“I’m fine,” he told APA shortly before his birthday. The three-time overall World Cup winner said he was still a bit busy, which was a bit of an understatement. “I have so much on my mind, I do everything on the run. It’s 24/7,” he added. “I have my real estate business and of course the horses. I don’t ride anymore myself, but I train them.”
And Simon doesn’t have any horses under his wing either. They are descendants of the legendary ET, retired from sport in 2004 and put to sleep at the beginning of 2013 at an advanced age. Years before that there was already a clone of the stallion, but only used for breeding. With his offspring it is of course different. “They both play in tournaments,” said Simon. “They are successfully ridden by Richard Vogel.”
Show jumping legend Simon turns 80
Hugo Simon is considered one of the best riders in the world, who has celebrated many successes. The native German celebrates his 80th birthday on Wednesday.
With help and advice
Vogel finished third in the German Championships in June and has some good results in other respects as well. Simon enjoys supporting the 25-year-old Vogel. “I ride the horses, prepare them. It’s fun.” Simon is reminded of his own successes when his trophy collection catches his eye. The trophies are neat and organized. “They are kept in cupboards, we have a clean house,” said the six-time Olympian.
Simon follows Austria’s show jumping with interest. A few days following his anniversary he will travel to the World Championships in Herning in Denmark and will probably meet the Austrian team there. “If you need my advice, I’m happy to give it,” said Simon. He has enough experience. Born on August 3, 1942 in Krummwasser in what is now the Czech Republic, Simon came to Hesse with his parents following the Second World War.
From substitute to legend
He started riding at the age of eight, initially doing eventing and dressage before switching to show jumping. In 1972, Simon was only considered as a German substitute for the Olympic Games in Munich, which is why he accepted Austrian citizenship, started at the Munich Games in 1972 and finished fourth. Later, in addition to Olympic silver and World Cup victories (1979, 1996 and 1997), he was successful with his top horses in Aachen and at the Hamburg Derby.
Hugo Simon on his 80th birthday
With his successes as a show jumper, with which he caused a stir for almost three decades, Hugo Simon became a sports legend in Austria.
But at major events he lacked the necessary luck in individual competitions. He did win the “Ersatzolympia” in Rotterdam in 1980 on the horse Gladstone – but there was no gold for it. In the sign of the five rings, Simon finished fourth twice (1972 and 1996) and fifth once (1976). In 1988 the performance in Seoul ended in the moat. After all, Simon was third at the World Championships (1979) and second at the European Championships (1997) and third (1978).
Excluding Lavender (World Cup third, Olympic fourth and fifth), Flipper (156 wins), Gladstone (1979 World Cup, 1980 substitute Olympics), Apricot (1992 Olympic team silver) and ET (1996 Olympic gold medalist, 1997, 1998 World Cup wins) the successes would not have been possible. In 2016, Simon was awarded the Golden Decoration of Honor for services to the Republic of Austria.
