Reiner Klimke

Reiner Klimke

Play media Passage and piaffe by Reiner Klimke
Personal information
Born	14 January 1936 Münster, Germany
Died	17 August 1999 (aged 63) Münster, Germany
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	66 kg (146 lb)
Sport
Sport	Equestrianism
Club	RuF Gustav Rau, Telgte RV St. Georg Münster
Medal record Olympic Games Representing  Germany 1964 Tokyo Team Dressage Representing  West Germany 1968 Mexico City Team Dressage 1976 Montréal Team Dressage 1984 Los Angeles Team Dressage 1984 Los Angeles Individual Dressage 1988 Seoul Team Dressage 1968 Mexico City Individual Dressage 1976 Montréal Individual Dressage World Championships 1966 Bern Team Dressage 1974 Copenhagen Individual Dressage 1974 Copenhagen Team Dressage 1982 Lausanne Individual Dressage 1982 Lausanne Team Dressage 1986 Cedar Valley Team Dressage 1966 Bern Individual Dressage European Championships 1959 Harewood Team Eventing 1965 Copenhagen Team Dressage 1967 Aachen Individual Dressage 1969 Wolfsburg Team Dressage 1971 Wolfsburg Team Dressage 1973 Klew Individual Dressage 1973 Klew Team Dressage 1981 Laxenburg Team Dressage 1983 Aachen Team Dressage 1985 Copenhagen Individual Dressage 1985 Copenhagen Team Dressage 1983 Aachen Individual Dressage 1965 Copenhagen Team Dressage

Reiner Klimke (14 January 1936 – 17 August 1999) was a German equestrian, who won six gold and two bronze medals in dressage at the Summer Olympics — a record for equestrian events. He appeared in six Olympics from 1960 to 1988, excluding the 1980 Games that were boycotted by West Germany.

Klimke studied Harry Boldt and Gustaf Rau.

He won team gold in 1964, 1968 (both on Dux), 1976 (riding Mehmed), 1984 and 1988 (both with Ahlerich), and the individual gold in 1984 on Ahlerich.

His two bronze medals came in the individual event in 1968 and 1976. Klimke also had a fine record at the World Championships, winning six gold medals: two individual, in 1974 on Mehmed and in 1982 on Ahlerich, and four team: 1966, 1974, 1982, 1986.

At the European Championships, he was the individual champion in 1967, 1973, and 1985 and rode on seven winning West German teams (1965, 1973, 1983, 1985, and others) . Klimke also competed in eventing early in his career. He was a member of the winning West German three-day event team at the 1959 European Championships, and finished 18th in individual eventing at the 1960 Summer Olympics, making him the best German combination. He also won a Grand Prix show jumping competition in Berlin.

Reiner Klimke was the son of a psychologist and a neurologist. With his wife, Ruth (also a top show jumping and dressage rider), he had three children: Ingrid, Rolf, and Michael. Ingrid competes in eventing and dressage; she won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, twenty years after her father's last Olympic gold. Michael also competes at the Grand Prix level in dressage.

Klimke not only rode and trained, but also ran a law firm and served on several boards, including the FEI Dressage Committee. Klimke died from a heart attack at age 63 in Münster, his place of birth. Prior to his death, he had planned to start at the 2000 Summer Olympics.