The Games of the XVII Olympiad were held in Rome, Italy between August 25 and September 11, 1960, such that the results were fresh in the minds of readers of the ‘Radio Times’ when they voted for Sportsview Personality of the Year. In fact, the first three in the public poll were medallists, of one colour or another, in Rome. Equestrian David Broom, who won a bronze medal in the individual show jumping, finished first, racewalker Donald Thompson, who won a gold medal in the 50km walk, finished second and swimmer Anita Lonsbrough, who won a gold medal in the women’s 200m breaststroke, in a world record time of 2:49.5, finished third. Thompson and Lonsbrough were, in fact, the only British gold medallists at Rome 1960.
Born in Cardiff on St. David’s Day 1940, 20-year-old Broome and his horse, Sunsalve, had to settle for a podium finish in Rome, behind Italian brothers Raimondo and Piero D’Inzeo. It was a similar story in the Show Jumping World Championships, held on the island of Lido, in the Venetian Lagoon, immediately after the Summer Olympics. Defending champion Raimondo d’Inzeo and his horse, Gowran Girl, won the individual gold medal in that event, too, with Broome once again collecting a bronze medal.
He competed in the 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1988 Olympics and won individual bronze medals in 1960 on Sunsalve and in 1968 on his best-known horse Mr Softee. In 1960, he was also voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and at the 1972 Games served as the Olympic flag bearer for Great Britain. Nevertheless, Broome had done enough to become the first equestrian to be named BBC Sports Personality of the Year. At the award ceremony, to his surprise, Broome was joined on stage by Sunsalve and, at the behest of presenter Peter Dimmock, mounted up and rode his former Olympic partner from the studio.
David Broome went on to enjoy a show jumping career lasting over 40 years and, between 1960 and 1991, won 14 Olympic, World and European medals. Highlights included another Olympic individual bronze medal on Mr. Softee at Mexico 1968, and an individual gold medal on Beethoven at the World Show Jumping Championships in La Baule, France in 1970.