Aachen (FRG) 07 July - 11 July 1956

Sore in Stockholm

Unfortunately, Winkler – the man of the hour and newly minted team and individual Olympic champion – was not in Aachen to defend his title.

Indeed, in a heroic performance in Stockholm (SWE), where the equestrian events of the 1956 Olympic Games had been held a few weeks earlier, Winkler had been injured.

The injury had occurred in the first round of the final competition when he had pulled a groin muscle. Winkler’s mare Halla had taken off too early at the penultimate obstacle and had taken him out of position.

Despite the agonising pain, Winkler had decided to ride in the second round as the German team would have been eliminated without him. Staying away from painkillers, which caused dizziness and double vision, and running solely on black coffee, he gave Halla only the most basic steering instructions. The pair went clear securing team and individual gold.

Meanwhile in Aachen

Without Winkler, the four athletes qualified for the final were Raimondo d’Inzeo (ITA), who had participated in every World Championship since the beginning in 1956, 1953 finalist Fritz Thiedemann (GER), 1953 World champion Francisco Goyoaga (ESP), and Carlos Delia or Argentina, the first non-European to qualify for the final.

D’Inzeo won convincingly having gone clear on all four horses with only time faults with his own horse Merano, who was the best horse, and with Goyoaga’s Fahnenkönig. Goyoaga and Thiedemann placed second and third respectively.