October 13, 2022 
Each week on #HallOfFameThursday, Horse Network recognizes members of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame with an inductee’s plaque, historical photos and, on the first Thursday of every month, an article written by a Show Jumping Hall of Famer. This week, we recognize 2012 inductee Starman.
Starman, the Westphalian stallion owned by Fran Steinwedell, carried decorated show jumper Anne Kursinski to a number of impressive accomplishments including a team Silver Medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.
Starman and Kursinski first teamed up in 1987, and their performances that year helped the United States claim Nations’ Cup victories at three of the world’s most significant horse shows—Hickstead, England; Aachen, Germany; and Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada. Largely because of her accomplishments with Starman, Kursinski was named that year’s American Horse Shows Association Horsewoman of the Year.
The highlight of Starman’s career came at the 1988 Olympics where, in addition to helping the U.S. team win the Silver Medal, he and Kursinski tied for fourth place in the individual competition. Two years later in 1990, the duo competed in the first-ever World Equestrian Games (comprising the World Championships) in Stockholm, Sweden and helped the U.S. team place fourth, Later that year, Starman was named the Show Jumping Horse Of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse.
In 1991, Starman and Kursinski added their names to the show jumping history books by taking top honors in the Grand Prix of Aachen. With that win, Kursinski became only the second woman and third American to emerge victorious in the prestigious grand prix in its 80-year history. They also placed seventh in that year’s World Cup Finals where Kursinski was named the Leading Lady Rider. Their overall record together led to Kursinski being named that year’s Female Equestrian Athlete Of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Besides demonstrating his showjumping prowess, Starman also displayed great talent in the hunter ring as well, even emerging as a Conformation Hunter Champion at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. He later became a highly sought-after sport horse stallion.
Starman retired from competition in 1994 at the age of 15. He lived as a breeding stallion at Pollyrich Farms in Solvang, California until his death on July 4, 2006.
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