Horse of the Month: Sam

La Biosthetique Sam FBW, is surely the greatest Eventing horse. The 18-year-old gelding, who retired last month, has achieved more than any other horse in the modern era.

In 2012 Germany's Michael Jung and Sam were the first to be World, European and Olympic champions at the same time. They won individual gold at WEG in Kentucky in 2010. They won European team and Individual gold at Luhmuhlen in 2011 and then team and individual gold at the London Olympics in 2012.

Considering his unparalleled success, it's incredible that Sam's professional career began with rejection.

Sam was bred by Gunter Seitter in Baden-Wuttemberg, to his only broodmare Halla.

His sire was Irish Thoroughbred Stan The Man. Sam was Halla’s first foal in 2000. Seitter said: “I took Sam and his dam for an evening walk around my farm. I witnessed Sam effortlessly jump over a fence to take a little shortcut. It was then that I knew that Sam was a special little guy.”

In 2002, the stallion licensing committee in Marbach turned Sam down. They believed he lacked in quality, so Seitter put him in the auction that followed.

Sam was the last lot through the ring and was bought for $10,000 by Sabina Kreuter. At the time his breeder believed that was a good price for the horse. Sam was barely standing at 16 hh and looked quite unfinished compared to the other sports horses presented that day.

However, it wasn’t long before Sabina realised Sam had exceptional talent. Seitter recommended Jung to train him.

Sam first proved he was an able eventer when he was six. He and Jung won the world championship for six-year olds at Lion d’Angers. They won the world championship again the following year, for seven-year olds.

When he was eight, Sam and Jung won the FEI World Cup Final CIC three-star in Deauville. The next year, in 2009, Sam showed beyond doubt, he was consistent at the top level, winning the same in Strzegom.

In 2010 came the FEI World Equestrian Games title in Kentucky, with the European title coming at Luhmuhlen in 2011. Jung and Sam cemented themselves as the pair the world wanted to beat when they secured Olympic victory in 2012.

They made their Badminton debut in 2013 and finished a surprising second after having the last rail down in the Jumping.

In 2016 Sam was instrumental in Jung completing a grand slam. Sam won the four-star at Burghley in September 2015 and Badminton the following spring; it was the lowest winning score in Badminton history of 34.4. Overall Sam achieved 24 international wins, mostly finishing on his dressage score.

After his triumph at Badminton in 2016, Sam retained his Olympic title, winning in Rio as the German team claimed silver.

Sam returned to Badminton to finish second in 2017 and 10^th in 2018.

In the spring of 2018, Jung said this would be Sam’s last competitive season.

His final run was set to be Aachen in July, but Sam pulled a shoe in a training gallop and had to be withdrawn.

He will remain with the Jung family, and will continue to be ridden and treated like the champion he is.

Jung’s training techniques and philosophy are the key to his success. But when you are in that cross-country start box, it all boils down to the trust you have in your partnership. Jung has the final word on Sam.

“When you feel the horse trusts you so much, that’s really great,” Jung says. “I know he is very good in the cross country, but before you are always a bit nervous, you don’t know the feel of the horse.

“But then when you are on your way, you feel that the horse trusts you so much you are getting a good partnership that makes you happy, makes you a bit more brave and more together and you can trust your horse.”