Leopin, one of Michael Jung's former top horses, has died

In the early 2010s, Leopin was one of Michael Jung’s most successful horses. Among other achievements, they won the CCI5*-L in Luhmühlen in 2012, which was still classified as CCI4* at the time.

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International Career

: However, the gelding belonged to Anke Hoyer, who—after Hans Kirschner—was also the first to compete internationally with the Saxon half-blood by Legal Legend xx, bred by Annegret Lange. Michael Jung first competed him in 2008 and began riding him regularly in 2009. Starting in 2010, he took full charge of the horse. Success was not long in coming. After Leopin earned his first CIC3* (CCI4*-S) placement in 2009, he finished second in Wiesbaden and third in Aachen in 2010.

In 2011, Jung competed with him in his first CCI4* event in Luhmühlen. However, after a close call at the Coffin, they did not finish the cross-country course. They did, however, win the competition the following year and also placed third in Pau. It was Leopin’s most successful season. In 2013, the pair competed at Badminton but had to stop during the cross-country course. It was the gelding’s last tournament of the season. In 2014, Jung rode him in three more CIC2* events.

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When his competitive career came to an end, Leopin returned to his owner, Anke Hoyer. She continued to successfully compete him in show jumping events over the next few years until she retired him in 2017 at the age of 18. Leopin enjoyed his retirement under the care of his owner, who, at the age of 27, had to let him go.

Michael Jung posted on Instagram today: “Run free with your buddy Sam now.” Sam, Michael Jung’s legendary four-legged partner, with whom he won three of his four Olympic gold medals, had passed away earlier this year at the Jung family’s facility after a long and happy retirement.