Michael Jung

The most successful event rider of all time, Michael Jung, was born on July 31, 1982. In the same year, his parents Brigitte and Joachim Jung moved with him and his older brother Philip to the riding facility in Horb am Neckar, where the riding part of the family is still at home today. In addition to the Jung parents and their son Michael, the family also includes his wife Faye Füllgräbe-Jung, an animal physiotherapist who is also active in eventing, as well as their children Lio (born in 2021) and Mara (born in 2023).

Four Olympic gold medals were forged at the Jung Riding School. The name of the stable says it all. Master of equine management Joachim Jung once started a classical riding school here. He himself was an all-round talent, rode eventing and was successful up to advanced (S) level in dressage and show jumping. His sons Michael and Philip, who is two years older, grew up with horses. Or rather with ponies, namely Sally and Moritz, who Michael Jung says today helped shape his assertiveness and discipline in dealing with horses. In any case, he enjoyed thorough fall training back then, as Moritz gave him many a flying lesson, especially in the field, as Jung reports. This did not stop him from pursuing a unique career here.

The path to top-class sport

It became clear early on what an exceptional talent Michael Jung is in the saddle. He completed the classic career of a young German rider – Golden Sash, German Young Rider Championships, German Youth Championships and finally European Championships in the Junior and Young Rider camps. He was already a medal winner here. 2003 was his last U21 year. He won European Championship gold. In the same year, he was awarded the Golden Riding Badge for his success in the dressage and jumping saddle.

Jung recorded his first victory in a four-star test (at that time still 3*) in Schenefeld in 2005. In the same year, he presented a five-year-old youngster with the interesting name Sam the Schwäbisch Man at the Bundeschampionat in Warendorf, but with a rather unspectacular appearance. The pair came fifth, the dressage was not good enough for a medal. This wiry, only 1.62 tall half-breed by Stan the Man xx was to become the horse that William Fox-Pitt said he would love to buy in order to put him out to pasture and finally be rid of this annoying competition. Because Sam and Michael Jung were almost unbeatable.

Young and Sam

In 2009, they competed in their first senior championships for Germany, the European Championships in Fontainebleau. The German team was unlucky. No one was able to finish the cross-country. Except Sam and Michael Jung. In the end, they took bronze. It was to remain the only time that this pair was beaten at a championship. In 2010 they became individual world champions in Kentucky. Michael Jung competed at the 2011 European Championships with his second horse Halunke and also won double gold with him. Sam’s big moment came again in 2012, at the Olympic Games in London. On his rider’s birthday, he sealed gold for the team and for Michael Jung with two clear rounds around the course. In Rio 2016, they achieved the almost unthinkable: another Olympic gold in the individual classification. In the same year, thanks to Sam and the mare Rocana, with whom he had won World Championship gold and silver in 2014, Michael Jung became the second bush rider in history after Pippa Funnell in 2003 to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing for consecutive victories in the CCI5*-L competitions in Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley.

Chipmunk, a new era

When Sam retired, the Hanoverian Contendro son Chipmunk, trained to championship level by Julia Krajewski, became Michael Jung’s most important partner. They won European Championship gold and silver in Luhmühlen back in 2019. They were on course for the title in Tokyo 2021 when a tripped MIM in the cross-country (eleven penalty points) put paid to their dream of a third consecutive Olympic victory. “Chip’s” trainer Julia Krajewski was able to make up for this. With the French mare Amande de B’Neville, she became the first woman in history to win the individual eventing Olympic gold medal.

Michael Jung and Chipmunk were once again a safe bet for the German team at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro. After dressage and cross-country, they looked like sure winners and even had one jumping fault “good” when they were the last pair to enter the course. A pole fell, no problem. After all, they were only one jump away from the individual title. But it was not to be. Chip grazed the pole and Jung’s second world championship title fell into the dust with her. What remained was team gold. That was also a huge success.

One year later, the European Championships were held in Haras du Pin, France. As always, Jung and Chipmunk delivered an outstanding dressage performance. But in the cross-country, Chipmunk stumbled when entering the water, giving Jung no chance to stay in the saddle. The disappointment was great.

Historic moment in Paris

About a year later, July 30, 2024. The day of the final at the Paris Olympics in the show jumping arena at Versailles. There were two courses to complete: first the one for the team competition, then a final round for the individual competition. After the dressage and cross-country, Michael Jung and Chipmunk were in the lead. But their longtime rivals, Laura Collett and London, were hot on their heels. In the team jumping competition, Jung and Chipmunk had one knockdown. But so did Collett and London. At the final obstacle, they opened the door for Jung once again. Just one round to go. Twelve 1.30-meter jumps stood between him and Chipmunk and victory. If they could stay clear here, Michael Jung would finally be the greatest of all time. Three-time Olympic individual champion in eventing—no rider had ever achieved that before, not Mark Todd, not Andrew Hoy, not any of the many top riders from Great Britain. It came down to just under a minute. Michael Jung didn’t handle two sections of the cross-country course perfectly. But it is, after all, a team sport. And Chipmunk seemed to know on that day that it was his turn to help his rider. He completed the course with zero faults. That sealed the victory and earned Jung his fourth Olympic gold medal—his third in the individual competition. Unbelievable. The next big goal: the 2026 World Equestrian Games in Aachen.