Only a couple of hours had passed since Solvalla’s sports director had received the message. Björn Goop stroked himself as a driver, however Anders Malmrot was expected to host V86 races in the usual order.
– When you walk around among the active people, you see how many people Olle touches. It’s hard, really. For us on the other side of the fence, it has always been Stig H and Olle who are the big giants. It feels very sad, says Malmrot.
A silent parade with a picture on Olle Goop on the big screen started the competition day. The track decided to keep the music quiet and to the tunes of Ted Gärdestad’s For Love’s did Stig H Johansson what he could to remember his colleague:
– Olle was a nice colleague who never created any problems. A nice guy and a very good coach. We fought against each other many times. He was very good and they always had great respect for him. He was smart and good at riding horses. I do not think there was anything that had anything to complain about about Olle. He was a man of honor at his fingertips. We met many times but there were never any sour faces. He was a very nice driver and never caused any problems for other participants in the races, says Stig H.
Per Lennartsson is full of gratitude.
– He was a role model for me when I grew up and started with the trot. His touch with some special horses was widely known all over the world. He was an amazing man and an amazing horseman. He has done a lot for many people involved in the race. Especially for me who had a fantastic role model both personally and as a professional. In the good old days, he often had to take care of the tricky horses that did not have an easy time with the trot. When you saw his touch in the races, you really had something to make sure to try to live up to, even if it was not easy. He has inspired me a lot, says Lennartsson.
Jorma Kontio met Olle Goop recently.
– It was both a sad and surprising news with Olle’s death. It was not many days since I met him on a trotting track over a cup of coffee, says Jorma Kontio.
– We have been camping together on the trotting tracks around Europe since the early 70’s. Olle was a real horseman and always behaved very nicely, regardless of whether it was on or off the trotting track. I had the privilege of driving both with and against horses from his stable early in my career. One of Sweden’s foremost horsemen has left us and he will be missing
“A true gentleman”
The black mourning band is clearly visible Örjan Kihlströms vita dress.
– He was one of the greatest in Swedish trotting for many years. From the time I was little and grew up, he was one of the greatest coaches and drivers. And he was throughout his career until Björn took over. Olle was a real gentleman and you never heard a man say a bad word about him. He was great both as a driver, coach and human being, says Kihlström.
Torbjörn Jansson looks straight into the air and waits a few seconds.
– What to say? I have known him for any number of years and there are almost no words. One thing you can say is that he is perhaps the best driver that has ever existed. He was known to be the hardest working of all and he had a phenomenal ability to ride a horse. Incredibly good simply, says Torbjörn Jansson.
It is quiet, sad and a bit tense and the flag is at half mast. Stefan Melander goes by, but still takes his time while holding his nimble horse. Just like the man he remembers with joy.
– He had time with everyone. When I took pictures, he always showed up, no problem. He talked to all the people. An amazing man, it was just like that. As a driver, he is the worst I’ve seen holding and carrying horses around for victories. He was also incredible at praising others. It was crazy that it would go this fast, says Stefan Melander.
The coaching colleagues Roger Walmann and Svante Båth fills in:
– Olle Goop was a person who really took the trot into the spotlight. He has behaved exemplary all these years. He is a man who will be missed in the trotting environment, says Walmann.
– It feels very heavy and gloomy. For me, when I was growing up, he was one of the greatest. He was always nice to meet and talk to and was always happy, says Båth.
Olle Goop was liked by everyone, states the driver Erik Adielsson.
– The message is shocking and very, very heavy. It is probably difficult to find a more popular person in the trotting sport than Olle. The thoughts go spontaneously to Björn and Annika but also to everyone out on Lökene. Every single person you ask will say he was always happy. Everyone just has a lot to say about Olle. It is a great sorrow for the whole of Travsverige, says Erik Adielsson.
Reijo Liljendahl Olle Goop remembers with joy.
– It is tragic what has happened but the memory from Olle lives on. He is definitely one of the greatest in Swedish trotting. I had a lot to do with him during the time he drove for Stig H. He was a terribly knowledgeable professional and a very good person. Right now I feel extra for Annika and Björn, says Liljendahl.
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