The Olympics are long over, but with the lengthy quarantines exiting South America, many horses are just now getting settled back into their home territory for a bit of well-deserved R&R. The horses who made it to the individual jump-off participated in anywhere from 5-7 rounds over the week in Rio. so a rest is certainly in order!
For some, like legendary Ludger Beerbaum, they’ll be returning home to a new chapter in their post-Rio lives. Ludger will be retiring after this season, other riders may be retiring their partners, and many more still will now start the plan to attack for Tokyo 2020. And of course for many more, it means getting on a plane not to go home, but to meet a different horse at the next major event. Here’s a quick peek at where some of our favorite riders are working in the weeks after Rio.
Beezie Madden and crew shared this beautiful photo of their arrival to the home barn, where they’ll be catching their breath a moment before heading to the next contest on fresh horses:
Emanual Gaudiano of Italy and Inca’s Think Big won the FEI CSI5* 1.45m class at the Longines St. Moritz event in Switzerland. Looking gallant as always! (U.S. Reserve rider Laura Kraut is also at this event, and she won a 1-round class against the clock on Thursday to beat 49 other combinations on Bialda!)
Individual silver medalist and our new offshore man-crush Peder Fredricson got a welcome back to Sweden that could only be considered “fit for a king!”
France’s Reveur de Hurtebise really got the red carpet rolled out for his return . . . and then some!
Penelope Leprovost’s Flora de Mariposa also got some new decor for her triumphant return:
The French riders will be back to business in no time as well, but they took a quick break to go on a media tour blitz to celebrate their team gold medal with their national fans!
While Ludger Beerbaum of Germany did announce his retirement for later this year, he’s still in full competition gear a while longer. After getting the horses home from Rio, the crew headed down the road to a CSI4* in Munster.
Lucy Davis is briefly in her home state of California alongside former medalists Rich Fellers and Will Simpson to help promote the LA Longines Masters which will be held in Long Beach at the end of September.
Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany is also headed to Munster this weekend, but not before posting this adorable reminiscence!
We’re all aflutter. Welcome home and good luck to all our champions! Go Jumping!