Jacques Cariou

Captain Jacques Cariou was one of the most successful riders at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, winning a full set of medals. He won gold in individual jumping, silver in team jumping, and bronze in individual eventing. He was also fourth in team eventing and 14th in individual dressage.

Born into a military family, Cariou followed in his father’s footsteps by enlisting with the French army in 1890. Starting as a private, he was promoted up to lieutenant in 1899 and became a captain in 1908, serving with the 28th, 12th, 25th and 32nd Artillery Regiments. From 1903-1914 he was a riding instructor at l’École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr. During World War I Cariou served with the 51st and 29th Artillery Regiments and saw action during the Battles of Marne, Champagne and Somme.

Cariou was made Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur and promoted to the rank of Chef d’Escadron because of bravery shown during the Battle of Champagne in September 1915. He was also awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Cariou continued to serve with the French army after WWI, working as an undersecretary of aeronautics with the French Ministry of Defense in the 1920s and eventually became a Lieutenant-Colonel.