29 Facts About Michael Plumb

Michael Plumb holds the title of the US Olympic competitor who has competed in the greatest number of Olympics, winning two team gold medals, three team silvers and one individual silver.

Michael Plumb has competed at the World Equestrian Games and Pan-American Games, winning medals at both, as well as competing in the Rolex Kentucky Three Day and steeplechase events.

Michael Plumb has been named to the Hall of Fame of the United States Eventing Association, as well as winning annual USEA awards, and is the only equestrian rider to have been inducted to the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

Michael Plumb was previously married to fellow Olympian Donnan Plumb, and the couple has three sons.

Michael Plumb's father, Charles, was a steeplechase rider and huntsman, and his mother, Meem, was an equestrian.

Michael Plumb began riding at the Meadow Brooks Hounds Pony Club, where he participated in Pony Club.

Michael Plumb married Donnan Sharp Plumb, a dressage rider who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics; they later divorced.

Michael Plumb began his international competitive three-day event career at the 1959 Pan American Games in Chicago, Illinois.

Michael Plumb competed at several Eventing World Championships, accruing four medals.

Michael Plumb was named to the US team in every Olympic games between 1960 and 1984, as well as appearing for the last time at the 1992 Summer Olympics, and competed at all of the Games except for 1980, when the US did not compete.

At the 1960 Summer Olympics, Michael Plumb took an individual 15th, while the US team did not finish the competition.

Michael Plumb had planned to ride his main event horse, Markham, but on the flight to the Games in Tokyo, the horse panicked, possibly due to a bad experience previously suffered in a horse trailer.

Michael Plumb instead rode Bold Minstrel, a horse loaned to him by another top-level eventer.

In 1968, at Ciudad de Mexico, Michael Plumb took an individual 14th, while the US team again finished with a silver.

In 1970, when Jack le Goff became coach of the United States eventing team, Michael Plumb was one of only three active US riders with international experience in the sport.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics, the US team took the silver medal for the third Games in a row, while Michael Plumb finished 20th individually.

At the 1976 Games, Michael Plumb achieved his only individual medal, taking silver, while the US team took gold.

Michael Plumb was one of 461 athletes to receive a Congressional Gold Medal instead.

In 1992, Michael Plumb competed in his last Olympics, placing 48th individually while the team took 10th.

Michael Plumb has ridden in steeplechase competitions, and in 1976 placed second at the Maryland Hunt Cup, an event which his father had won in 1929.

Michael Plumb has competed multiple times at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day.

In 2002, Michael Plumb was named as one of the 50 most influential horsemen of the 20th century by the equine magazine Chronicle of the Horse.

In 2003, Michael Plumb was inducted to the United States Eventing Association Hall of Fame, along with one of his horses, Plain Sailing.

Good Mixture, another of Michael Plumb's horses, was inducted in 2009.

In 2008, Michael Plumb became the first equestrian to be inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

The United States Eventing Association awarded Michael Plumb their Leading Rider of the Year Award on ten occasions.

Michael Plumb is known for his training abilities with both horses and other riders, and as of 2018 he continued to ride and train at his stables in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

Michael Plumb is reticent about discussing his accomplishments, but colleagues have referred to him as the "ultimate team member" who could be counted on to be at the top of his game and a consistent performer.

Michael Plumb admits to being completely focused on riding and "not a social person", with former coach Jack le Goff saying that "horses are his only reason for being on earth".