Steve Guerdat (born 10 June 1982) is a Swiss equestrian who competes in the sport of show jumping.
He is the 2012 Olympic Champion, and the 2024 vice Olympic Champion in individual jumping. He also won the bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in team jumping.
He has also won the 2026 World Equestrian Games, the 2023 European Championships, and the 2015, 2016, and 2019 World Cup in individual jumping.
He is the only show jumping athlete to have ever won individual gold at the Olympic Games, the World Equestrian Games, the European Championships, and the World Cup.
Career Guerdat began riding at the age of seven. He was trained by his father, Philippe Guerdat, and by Beat Mändli. Between 1997 and 2002 he was part of two junior and three young rider European championships and won two bronze medals with the team. In 2003 he switched to the Netherlands and worked there for Jan Tops. He was selected for the jumping events at the 2004 Summer Olympics where he rode "Olympic". In 2006 he moved to Belgium and worked for three months for billionaire Oleksandr Onishchenko. After that Yves Piaget bought him the mare Jalisca Solier, with which he won the World Cup in Geneva. He was selected for the 2008 Summer Olympics where he rode Jalisca Solier and won the bronze medal in team jumping following the disqualification of Norwegian rider Tony André Hansen. In 2009 and 2011 he was named "Swiss rider of the year".
In 2012, Steve reached for the first time to top place of the world rankings. That same year he competed in London with the French Selle-Francais Nino de Buissonnets at his third Olympic Games. He was the only rider who jumped cleanly in the two final rounds of the competition and won the individual jumping gold medal. He was the first Swiss rider to win a gold medal in the jumping event since 1924 where Alphonse Gemuseus won in individual jumping.
Personal life Guerdat is the youngest son of Olympic show jumper Philippe Guerdat.
From April 2007 till 2017 Guerdat has lived in Herrliberg in the stables of Urs Schwarzenbach. Since 2017 he lives in his owns stables near Zürich in Elgg. The stables were in the past propriety of the Swiss rider Paul Weier.
In the summer 2019, French equestrian Fanny Skalli announced on her Instagram account that she was engaged with Steve Guerdat. The couple married in the early of 2021 and on 4 April 2021, their daughter Ella was born.
Notable horses Current Venard de Cerisy: 2009 Selle Français Gelding (Open up Semilly x Rosee de Cerisy) Owner: C.H.C Horses SA Dynamix de Belhème: 2013 Selle Français Mare Albfuehren's Iashin Sitte: 2014 Belgian Sporthorse Gelding Is-Minka: 2013 Dutch Warmblood Mare Lancelotta: 2013 Westfalian Mare Looping Luna: 2014 Hanoverian Mare Easy Star de Talma: 2014 Selle Français Stallion
Former Olympic Z: 1996 Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Concorde x Ridder) Pialotta: 1991 Mare (Pilot x Akitos xx) Tiyl: 1996 Belgian Warmblood Gelding (Fantastique x Codex) Urgent III: 2001 Dutch Warmblood Gelding (Numero Uno x Julio Mariner) Jalisca Solier: 1997-2014 Selle Français Mare (Aligator Fontaine x Dune Solier) Owner: Yves G. Piaget Nino des Buissonnets: 2001 Selle Français Gelding (Kannan x Hermine du Prelet (NarcosII)) Owner: Urs Schwarzenbach Alamo: 2008 KWPN Gelding (Ukato x Mariona) Owner: Pasquel Mendez Gerardo PB Maserati: 2012 Belgian Gelding (Emerald Van't Ruytershof x Cum Laude Z) Dom Perignon: 2013 Selle Français Gelding (Quintus D'09 x Coca Z) Victorio des Frotards: 2009 Selle Français Gelding (Barbarian x Fennecy Chetardie) Tum Play du Jouas: 2007 Selle Français Gelding (Querlybet Hero x Fée du Jouas) Albfuehren's Maddox: 2011 Swedish Warmblood Stalion (Cohiba 1198 x Miami) Owner: Hofgut Albführen GmbH Ulysse des Forets: 2008 Selle Français Mare (Col Canto x Lavende des Forets) Owner: Steve Guerdat and La Giraffa SA Flair: 2010 KWPN Mare (Zirocco Blue Vdl x Brandy) Owner: Mendez Gerardo-Pasquel Mighty Mouse: 2006 Zangersheide Gelding Albfuehren's Maddox: 2011 Sweden Stallion (Miami x Cohiba 1998) Albfuehren's Bianca XXXIV: 2006 Swedish Warmblood Mare (Balou du Rouet x Cardento) Owner: Steve Guerdat and Hofgut Albführen GmbH
Sponsors Rolex Hermès Toyota Horseware Ireland
International championship results Results Year Event Horse PlacingNotes 1997 European Junior Championships CayetanoTeam12thIndividual 1999 European Junior Championships Mecano6thTeam4thIndividual 2000 European Young Rider Championships Mecano 4thTeam13thIndividual2001European Young Rider ChampionshipsEnzzo7thTeam5thIndividual2002European Young Rider ChampionshipsLord FareiTeam34thIndividual2003European ChampionshipsTepic La SillaTeam6thIndividual2004Olympic GamesOlympic5thTeam50thIndividual2005World Cup FinalPialotta6th2005European ChampionshipsPialottaTeam7thIndividual2007World Cup FinalTresor2008World Cup FinalTresor7th2008Olympic GamesJalisca SolierTeam9thIndividual2009World Cup FinalTresor8th2009European ChampionshipsJalisca SolierTeam16thIndividual2010World Cup FinalTresor / Jalisca Solier15th2010World Equestrian GamesTresor13thTeam96thIndividual2011European ChampionshipsJalisca Solier6thTeam29thIndividual2012World Cup FinalNino des Buissonnets2012Olympic GamesNino des Buissonnets4thTeamIndividual2013World Cup FinalNino des Buissonnets2013European ChampionshipsNino des Buissonnets5thTeam8thIndividual2014World Cup FinalNino des Buissonnets5th2014World Equestrian GamesNino des Buissonnets11thTeam11thIndividual2015World Cup FinalPaille2016World Cup FinalCorbinian2016Olympic GamesNino des Buissonnets6thTeam4thIndividual2017World Cup FinalBianca8th2017European ChampionshipsBiancaTeam15thIndividual2018World Cup FinalBianca10th2018World Equestrian GamesBianca4thTeamIndividual2019World Cup FinalAlamo2019European ChampionshipsBianca6thTeam12thIndividual2021Olympic GamesVenard de Cerisy5thTeam31stIndividual2021European ChampionshipsAlbfuehren's MaddoxTeam11thIndividual2022World Cup FinalVictorio Des Frotards11th2022World Equestrian GamesVenard de Cerisy8thTeam40thIndividual2023European ChampionshipsDynamix de Belhème6thTeamIndividual2024World Cup FinalIs-Minka9th2024Olympic GamesDynamix de Belhème12thTeamIndividual2025European ChampionshipsAlbfuehren's Iashin Sitte5thTeam12thIndividual2026World Cup FinalAlbfuehren's Iashin Sitte5th2026World Equestrian GamesDynamix de Belhème6thTeamIndividual EL = Eliminated; RET = Retired; WD = Withdrew
References
External links
Steve Guerdat at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics (archived)