Gerard de Kruijff

De Kruijff served in the military, eventually rising to the rank of colonel in a hussar regiment. Having worked at several famed Italian riding schools, he applied his experience at Dutch military riding schools. This proved successful, as the Dutch eventing team dominated the sport between 1924 and 1928. De Kruijff himself won two team golds and an individual silver. The latter was won with Va-t-en, which belonged to Charles Pahud de Mortanges, who finished first in that

competition. His own horse, Kakkerlak (Cockroach) had become crippled shortly before the Olympics commenced.