Hero / Idol |
German rider Daniel Deusser. (Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping YouTube channel, 18 Nov 2021) |
Injuries |
Injury forced him to withdraw from the 2014 World Equestrian Games [WEG] in Normandy, France, and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Republic of Korea. (equitation-japan.com, 28 Jul 2014) |
Famous relatives |
His older brother Kenki represented Japan in eventing at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. His younger sister Tae has competed in jumping at World Cup events, and won silver in team eventing at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, Republic of Korea. His father Masamichi Sato was named in the Japanese national equestrian team for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, but was unable to take part as Japan boycotted the event. (showjumping-journal.jp, 21 Nov 2022; SportsDeskOnline, 08 Dec 2020; Instagram profile, 17 Nov 2019; bukkyo-kikaku.com, 04 Aug 2016; joc.or.jp, 19 Sep 2014; shinmai.co.jp, 20 Jul 2012; joc.or.jp, 31 Aug 2008) |
Ambitions |
To compete at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. (Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping YouTube channel, 18 Nov 2021) |
Other information |
BREAK AND RETURN
He moved to Belgium at age 18 and joined Stephex Stables to the north of Brussels in 2010. He left the stables in 2014 to return to Japan in order to take care of his father and spend more time with his wife and son. He returned to competition in 2019 with a view to competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. He later relocated to Germany to work with German rider Paul Schockemohle. "Actually Paul contacted me regularly. But I was busy with my company, so I didn't have a chance to come back to Europe. Once my company was doing well and I got some help from my family, I said, 'Okay, I'll give it one more go'." (Sunshinetourvejer YouTube channel, 08 Mar 2020; equinet.co.jp, 24 Dec 2019; dehoefslag.nl, 06 Jul 2019; horse-international.com, 07 Mar 2019; grandprix-replay.com, 05 Mar 2019; equnews.com, 04 Mar 2019; st-georg.de, 16 Mar 2017; phelpssports.com, 09 Mar 2014)
RELIGIOUS PRACTITIONER
He has practised as a monk at Myoshoji Temple in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. (abn-tv.co.jp, 24 Jun 2017) |