In Memoriam: Hans von Blixen Finecke (SWE)

Hans von Blixen-Finecke (SWE), individual and team Olympic Champion at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, passed away on 16 February 2005 at the venerable age of 98. His father, a Swedish cavalry officer, an aviator and a famous horseman, had won the bronze medal in Dressage at the 1912 Olympic Games. Von Blixen-Finecke joined the cavalry in 1934 and left it 30 years later when the decision not to use horses in the Swedish army was taken. In the 1940s, he competed successfully in steeplechase and amateur flat-racing becoming the 1945-46 Swedish amateur jockey champion. He was also national Eventing champion from for five consecutive years from 1946 to 1951. In the following years, he won Scandinavian Eveniting championships and competed at international level in Eventing, Jumping and Dressage. In 1964, he moved to England where he started a career as a coach. He kept teaching and giving clinics for over 40 years until his very last days. Von Blixen-Finecke’s most famous horses were Master Rufus and Jubal, Swedish warm-blood geldings, astride which he won his Olympic medals.