- William Steinkraus
William Clark Steinkraus (born
October 12 ,1925 ) is an Americanshow jumping champion.Olympic Record
Steinkraus participated in 5 Olympic Games. At the
1968 Summer Olympics held inMexico City , he won a gold medal in Individual Jumping with the horse "Snowbound". [http://www.databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=STEINWIL01 Profile: "William Steinkraus"] "databaseOlympics.com" (Retrieved on January 8, 2008)] He obtained two silver medals in Team Jumping, first in 1960 on his mount Ksar d'Espirt, and 1972 on Main Spring. Steinkraus also won a bronze medal in Team Jumping at the 1952 Olympics inHelsinki ,Finland on Hollandia. He was also slated to ride on the 1964 Olympic Team until his horse, Sinjon, was injured.Bryant, Jennifer O. Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008.]Biography
Steinkraus first rode at the age of 10 while at summer camp, after which he took lessons with such well-known horsemen as Gordon Wright and Morton W. "Cappy" Smith. He rode sales horses for Smith, allowing him to hone his skills on various mounts. In 1941, Steinkraus reached the highest level of hunt seat equitation when he won the ASPCA Maclay Cup and the Good Hands Finals at the National Horse Show.Bryant, Jennifer O. Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008.]
Following his early successes, Steinkraus left to attend
Yale University . After his first year of college, he joined the cavalry branch of the Army and was one of the final classes to receive their training on horseback. He was then shipped to Burma during World War II, where he served as part of the 124th Cavalry Regiment from 1943-1945.Bryant, Jennifer O. Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008.] He then returned to the United States and finished his education at Yale, graduating in 1949.Bryant, Jennifer O. Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008.]After college, Steinkraus focused on his riding career, and went on to join the Olympic team at the 1952 Helsinki Games. He also was a true amateur during this time, working as a businessman.
Steinkraus retired from international competition at the end of 1972, following the show season, but continued to remain involved in the horse industry. This included involvement in the
USET , either as president or chairman, from 1972-1992, and as an "Honorary Member" of the FEI Bureau.Bryant, Jennifer O. Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008.] He also was a television commentator from 1976-1988, and a judge at the 1992 Olympic Games. Today, he still rides and plays chamber music.Bryant, Jennifer O. Olympic Equestrian, A Century of International Horse Sport. Lexington, KY: Blood-Horse Publications, 2008.]Publications by Steinkraus
* "Riding and Jumping" (1961)
* "The U.S. Equestrian Team Book of Riding" (1976)
* "The Horse in Sport" (1987)
* "Reflections on Riding and Jumping" (1991)References
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