Other names: TODD, Marcus James, TODD, Mark

Born: 1 March 1956

Birthplace: Cambridge (New Zealand)

Nationality:  New Zealand

Sport: Equestrian

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Los Angeles 1984

Seoul 1988

Barcelona 1992

Sydney 2000

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 2

Silver: 1

Bronze: 2

Other results:

World Equestrian Games

Gold: 2 (90, 98)

Silver: 1 (98)

The man with Charisma

Until the arrival of Mark Todd, no rider from New Zealand had ever placed in the top 20 in an individual event, much less come close to winning a medal. Todd was a 28-year-old dairy farmer who sold much of his herd to finance his Olympic quest. At the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Todd and his beloved horse, Charisma, were in second place after the dressage and endurance portions of the three-day event.

He rode clear in the jumping round and then watched as the final rider, Karen Stives of the United States, astride Ben Arthur, nicked the top of the middle fence of the next to last obstacle and sent the pole to the ground.

This 5-point penalty gave Todd the victory by 2.6 points. Four years later, at the Seoul Olympics, Todd and Charisma (at age 16) led the field in both the dressage and endurance stages, then knocked over just one fence to become only the second repeat winners of the three-day event.

Todd also gained a bronze medal in the team event. Todd later wrote a 112-page biography of Charisma, who died, age 30, in 2003. Todd entered the 1992 Olympics, but his horse, Welton Greylag, strained a ligament during the endurance test and he had to withdraw. Nonetheless, Todd was awarded a silver medal as a member of the successful New Zealand team. He also competed in jumping in 1988 and 1992. Todd returned to the Olympics in 2000 and earned a bronze medal in the three-day individual event with a new horse, Eyespy II.