William Steinkraus
Encyclopedia
William Clark Steinkraus (born October 12, 1925) is an American show jumping
champion.
held in Mexico City
, he won a gold medal in Individual Jumping with the horse Snowbound. 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 in Helsinki
, Finland
on Hollandia. He was also slated to ride on the 1964 Olympic Team until his horse, Sinjon, was injured.
when he won the ASPCA Maclay Cup and the Good Hands Finals at the National Horse Show.
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. He then returned to the United States and finished his education at Yale, graduating in 1949.
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. 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.
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
champion.
Olympic Record
Steinkraus participated in 5 Olympic Games. At the 1968 Summer Olympics1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
held in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, he won a gold medal in Individual Jumping with the horse Snowbound. 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 in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
on Hollandia. He was also slated to ride on the 1964 Olympic Team until his horse, Sinjon, was injured.
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 equitationEquitation
Equitation is the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship.More specifically, equitation may refer to a rider's position while mounted, and encompass a rider's ability to ride correctly and with effective aids. In horse show competition, the rider, rather than the horse is evaluated...
when he won the ASPCA Maclay Cup and the Good Hands Finals at the National Horse Show.
Following his early successes, Steinkraus left to attend Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. 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. He then returned to the United States and finished his education at Yale, graduating in 1949.
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. 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.
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)