This footage is so entirely other-worldly, it’s hard to believe that it even represents the same sport we know today. It almost reminds me of a Salvador Dali painting in its surrealism.
First, it’s in French, second, it’s got the totally weird 1960’s French music, and thirdly, who is this super-gorgeous Frenchman galloping around a field jumping solid fences and brush on his Olympic champion horses?
If you don’t already know who he is, you will want to. His name is Pierre Jonqueres d’Oriola, and he’s the only person in history to win the Olympic Show Jumping individual gold medal TWICE. If it totally freaked you out to learn that only one person holds this distinction, you’re not alone. (Don’t worry, I looked it up just to be sure.)
Will we have another repeat gold medalist at Rio this year? Oh the thrill!
Go Pierre. Go Olympics. Go Jumping!