Although born in Cwmbach, Wales, Norman van de Vater moved to Midleton, County Cork in the mid-1960s and quickly became Master of the United Hunt. Originally only an alternate in Montreal in 1976, van de Vater moved onto the Irish team when John Watson’s horse Cambridge Blue was injured in Montreal in a freak accident. In the eventing cross-country competition, van de Vater fell and broke three ribs and was unable to continue to complete the jumping portion of the event. In 1977 he was on the Irish team that won bronze medals in the European Eventing Championship. He later became a trainer of eventing riders, and a dressage judge and instructor.
Ireland