VIDEO: A pony winning Olympic Silver

Only four days to go until the show jumping competitons at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro kick off on Friday (12 July 2016) with the Vet Check for the show jumping horses. Time to do a little time travel in Olympic Games History. There once was a pony, that won the Olympic Silver Medal in the individual show jumping competition. Don’t believe it? Then see for yourself…

It is 1986 – the Olympics in Mexiko City. The battle for medals in show jumping is in full swing. And there is one pair standing out of the crowd: Marion Coakes and unforgettable Stroller.

What made Stroller so special: he was 1.45m only! But size does not matter when you have a heart of gold. An attribute this TBxConnemara definitely had – to make the impossible possible.

The highly successful pair won the individual silver medal in show jumping in Mexiko City – only beaten by Bill Steinkraus (USA) aboard Snowbound. A success that has not yet been repeated at the Olympics. But this pony did shine way more often in the show ring during his life.

A wonderful story
Stroller was born in the 1950s in Ireland and imported to England by Tommy Grantham. Ted Crippes and his daughter Sally bought him and soon realized that he was different than other ponies. At the age of eight, Stroller was sold to Ralph Oakes who trained his children in show jumping.

Marion Coakes and Stroller 1965

Marion Coakes took him over and made it to the British Junior Team. They were meant to be a dream team. At the end of her junior career, Stroller was close to being put on sale.  Luckily, Marion convinced her father to let him enter standard classes – the foundation to becoming a legend.

Unstoppable on the way to the top
Just turned 18, Marion won the World Championship for Women in Hickstead in 1965. In the same year, the pair could win the Queen Elizabeth Cup. Six years later, they won this cup again.

In 1967, they ended up in a tie with Alwin Schockemöhle in the Puissance Event in Antwerpen – jumping 2.10m. Unbelievable!

Stroller was also part of three Nation Cup wins and won the President’s Cup.

In 1964, Marion and her pony were awarded the silver medal at the Hickstead Derby, three years later they won gold at the same event with the only clear round. 1968 she won the silver medal, 1970 the bronze medal. In the same year, the pair won the German Derby in Hamburg.

Happy retirement
Stroller was eventually retired in the 1970s. Until the age of 36, he led a happy life and found his final resting place in the Barton-on-Sea Golf Club in New Milton/Hampshire (GBR). What a great pony!

Source: The Olympic Games

This article was written by EQUESTRIAN WORLDWIDE – EQWO.net and is NOT a press release. Copying of the text and pictures is not allowed.