Rembrandt (horse)
| Breed | Westphalian |
|---|---|
| Sire | Romadour II (Westphalian) |
| Grandsire | Romulus I (Westphalian) |
| Dam | Adone (Westphalian) |
| Maternal grandsire | Angelo (Thoroughbred) |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1977 |
| Country | Germany |
| Colour | Dark Bay |
| Breeder | Herbert de Baey |
| Trainer | Klaus Balkenhol |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Summer Olympics | ||
 |
1988 Seoul | Team dressage |
|
1988 Seoul | Individual dressage |
|
1992 Barcelona | Team dressage |
|
1992 Barcelona | Individual dressage |
| World Championships | ||
|
1990 Stockholm | Individual dressage |
|
1990 Stockholm | Team dressage |
|
1994 The Hague | Team dressage |
 |
1994 The Hague | Individual dressage |
Rembrandt (15 March 1977 – 30 October 2001) was a dark bay Westphalian gelding ridden for Germany by Nicole Uphoff in dressage competitions. Together, the pair won four Olympic gold medals, three gold and one silver World Equestrian Games medals, and numerous other international championships. Although known as a sensitive horse prone to spookiness, Rembrandt's elegance and expression in the ring allowed him to become one of the top horses in the sport of dressage.
Rembrandt was foaled in 1977 by Herbert de Baey. His sire was Romadour II, a famous Westphalian stallion during the 1970s, and his dam was Adone, full sister to Ahlerich, a multiple Olympic medal winning dressage horse under German rider Reiner Klimke. Due to his Thoroughbred-like appearance, several riders passed over a chance to purchase the gelding as a youngster. In 1981, he was purchased by Nicole Uphoff's father, Jürgen Uphoff, as a mount for his then-14-year-old daughter. Rembrandt was too much for her, however, and he was sent to train with Klaus Balkenhol, a noted trainer who saw his potential and advised the Uphoffs to keep the horse, despite his spookiness and sensitivity.
In 1985, Rembrandt and Uphoff began to compete at events for young riders, and in 1986, the pair began working with Uwe Schulten-Baumer, a well-known dressage coach. In 1987, the pair began to compete, and win, at the international level. They rose to the top of the dressage world with unheard-of speed, due to Rembrandt's elegance and expression in the ring. Their rise to fame resulted in a 1988 Olympic nomination. Uphoff switched trainers four months before the Games began, leaving Schulten-Baumer to work with Harry Boldt, the German national coach.
Rembrandt and Uphoff were Olympic Champions twice, in 1988 in Seoul and 1992 in Barcelona. Both times they took both individual gold and a gold medal with the German team. The Barcelona games resulted in Rembrandt being titled a "living work of art" by one German sports commentator. During the last two years of his career, Rembrandt began to decline slightly, and he missed the team nomination to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Uphoff used her right as defending champion to compete as an individual, and they were again part of the German team in Atlanta, where the pair eventually placed 14th. This placement was despite being pulled from competition before the last round, due to an injury, at which point he was in 8th place. Rembrandt and Uphoff took both individual and team gold at the first World Equestrian Games in 1990. In 1993, he was injured by a kick from another horse during a victory lap at the German Championships, but recovered from the blow to take individual silver at the 1994 World Equestrian Games. The German team, including Uphoff, again took gold.
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