Michael Jung

Michael Jung was born on July 31, 1982, in Bad Soden am Taunus, West Germany. His involvement in equestrianism began at the age of six, influenced by his father and grandfather, both recognized riders. Under his father’s guidance, Jung developed his skills, which led him to win the Young Rider European Championship in 2003. Throughout his career, he has been known for his meticulous training methods, particularly a finely tuned jumping technique that focuses on correct fence approach and limiting refusal risks. He emphasizes allowing young horses to develop naturally, refusing to make them jump before they can trot, to harness their natural power and stride.

Jung established himself as a dominant force in eventing with his consistent performance and success at pivotal competitions. A significant milestone occurred in 2009 when he became the first German rider to win the FEI World Cup Eventing final in Strzegom, riding his mount, La Biosthetique Sam. This was followed by an individual bronze at the European Championships in Fontainebleau the same year. In 2010, the pair secured individual gold at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, USA. His career highlights include a remarkable period in 2012 when, on his 30th birthday, he became the first rider to simultaneously hold the individual Olympic, World, and European titles. He achieved this feat at the London Olympics, winning both individual and team gold with La Biosthetique Sam.

His achievements continued at the Rio 2016 Olympics, where he successfully defended his individual eventing title, also earning a team silver. In 2016, he became only the second rider in history to win the Grand Slam of Eventing, a remarkable accomplishment demonstrating his consistent excellence across major events. His long-standing partnership with La Biosthetique Sam, a German-bred bay gelding, has been central to many of his successes, including wins at prestigious events like Burghley in 2015 and the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2016. Jung’s dedication to both his training philosophy and his horses has cemented his status as one of the leading eventing athletes of his generation, marked by numerous gold and silver medals across international championships and Olympic Games.