Bengt Ljungquist

Bengt Helge Ljungquist (20 September 1912 – 15 July 1979) was a Swedish fencer, equestrian and military officer.

Bengt Ljungquist
Ljungquist at his retirement in 1967.
Birth name	Bengt Helge Ljungquist
Born	20 September 1912 Umeå, Sweden
Died	15 July 1979 (aged 66) Förslöv, Sweden
Allegiance	Sweden (1936–1967) Abyssinia (1948–50)
Service/branch	Swedish Army
Years of service	1936–1967
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands held	Swedish Cavalry Cadet School Life Guards Squadron Life Regiment Hussars
Battles/wars	Winter War

Early life

Ljungquist was born on 20 September 1912 in Umeå, Sweden, the son of Major Helge Ljungquist and his wife Edith Palander.[1] Ljungquist began riding at the age of ten.[2] He passed studentexamen in Stockholm in 1931.[1]

Military career

In 1934 he received his cavalry commission, which he resigned in 1939, along with many of his fellow officers, to fight in the Winter War for Finland in its two-year conflict with the invading Soviet Union.[2] Ljungquist also attended the Royal Swedish Army Staff College between 1938 and 1940 and then served as a General Staff Corps aspirant. Ljungquist was promoted to Lieutenant in the Life Regiment Hussars (K 3) in 1936 and became Ryttmästare in 1943. He then served as a teacher at Military Academy Karlberg from 1944 to 1948 and as a military instructor in Ethiopia from 1948 to 1950.[1] Ljungquist was commanding officer of the Swedish Cavalry Cadet School (Kavalleriets kadettskola, KavKS) from 1950 to 1954 when he was promoted to Major. In 1955, he was appointed executive officer of the Life Guards Squadron (K 1).[1] As part of his military duties, Ljungquist organized the equestrian competition at the 1956 Stockholm Olympic Games.[2] Four years later, Ljungquist was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and appointed executive officer of the Life Regiment Hussars (K 3).[1] He retired from the military in 1967.

Sports career

Bengt Ljungquist

Ljungquist at the 1952 Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Bengt Helge Ljungquist
Born	20 September 1912 Umeå, Sweden
Died	15 July 1979 (aged 66) Förslöv, Sweden
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	90 kg (198 lb)
Sport
Sport	Fencing
Event(s)	Épée, sabre, foil
Club	Skövde FF Stockholms AF K3 IF, Skövde
Medal record Representing  Sweden Olympic Games 1948 Helsinki Épée, team 1952 Melbourne Épée, team World Championships 1937 Paris Épée, team 1938 Piešťany Épée, team 1947 Lisbon Épée, ind. 1947 Lisbon Épée, team 1951 Stockholm Épée, team 1954 Luxemburg Épée, team

He competed in various fencing events at the 1936, 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics and won a silver and bronze in the team épée in 1948 and 1952. In 1964 he took part only in mixed dressage events and finished fifth with the Swedish team.[3][4]

At the world fencing championships Ljungquist won four silver and two bronze medals in the épée in 1937–1954.[5]

During a visit with his sister to the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, he made a trip to the United States that sparked his interest in furthering dressage. He later became a United States Equestrian Team coach.[2] As a United States Equestrian Team coach, Ljungquist guided the US dressage team to a bronze medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics and a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games. He was inducted into the United States Dressage Federation Hall of Fame in 1998.[6]

Personal life

In 1942, Ljungquist married Märta Thorén (born 1915), the daughter of Captain Gösta Thorén and Märta Bernström. He was the dather of Ewa (born 1943), Sten (born 1944) and Ulf (born 1947).[1]

Death

He died on 15 July 1979 Förslöv, Sweden while on a visit from the United States.[5]

Dates of rank

• 193? – Fänrik
• 1936 – Lieutenant
• 1943 – Ryttmästare
• 1954 – Major
• 1959 – Lieutenant Colonel

Awards and decorations

Ljungquist's awards:[1]

Swedish

• Knight of the Order of the Sword
• Skaraborg County Schooting Association's Gold Medal (Skaraborgs skytteförbunds guldmedalj)
• Swedish Equestrian Badge of Honor (Svensk ridsports hederstecken)
• Swedish Fencing Association's Gold Medal (Svenska fäktförbundet EtoGM)

Foreign

• Knight First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
• Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau
• Knight First Class of the Order of St. Olav
• Knight First Class of the Royal Victorian Order
• Fourth Class of the Order of the Cross of Liberty with Swords
• Finnish War Commemorative Medal
• Finnish Commemorative Cross on the occasion of the Finnish War 1939-45
• Medal of Honour for Physical Education, silver (Médaille d'Honneur de l'Education Physique)

Honours

• Member of the Samfundet SHT[1]
• Member of the Rotary International[1]
• Member of the United States Dressage Federation Hall of Fame (1998)[6]

See also

• Dual sport and multi-sport Olympians

References

1. Harnesk, Paul, ed. (1965). Vem är vem?. 3, Götaland, utom Skåne, Halland, Blekinge [Who's Who?. 3, Götaland, except Scania, Halland, Blekinge] (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Vem är vem. p. 696. SELIBR 53511.
2. "American Dressage Legends: Col. Bengt Ljungquist". www.yourdressage.org. United States Dressage Federation. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
3. "Olympics Statistics: Bengt Ljungquist". databaseolympics.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
4. "Bengt Ljungquist Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
5. "Bengt Ljungquist]" (in Swedish). Swedish Olympic Committee. 14 July 2020. Archived from the original on 8 October 2017.
6. "Colonel Bengt Ljungquist (1998)". United States Dressage Federation. Retrieved 21 September 2015.

External links

• Bengt Ljungquist at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)