Gerhard Schulz

Although Germany is one of the leading equestrian nations, only one East German rider has ever won an Olympic medal. As a part of the combined German team in 1964, Gerhard Schulz won a bronze medal in the team eventing competition. Originally a show jumper, he succesfully switched to eventing in the late 1950s. He won his first GDR title in 1959, adding three more in 1960, 1963 and 1966. His biggest international success was his Olympic bronze medal, after earlier competed in the 1960 Games. Originally a member of the mounted border police, Schulz later trained other riders at German collective farm. One of Schulz’s chief aides when he was an active rider was Andreas Pechstein, the father of Olympic speed skating champion Claudia Pechstein.