Alwin Schockemöhle
A dominant German show jumper who conquered the Olympics and European championships with a famously powerful and meticulous riding style.
Born 1937 (age 89)·German equestrian·Birthday: May 29·The Silent Generation
Biography
Alwin Schockemöhle was a pillar of German show jumping's golden era, an athlete whose name became synonymous with power and precision. Hailing from a family deeply embedded in the equestrian world, he and his brothers formed a formidable dynasty. Alwin's approach was analytical and intense; he trained his horses with a focus on sheer gymnastic ability, producing mounts like the legendary Warwick Rex and Deister who could clear massive obstacles with apparent ease. His career peaked in the 1970s, where he stood atop the podium at both the Olympic and European levels, often anchoring the dominant West German team. After retiring from competition, he seamlessly transitioned into breeding and training, influencing generations of sport horses and cementing his legacy as a complete horseman whose impact stretched far beyond the arena.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Alwin was born in 1937, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alwin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1937
#1 Movie
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Best Picture
The Life of Emile Zola
Alwin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1937Born
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1942Started school
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1950Became a teenager
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1953Could drive
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1955Could vote
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1958Turned 21
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1967Turned 30
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 40
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 50
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 60
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 70
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 80
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 89 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the individual gold medal in show jumping at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal riding Warwick Rex.
- Secured the individual gold at the 1975 European Championships in Munich.
- Was a key member of the gold medal-winning West German team at the 1976 Olympics.
- Won the prestigious German Jumping Derby in Hamburg a record five times.
Did You Know?
His younger brother, Paul Schockemöhle, is also an Olympic show jumping medalist and a major figure in horse trading and breeding.
He is known for developing the Oldenburg stallion Deister, who became a world-famous show jumper with his other rider, Paul.
After his competitive career, he became a highly successful horse breeder and trainer at his facility in Mühlen.
“The horse must trust your leg before it trusts your hand.”
