top titles simultaneously
Dujardin and her now-retired horse, Valegro (affectionately called Blueberry), have set multiple world records
Charlotte Dujardin started riding at the tender age of two. By the time she was three years old, she’d earned her first placing for show jumping - and at age 16, she was competing full-time.
At the 2012 Olympics, Charlotte and her horse, Valegro, set a record, winning the first-ever dressage medals for Great Britain in Olympic history!
The pair also excelled at the FEI European Championships and World Cup Dressage Finals. Charlotte and Valegro have now become household names and inspired a new generation of riders.
2. Michael Jung
Considered one of the greatest eventing riders of all-time
He received a place in the Eventing Rider Hall of Fame in 2013
The first-ever rider to hold three simultaneous titles for Olympic, World and European championships
Michael Jung is a German equestrian athlete born in 1982. He started riding at age six and did his first eventing in 2009, earning third place.
He now excels in all three phases of eventing: dressage, show jumping and cross country.
During his riding career, he’s won three gold and one silver Olympic medals from the 2012 and 2016 Games. Other accomplishments include winning World Championship titles and the Grand Slam of Eventing in 2016.
3. Anky van Grunsven
She competed in the Olympics four times, winning three consecutive medals in dressage
Awarded Rider of the Century in 2001
She holds the record for the most wins at the Dressage World Cup
Anky van Grunsven has won the World Dressage Championships a whopping nine times. Additionally, she accumulated 15 medals between 1991 and 2009 at the European Dressage Championships.
Apart from her awards, Anky van Grunsven has revolutionised the sport with her training methods and innovative techniques.
This former world champ now trains horses, teaches new dressage riders and owns an equestrian clothing business.
4. Ludger Beerbaum
Ranked the #1 show jumper by the FEI multiple times
He won four Olympic gold medals for himself and as part of a team
In 1993, he came first in the World Cup Final
Ludger Beerbaum is a German national born in 1963. He started riding at the age of eight, and by 25, he'd won his first of four Olympic gold medals.
Over the years, Beerbaum has won numerous World Cup individual titles and European Championship team and individual titles.
Beerbaum's contributions to the sport – both as a rider and trainer – have had a positive impact on show jumping in Germany.
5. Isabell Werth
A German dressage icon
She holds the most Olympic medals of any equestrian athlete ever
She won Olympic gold medals on four different horses, showcasing her ability to form strong partnerships with these often temperamental animals
Isabell Werth was born in 1969 and grew up on her parents’ farm, where she was always around horses. When she was 17, her neighbour and top horse trainer, Dr Uwe Schulten-Baumer Sr., took her under his wing.
Werth has competed in all but two Olympic Games from 1992 to 2020, winning seven golds and five silvers in dressage.
Her other achievements include World Equestrian Games titles and European Dressage Championships.
6. Pippa Funnell
A renowned eventing rider from the United Kingdom
The first equestrian to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing (2003)
Funnell was voted the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year in 2003
Pippa Funnell's fame began when she won the 2003 Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, winning the Badminton Horse Trials, Burghley Horse Trials and Kentucky Three-Day Event consecutively.
She's also won five gold medals at the European Championships, three Olympic medals and many other international titles.
Funnell has starred in several video games and is the author of the children's book series "Tilly's Pony Tails", as well as her autobiography.
7. Sir Mark Todd
He was voted the FEI Event Rider of the 20th Century
He won his first World Championship in 1978
Sir Mark Todd wanted to be a jockey but he was too tall (6'3")
Sir Mark Todd was born in 1956 in New Zealand. Since he was too tall to be a jockey, he pursued show jumping instead.
He won his first World Championship in 1978 and continued his winning streak in other prestigious competitions, including the Olympics in 1984 and 1988.
In 1980, he won Badminton on his first attempt and then twice again in the 90s. Todd retired in 2000 but surprised crowds with a comeback in 2008.
In 2013, he was knighted, and in 2016, he competed at the Olympics. Sir Mark Todd retired from eventing in 2019 but is still involved in horse racing.
8. Beezie Madden
She was the first female equestrian to win the King George Gold Cup
The first female equestrian to win the USEF Equestrian of the Year award four times
Madden was the first female show jumper to earn over a million dollars
Elizabeth "Beezie" Madden is a semi-retired American show jumper. She was born in 1963 and competed until 2020 when she announced her retirement.
Madden won four Olympic medals and several World Championship and Pan American Games medals in her career.
Even though Madden is semi-retired, she continues to train riders and horses. She also operates the successful equine training and sales business, John Madden Sales.
9. Dr. Reiner Klimke
Considered the best dressage rider of all time
He was awarded the Olympic Order in silver in 1988
Klimke’s favourite horse was Ahlerich, and he competed in the Olympics at 17 years old
Born in 1936 in Germany, Dr. Reiner Klimke was a legendary figure in dressage and eventing. Klimke won numerous Olympic golds in these sports, showcasing his remarkable versatility as an equestrian athlete.
When he was awarded the Olympic Order in 1988, he was asked to be a flagbearer for Germany at the Seoul Olympics. His sportsmanship and dedication to his horses have inspired generations of riders.
In 2000, a year after his death, his daughter Ingrid Klimke began competing, following in her father’s rather large footsteps.
The equestrians on our list are only a handful of the exceptional talent in this sport. Do you think we’ve missed anyone? Tell us in the comments!
Read more equestrian articles on our horse racing blog
