Born on the 31 July 1982, Michael Jung was thrust into the eventing limelight in 2003 when he was the young rider European champion.
He is best known for his partnership with La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, with whom he is individual world, European and Olympic champion — Michael is the first eventer ever to claim all these titles.
Michael first showed promise at the top level in 2009 when he and La Biosthetique-Sam FBW won the four-star in Luhmuhlen, the individual bronze medal in the European Championships in Fontainebleau and the HSBC FEI World Cup final in Strzegom, Poland.
Michael was the first German winner of the World Cup and went on to collect the title again a year later, the first time the World Cup had run as a points series with no final.
After his World Equestrian Games win in 2010, speculation was rife about the potential sale of the much-admired La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, who was 60% owned by Sabine Kreuter. Eventually the German Olympic Equestrian Association (DOKR) bought the majority share in the horse (47%), with the other 13% sold to a family friend of the Jungs’, Eric Single. The Jungs retained the 40% share given to them by Sabine in 2005.
In 2011 Michael came third in the CIC** test event for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The same year, he also rode “Sam” to the individual gold medal at the European Championships in Luhmuhlen, Germany, and led the home team to team gold and a clean sweep of the individual medals.
At the London 2012 Olympic Games Michael secured individual and team gold with Sam.
Michael started riding at the age of six and lives and trains in the south of Germany on his 12-acre property. The property includes a riding school built by his grandfather and father; a four-acre cross-country course built by Michael and his older brother, Philip; an outdoor dressage arena and a grass showjumping arena.
Michael trains his horses with his father, Joachim, and Philip often helps with manual tasks around the yard. Philip works in Canada for Biosthetique, who sponsor La Biosthetique-Sam FBW.
Michael is known for his “fresh approach” to training and believes that from the beginning a horse should never be brought wrong to a fence, so he never receives a fright. He does not start to jump his youngsters until they can collect and extend their stride.
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