Hans Günter Winkler

Hans Günter Winkler has the finest record ever of any German show jumper and his overall record internationally is rivalled only by France's Pierre Jonquères d'Oriola and Italy's Raimondo D'Inzeo. Winkler won seven Olympic medals (five gold and one silver), with one in the individual event, a gold in 1956. In 1976 he won a silver with the German show jumping team, but that followed team Olympic golds in 1956, 1960, 1964, and 1972, and he finished his Olympic career with a team silver in 1976. Winkler's 1956 championship was his third consecutive as he won the first two world championships in show jumping which were held in 1954 and 1955. At the European Championships Winkler won the gold medal in individual jumping in 1957 and added a silver in 1962 and bronzes in 1958, 1961, and 1969, all in the individual event. In all he competed 108 times internationally for Germany from his international début in 1952, retiring only in 1986. His greatest successes came on Halla (1945-1979), the only horse to ride to three Olympic gold medals, team and individual in 1956 and team in 1960. He is also the son-in-law of [Flor Isava-Fonseca], IOC member for Venezuela.