Marius Voigt-Logistik, who claimed Olympic individual gold in 2008 with Germany’s Hinrich Romeike, has died at the age of 29.

The flying grey and his amateur rider, a dentist, were one of eventing’s most consistent combinations, with six consecutive championship appearances on their record.

Marius Voigt-Logistik was bred by Hans-Werner Ritters and his son Jens, a friend of Hinrich’s. The rider tried to buy him after seeing him as a young horse at a Holstein breeders’ association event, but he was too expensive for him. When Marius was subsequently sold, he ended up returning to the Ritters after his new rider fell off him twice, and Hinrich took the horse on a two-week trial. After three days, he knew he was staying.

“He was like a thoroughbred with a big head and he had a very kind character, he was always interested, always ears pricked when there was something to do,” said Hinrich, who also fell off Marius in those early days. “He was just bucking at a bird or something – I don’t think he wanted to throw me off. He’d come back sniffing, like he was apologising.”

The pair made their champi0nship debut as individuals at the Punchestown Europeans in 2003, where they were 15th. The next year they were fifth at the Athens Olympics, part of the team that lost Olympic gold in the furore over Bettina Hoy crossing the start line twice, and then 18th and team bronze medallists at the 2005 Blenheim Europeans.

Hinrich was frustrated by his 16 cross-country time-faults at that very wet championship and worked with Chris Bartle to find a way to save time. His partnership with the horse was so strong that he could ride tight lines and come to fences in a rhythm without interfering.

The pair became known as a superb combination in this phase.

Hinrich adds: “He was so brave and you could ride him into fences at high speed and he would never be spooky in the cross-country, which he would be when walking and trotting.

“There were faster horses than him, but very fast horses need a braking distance of 100 yards before the fence; with Marius, your prep point was 10 metres before the jump. Other horses went like hell, but Marius was like a good diesel engine and you didn’t have to cost speed or power in braking and accelerating.”

Marius Voigt-Logistik was fifth and a team gold medallist at the 2006 Aachen World Equestrian Games. His only championship non-completion was the year after, at the Pratoni Europeans, when he suffered a stifle injury and was withdrawn after cross-country. But he was back for the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong, where the pair enjoyed their day of days with team and individual gold.

As well as their championship successes, Hinrich and Marius were sixth at Badminton Horse Trials in 2007, 15th at Luhmühlen Horse Trials CCI4* (now CCI5*) in 2005 and seventh there the year after. They were also ninth and fifth in the prestigious CICO3* (now CCIO4*-S) at Aachen in 2007 and 2008 and won Marbach CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) in 2006.

Marius suffered a tendon injury after the Olympics and did not compete seriously again. He was officially retired in 2012, living out his years with his devoted rider and owner Hinrich.

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Has anyone else ever been as dominant in eventing as Michael Jung is now? Thus far, he’s won 3 individual gold medals and he looks almost certain to gather in a 4th today at the HSBC FEI European Eventing Championships in Malmö, Sweden.

The only person I can think of through history whose strength was similar was Ginny Elliot, who was European champion in 1985 (Priceless), 1987 (Night Cap) and 1989 (Master Craftsman). She also won the Gawler World Championships in 1986 (Priceless) and the alternative worlds laid on at Bialy Bor because many nations couldn’t travel to Australia (Night Cap). As an aside, she proved her incredible horsepower by winning Burghley that autumn too on Murphy Himself.

Ginny is the only other person in the history of the sport who has won 3 individual golds in a row — the fact no one else has held the world, European and Olympic titles simultaneously until Michael speaks for itself. If Michael wins tomorrow, he becomes the first eventer to extend that run of individual golds to 4.

William Fox-Pitt’s missing honour

Championships are funny things, sport is a funny thing. So while some riders win individual gold after gold, others are fantastically successful without winning one at all.

More than any other rider in the decade I’ve been an equestrian journalist (today’s the anniversary), William Fox-Pitt has consistently had a fabulous team of horses and shown unrelenting good form. He’s won more than 50 three-day events, a record which no one else comes close to equalling.

Missing from William’s amazing record is, of course, an individual gold medal. How I’d love him to fill that gap before he retires, whenever that might be — to set the record straight, if you like. If he never puts his name on the European, world or Olympic roll of honour it will be an omission that just feels wrong.

I don’t think he’s going to pick up that shiniest of gongs today. Michael Jung has to have 3 fences down to give William victory — assuming he and Chilli Morning go clear — and I don’t see that happening. But that’s a prediction I’d be more than happy to have proved wrong.

Report on yesterday’s cross-country action

Log back on later for a final update from the European Championships and don’t miss next week’s H&H for our full 10-page special report, including full analysis and comments from ground jury member Christian Landolt, British team rider Tina Cook and former European champion Ian Stark. 

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Germany’s 2008 Olympic individual eventing champion Marius Voigt-Logistik has been retired, aged 18.

Although the grey had not campaigned seriously since an injury in 2009, rider Hinrich Romeike had hoped to get him ready for London. But finding the Holsteiner less supple than previously, he decided to retire him healthy so he can enjoy a long retirement.

Marius became famous for his wonderful cross-country partnership with Hinrich, a dentist who competes as a hobby and so is a rare amateur rider in the world of top-class horsesport.

German eventing team manager Christopher Bartle told H&H in an interview in 2008: “Marius is a character so similar to Hini himself, the partnership fits like a hand in glove. They are both so chilled out, and particularly cross-country, whatever Hini thinks, Marius does.”

Hinrich’s appreciation of Marius’s generosity made for some fabulous quotes over the years.

“I turned him like a lawnmower and I don’t know how, but he managed to get over the rail,” he said of their dodgy moment at the Colt Pond at Badminton 2007 (the pair are pictured at the Lake, left).

And after another successful performance across country at Aachen in 2008, Hinrich said with a grin: “Marius seems to work like a machine – he sniffs the track and goes off like he’s after a fox. You could tie a mechanical ape on his back and I’m sure he would do it.”

Named after a singer

Marius was bred by the father of a friend of Hinrich’s, Hans-Werner Ritters, who also bred Ludger Beerbaum’s 1992 Olympic showjumping individual gold medallist Classic Touch.

The Ritters family suggested Hinrich take the horse on a two-week trial when the rider expressed an interest in buying him as a five-year-old and after three days Hinrich knew he wouldn’t be sending Marius back.

The Holsteiner-thoroughbred by Condrieu XX was named after the German singer Marius Muller Westernhagen.

“When he had his greatest hits he had a lot of hair and when Marius was at his breeders he was always a bit hairy and had very skinny legs, so that’s how he got his name,” explained Hinrich in an interview with H&H before the Games in 2008.

The suffix to his name – Voigt-Logistik – is a lorry transportation business run by Hinrich’s father-in-law.

“It was just for a joke, for fun,” said Hinrich, a devoted family man with three children with wife Susanne. “He likes it when ‘his’ horse does well and we like to do things as a family and have fun together.”

Hinrich and Marius contested six consecutive championships between 2003 and 2008, winning team gold at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen as well as double gold in Hong Kong at the 2008 Olympics (right). Apart from this, his best individual championship placings were two fifths, at both the Athens Olympics and the 2006 worlds. The only time Marius failed to complete a championship was when he had to be withdrawn due to a stifle injury before the final horse inspection at the Pratoni Europeans in 2007.

The pair were in the top 10 at three- and four-star 18 times, including finishing sixth at Badminton 2007 and winning Marbach CIC*** in 2006.

“This horse has such strong morals,” said Hinrich, meaning he always wanted to do the right thing and please his rider. “He never gives up and he is never frightened. Even when he hurts himself, he doesn’t become shy, he just says, ‘That was a shitty jump, let’s do it better next time.’ He’s very keen across country – he almost eats the obstacles.”

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Read the latest news and reports featuring Hinrich Romeike

Hinrich Romeike, Germany’s 2008 Olympic champion, is an exceptionally rare example of a top event rider who has a job outside horses: Hinrich is a full-time dentist.

Hinrich rode at three-star level previously, but teaming up with the superb grey Marius Voigt-Logistik moved him into the top ranks and German team contention.

Hinrich and Marius made their championship debut at the Punchestown Europeans and went on to represent Germany at the next five championships.

They were best of the Germans at the Athens Olympics in 2004, finishing fifth, picked up team bronze at the Blenheim European Championships in 2005 and team gold a year later at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen.

In 2007 they were sixth on their Badminton debut, but at that year’s Pratoni European Championships Marius was injured during his customary clear cross-country round, so Hinrich had to withdraw before the show jumping.

Hinrich and Marius capped all these achievements when they collected individual and team gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong.

Hinrich was born in 1963. He is based in the north of Germany, where he and his wife Susanne have a yard and breed Holstein horses. They have three children, Cerrin (born 1991), Claas Hermann (born 1993) and Broder (born 1995).

Hinrich Romeike videos

Hinrich Romeike photo gallery

Don’t miss H&H’s exclusive interview with Hinrich Romeike in the second show guide special issue of 2009, on sale Thursday 26 February

GERMANY has turned the tables on Australia following the cross-country phase of the Olympic three-day event in Hong Kong.

Dental surgeon Hinrich Romeike and Marius are now in the gold medal position, with teammate Ingrid Klimke and Abraxxas reinforcing this country’s dominance in second.

Germany leads the team medal standings too, while Great Britain has risen into bronze position behind Australia.

Four out of the five members of the British squad came home with clear rounds, with William Fox-Pitt and Parkmore Ed the fastest with 10 penalties to add.

Mary King and Call Again Cavalier have moved up from ninth to equal fifth place despite having to contend with running across country during a torrential downpour.

“I didn’t notice the rain. I was just trying to go so fast. It was a very busy course to ride,” said Mary, who added 18 time penalties after stopping the clock on 8min 45sec.

The 8min optimum set for Mike Etherington-Smith’s 29-fence cross-country course proved impossible to attain. Shane Rose and All Luck came the closest, stopping the clock on 8min 23sec.

Tina Cook and Miners Frolic have also entered the top 10 with a polished clear round for 17.2 time faults.

Sharon Hunt and Tankers Town were the only Britons to record a jumping mistake when they collected 20 penalties for a run-out at the influential penultimate fence, the Pagoda ditch and brushes at 27/28, when the gelding, like several others in the field, ducked out at the second part.

In a thrilling three hours of cross-country action at Beas River on an unseasonably cool and drizzly August day, Australia lost the advantage it had gained during the dressage phase when the individual leaders Lucinda Fredericks and Headley Britannia notched up an expensive 27.2 time faults and dropped to 11th place.

“Sometimes you just don’t get into a rhythm on a course. I found it difficult to get her opened out on the first part,” said Lucinda.

Megan Jones and Irish Jester are now the best placed Aussies in the bronze medal position.

Karin Donckers relinquished her second dressage placing when notching up a raft of time penalties with Gazelle De La Brasserie.

US rider Becky Holder and Courageous Comet, who had been fifth, disappeared from the reckoning with a stop at fence 21, the Crouching Dragon, where they added an additional 20 penalties for crossing their tracks on their way to the alternative.

Gina Miles and McKinlaigh are now the highest placed American partnership in equal fifth, just behind Clayton Fredericks and Ben Along Time.

In all there were eight eliminations on course, including one for Andrew Nicholson who fell off Lord Killinghurst at the Pagodas when they were on track to set the fastest time of the day.

Amy Tryon made history by becoming the first competitor ever to be eliminated for a rider fall in international competition, a ruling which came into force on 1 August. She fell off a hard-pulling Poggio when he caught his right hoof and then stumbled at fence 10, the Birdcages.

FEI president Princess Haya said that cross-country day, during which there were no reported injuries to horses or riders, had been a good one for the sport.

“It was one of the most exciting days; a top level competition in which the standards of riding exceeded anything we have ever seen,” said the Princess.

Going forward to tomorrow’s show jumping, which will be held under floodlights at 7.15pm local time, following an afternoon final horse inspection at 4pm, 60 combinations remain in the competition.

Read the full results

Olympic photo gallery

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I’m thrilled that two of the three horses I’ve had a flutter on are in the top four after dressage. Most exciting is Hinrich Romeike, third with Marius Voigt-Logistik. Not only did I think he was a good price — 14/1 prior to his dressage for a pair who’ve finished in the top six at their last two championships — but I’m buying into the dream.

Because German team stalwart Hinrich is a dentist. A full-time dentist. Last year at Luhmuhlen he told me he had a young horse as well as Marius, and that on the weekend he “sometimes rides two horses, but never a third.”

In this age of consummate professionalism, I find it exciting that someone with an unhorsey job can still break into the sport’s upper echelons. It gives hope to all of us who strive to compete, at whatever level, around other commitments.

Another highlight today was seeing the 19-year-old Over To You looking so pleased with himself in the dressage arena. I hope my 15-year-old novice eventer looks as good in four years time.

On a graver note, I took a wander around the course at lunchtime. A lot of topsoil has been laid and you can feel the difference underfoot where they’ve been aerovating. But will it be enough?

Badminton final scores

The mood is edgy — some riders say they’re going whatever, but most are waiting to decide tomorrow. I don’t imagine that makes for an easy night’s sleep. It must be even worse than jumping the Vicarage Vee in your dreams trying to weigh up thousands of pounds of prize-money, prestige and a possible team place against whether there’s a risk to your best horse’s welfare.

I honestly don’t know how many runners there will be, but I’m sure whatever I’ll have a good story for you by this time tomorrow.

I’d better go now because I have to buy my mum a birthday present before the shops shut. I would tell you what I’m getting her — but I can’t because she might read this. Sorry. Ask me on Monday after I’ve handed it over…

Stay in touch with all the latest from Badminton on Horseandhound.co.uk with twice daily reports from H&H eventing editor Pippa Roome; blogs from H&H Editor Lucy Higginson and Pippa Roome; a daily round up of the best shopping bargains; and a picture gallery of Badminton Horse Trials highlights after the event.

Don’t miss Horse & Hound’s full 18-page magazine report, including fantastic photographs capturing the best of the action, a run down on the problem cross-country fences, former Badminton winner Ginny Elliot’s view of the winning performance and the final scoreboard, on sale 10 May ’07.

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