Halla (horse)

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Halla (May 16 1945 - May 19 1979) was a horse ridden by Hans Günter Winkler. She is the only horse ever to win three Olympic Gold medals in the sport of show jumping.

*Color: Bay
*Markings: Star, black points
*Height: 16.2 hh approx.
*Sex: Mare
*Breed: Hesse flagicon|Germany
*Breeding: by Oberst (1935) out of Helene (1935)
*Breeder: Gustav Vierling, Darmstadt, Germany
*Rider: Hans-Günter Winkler

Halla (also listed as "Sonnenglanz") was born in the yard of Gustav Vierling in Darmstadt.Stonebridge "Great Horses of Our Time" p. 414-431] Her parents were Helene, a French trotter horse of unknown breeding, and the Standardbred Oberst. Halla was first trained as a steeplechaser before she was discovered by the German Olympic committee. She was to be used in eventing competitions, but was considered very difficult and changed riders several times. Despite her great talent, she remained unsuccessful. In 1951 she was taken over by the then rising star Hans Günter Winkler.

Halla had already won back-to-back World Championships in show jumping when she and Winkler competed at the 1956 Olympics in Stockholm. During the first round, Halla took off early for the penultimate fence. Winkler was thrown into the air, landed heavily back in the saddle and pulled a groin muscle. He knew that if he withdrew from the final round, the German team would be eliminated. In great pain, he rode anyway, only being able to give the slightest direction to his mount. Halla completed the course without a fault, and they earned gold in both the individual and team events.

Four years later, at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Halla and Winkler led the German team to another victory.

Together they won a total of 125 jumping competitions. Thus Halla stands as the horse with most gold medals from the Olympic Games in The Guinness Book of the Records.

Halla retired from the sport on October 25, 1960 and went into the breeding farm She had eight foals but none was a champion like herself.

Halla died on May 19, 1979, at the high age of 34 years.

Pedigree

Pedigree
name = Halla
f = Oberst
Standardbred
m = Helene
ff = Palmetto Watts
1913
fm = Odelis
1922
mf = Unknown
mm = Unknown
fff = General Watts
1904 T 2:06 3/4
ffm = Ottaray Belle
1907
fmf = Morgenwind
ch. 1911
fmm = Ottaray Belle
1907
mff =
mfm =
mmf =
mmm =
ffff = Axworthy
ch. 2:15 1/2 1892
fffm = Carpet
ffmf = Rhythmic
1897
ffmm = Night Queen
1902
fmff = Morgan Axworthy
1907
fmfm = Della Bell
1904
fmmf = Rhythmic
1897
fmmm = Night Queen
1902
mfff =
mffm =
mfmf =
mfmm =
mmff =
mmfm =
mmmf =
mmmm = |

Major achievements

*Winner Individual Gold Medal 1956 Olympics in Stockholm
*Winner Team Gold Medal 1956 Olympics in Stockholm
*Winner Team Gold Medal 1960 Olympics in Rome
*Winner 1954 World Championships in Madrid
*Winner 1955 World Championships in Aachen
*Individual Bronze Medal 1958 European Championships in Aachen

International Grand Prix Wins include:

*1957 Aachen (CHIO) Grand Prix
*1958 Wiesbaden Grand Prix
*1959 Rome (CSIO) Grand Prix

*Winner 1955 Hamburg Derby

Notes

References

* [http://www.sok.se/inenglish/stockholmmelbourne1956.4.18ea16851076df63622800011093.html 1956 Olympics in Stockholm]
* Stoneridge, M. A. "Great Horses of Our Time" New York: Doubleday 1972
* Bryant, Jennifer O. "Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport". Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008

External links

* [http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=25065 Photo of Halla at 1956 Olympic Games]