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Franz Rochowansky
October 22, 2001


Rocky, Summer 2000, looking at his stallion, Neapolitano Fastasia	Rocky with his beloved Lipizzaner stallion, Neapolitano Fantasia

Una Harley remembers Rocky:

This was taken Summer 2000, standing leaning on the rails of our stallion garden, looking at his beloved Lipizzaner stallion, Neapolitano Fantasia, from the Spanish Riding School.

He was still riding this stallion and working him in hand performing levades at the amazing age of 87 years!

He was President of the Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain. He never missed a meeting, he gave regular clinics up to two years ago; he gave demonstrations with N. Fantasia.

Even though already very frail, he went to watch First Chief Rider Arthur Kottas ride N. Fantasia in February this year.

I was so proud to be able to organise his 90th birthday party for him only six weeks ago, at which he was the life and soul of the party!

What a loss to the world- it really is the end of a chapter!

Una Harley
Chairman Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain

Franz Rockwansky

Franz Rochowansky, a.k.a. Rocky, died on Monday, October 22, at the age of 90 in England. A memorial fund is planned.

He rode at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna from 1937 to his retirement in 1955, being Chief Rider (Oberbereiter) from 1952 - 1955. He moved to England and continued to share his love of horses and expertise with students in England and around the world through frequent clinics. He was the President of the Lipizzaner Society of Great Britain.

Not even being wheelchair bound kept him from teaching. "I am 87 years old, have two plastic hips, one plastic knee, am wheelchair- bound and I have to take 4 painkillers a day. Since taking CortaFlex, and with the aid of a Zimmer frame, I am now able to move around and I only take one painkiller a day."

His philosophy of riding was captured in Pathfinder Dressage by Penny Hillsdon published in September, 2000, featuring interviews with Classical and Competitive experts including Franz Rochowansky, Dr. Reiner Klimke, Conrad Schumacher and Sylvia Loch.

Rocky is one of the Classical Masters who will be sorely missed.

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