News, Rumors & Gossip

From the farmyard into the Olympic Arena

april 98

Fritz Thiedemann, a living legend horseback-rider celebrated his 80^th anniversary on March, 30 1998. The peasant, himself a farmer's son started his riding career at the age of 5, when he mounted on his father's work horses. At the age of 17 Major Bürkner realized his riding skills and talent and started to train him.
During the following years he became a shooting star in the competitors screne. He made it to the first position in 550 competitions including two Olympic gold- and two bronze medals. He was the one and only winner of a bronze medal in two different disciplines at Olympic Games: Jumping and dressage. This happened in 1952. Mentioning the name Fritz Thiedemann you must not forget another name in conjunction: Meteor, his powerful and heavy Holsteiner horse. Meteor similar to his rider starts from humble beginnings: Named 'Moritz' when he was working as a dairy draft horse before he came to Thiedemann as a jumper. Fritz Thiedemann retired in 1961, Meteor died 1966 at the age of 23.
Speaking of record figures: Fritz Thiedemann scores a total of 132 'crash-landings' in competitions, this also appeares to be a special record....
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Youngsters going strong

april 98

The second issue of the ‘Preis der Zukunft’ (Future’s trophy), a special dressage event for the rising generation at Aachen showed high level performances of the young riders. The tasks in the Prix-St. Georges (an ‘invention’ of the international judge Heinz Schütte) included flying changes as well as pirouettes. Winner was the German student Stefanie Schüle from Ansbach and her 11 year old Dutch gelding ‘Jozko’. Stefanie is trained by her mother who also collected some Grand Prix trophies during her career.

The second position showed a well known name: Ellen Schulten-Baumann, the adopted daughter of Dr. Uwe Schulten-Baumer. The 19 year old rider and her mare ‘Weserperle’ (9) was a member of last years ‘Gold-Team’ and also won the silver medal at the individual test.

Guido Münstermann (20), who was put in 3rd position, rode his 11 year old Westphalian gelding ‘Batman’. Both had been successful in the European Youngsters Championship in 95 where they won the gold medal. At the moment he’s in military service at the Warendorf sports-unit.
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Trainer of the dressage élite	april 98
At the age of 77 horseback-rider and trainer Prince Karl von Auersperg died on 1/18/98. After his education at the Spanish Riding School he works as an independent trainer for dressage. During the 80th von Auersperg trained the dressage élite of the US. His main request was respect against horses. He always had been a real horseman. content

Bad Riders on Top Horses ?

march 98

During a meeting, dressage trainer and International competitor, Dr. Rainer Klimke harshly complained about the development of the German horse-riding scene. "Nowadays we hardly have ten trainers who have their roots in classical riding education!" he provoked his audience. "Breeding succeeds in an improving quality of the horses where-by the horses, more and more, have to compensate the rider’s deficiency".
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Arrak died	march 98
The brown gelding Arrak xx (from Rocket xx), who was very successful at international horse shows under Monica Theodorescu, died at the age of 16 from a colic. Arrak was one of the few thoroughbreds in the row of international top horses for dressage. content

Count Landsberg decorated

march 98

Dieter Graf (Count) Landsberg-Velen, president of the German riding association (FN) was decorated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) with the 'Olympic Order' for his worldwide merits in sports matters and his promotion of the Olympic ideal.
Dieter Graf Landsberg-Velen is President of the FN since 1996 and Chairman of the German Olympic Committee for riding (DOKR) since 1973. From 1979 to 1990 he was Vice-President of the International Riding Association.
1990 he was appointed to be the first Vice President of Honour of the FEI. Besides his duties in national and international organizations for horse sports, he is also, Vice President of the Central German Sports Association and, since 1993, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee (NOK).
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