On July 21, Germany’s top eventer Michael Jung announced via his Facebook page that he was withdrawing his Olympic Games mount fischerTakinou from the German eventing team for the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro due to an infection. The  German equestrian federation confirmed the substitution of La Biosthetique Sam FBW on July 25, pending approval by the International Olympic Committee.

Jung wrote that “Taki” picked up an infection after the Aachen CICO*** (Germany), which they won, and would not be better in time to travel to Rio de Janeiro. Jung will now substitute his 2012 London Olympic champion “Sam,” who most recently won the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI**** (England) in May.

Jung selected fischerTakinou, a 9-year-old Anglo-Arabian gelding (Jaguar Mail—Gita, Sardana Pierre), as his Olympic Games mount at the beginning of this year, but his longtime partner “Sam,” a 16-year-old Baden-Württemberg gelding (Stan The Man XX—Halla, Heraldik XX), was his partner for double gold at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

The German team veterinarian Carsten Rohde confirmed July 25 that Sam and Jung’s second alternate fischerRocana FST hadn’t been infected with the same virus as Taki. 

“We are confident of receiving approval shortly, so Sam, together with the other horses, may make the trip to Rio on July 30,” said Dennis Peiler, managing director of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee and chef de mission of the German equestrian athletes in Rio.

According to Fédération Equestre Internationale rules, Jung is allowed to substitute another horse even though Olympic entries were finalized on July 18. Any horse on the nominated entry list can be substituted between July 18 and one hour before the first horse inspection, which will take place on Aug. 5.