Rio hopes dashed for 75-year-old rider
Japanese dressage rider Hiroshi Hoketsu has abandoned his aim of competing as the world’s oldest Olympian at Rio 2016.
The 75-year-old’s horse, Brioni W, fell ill, causing the three-time Olympian to miss out on his chance of qualifying.
“To my regret, I gave up on my dream of competing in the Rio Olympics,” he said.
“I don’t want to push the horse, so unfortunately I have given up upon the dream of competing in the Rio Olympics.
“I will prioritise helping to restore my horse’s health.”
The nature of Brioni W’s health problems have not been revealed
Hiroshi was the oldest athlete at London 2012, aged 71.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
His appearance four years earlier in Beijing marked one of the longest breaks between Olympic appearances for an equestrian.
He first rode in the Games at Tokyo 1964, competing as a showjumper.
Most recently, Hiroshi had been training in The Netherlands and Germany.
If he had competed at Rio, Hiroshi would have broken the record for the oldest Olympian.
The current record-holder is Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, who participated in the 1920 Antwerp Games at the age of 72. Oscar won a silver medal.
‘I had totally given up’
Hiroshi earned Olympic qualification for London 2012 after finishing first in the FEI’s Asia-Oceania dressage rankings.
He rode 15-year-old Whisper, who had recently recovered from tendonitis.
“I had totally given up on trying to go to London,” Hiroshi said after qualifying.
“The horse’s recovery was a miracle, I was very lucky. She’s a little bit old, but still a good age.”
Related articles:
- Seventy-year-old Japanese dressage rider aiming for Olympics
- Veteran Japanese rider returns to Olympics after 44 years
The pair finished 40th in the individual.
Whisper was put down in 2013 after sustaining a cracked pastern.
Hiroshi has been riding since he was 23. He is a former director of Johnson & Johnson but gave up his role 12 years ago to concentrate on riding.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.