Mark Todd

Mark Todd is a famous New Zealand horseman, with two Olympic gold medals and numerous other honours. Todd is one of the first of two New Zealand equestrians to have competed at six Olympic Games.

Born 1 March 1956 in Cambridge.
Gained Diploma of Agriculture at the Waikato Technical Institute.
In 1977 he was a member of the first New Zealand three-day eventing team to compete in a world championship, at Lexington, Kentucky.
As an unknown he won the 1980 Badminton Horse Trials (three-day event) on Southern Comfort.
In 1984 at the Los Angeles Olympics won individual gold on Charisma.
Married Carolyn Berry in 1986.
Won gold again at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Charisma was then 16 years old, and was retired after the Games.
In 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics he won team silver.
1993 inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
He was unable to compete in the1996 Olympics at Atlanta because of an injury to his horse.
Won Badminton again in 1994 and 1996, and Burghley Open European Championship in 1997.
In 1999 an international poll named him three-day eventer of the century.
In 2000 at the Sydney Olympics he won bronze with the New Zealand team.
After the Sydney Olympics retired to breed horses on his farm near Cambridge.
In 2004 at the Athens Olympics he was one of the New Zealand Olympic team coaches
In 2008 he returned to events and competed in the Beijing Olympics on a grey called Gandalf. The New Zealand team finished fifth and Todd made the second vest Kiwi performance, coming in 17th overall.
In 2009 Todd announced that he was making a full return to elite level eventing, basing himself in England.

Mark Todd

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