Henri Saint Cyr

Saint Cyr was born on 15 March 1902 in Stockholm, Sweden, the son of Lieutenant Esaias Saint Cyr and his wife Tyra (née Andersson).[1]

Saint Cyr was commissioned as an officer in Svea Artillery Regiment (A 1) with the rank of Fänrik in 1924. He attended the Artillery and Engineering College from 1926 to 1928 when he was promoted to Lieutenant. Saint Cyr then attended the Army Riding School from 1928 to 1929, from 1931 to 1932 and from 1934 to 1936. He served as a teacher at the Army Riding School from 1936 to 1940 and he was promoted to Captain in 1938. Saint Cyr became Major in 1944 and attended the Cavalry School in France from 1948 to 1950. He was placed in the reserve in 1957.[1]

He competed at five consecutive Olympics from 1936 to 1960 and won two gold medals in 1952 and two in 1956, all in individual and team dressage. At his last Olympics in 1960 he finished fourth in the individual dressage.[2][3]

Saint Cyr was the national champion in eventing in 1935, 1937, and 1939 and won a world title in the individual dressage in 1953. He took the Olympic Oath at the 1956 Games in Stockholm.[4][5]

Saint Cyr was a board member of the Swedish Equestrian Federation (Svenska ridsportens centralförbund) from 1932 to 1948 and from 1950 to 1959.[1]

In 1921 he married Ruth Constantin-Peterson (1904–1966), the daughter of Bror Constantin-Peterson, a chief physician, and Sophie Psilanderskjöld.[6] He was the father of Madeleine (born 1930) and Guy (born 1934).[1]

• Knight of the Order of the Sword[1]
• H. M. The King's Medal[1]
• Knight of the Legion of Honour[1]

• 1924 – Fänrik
• 1928 – Lieutenant
• 1938 – Captain
• 1944 – Major

• Henri Saint Cyr at International Olympic Committee
• Henri Saint Cyr at Olympedia
• Henri Saint Cyr at databaseOlympics.com (archived)