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British Breeder Magazine May 2020

Magazine for breeders of British bred sport horses. Includes breeding industry news, updates, interviews, profiles and reports.

Magazine for breeders of British bred sport horses. Includes breeding industry news, updates, interviews, profiles and reports.

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NEWS - OBITUARIES<br />

Tribute:<br />

Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer<br />

Dr Wilfried Bechtolsheimer passed<br />

away in Switzerland on 8 April <strong>2020</strong>,<br />

following a short illness. A statement by<br />

the Bechtolsheimer family said, “We see<br />

the sun slowly setting, and we are still<br />

surprised when it is suddenly dark”.<br />

<strong>British</strong> Equestrian echoed the thoughts<br />

of many in their statement: “His deep<br />

passion for our sport and his love of all<br />

creatures, but horses in particular, were<br />

at the heart of his artful horsemanship<br />

which touched so many of us and will<br />

continue to inspire.”<br />

A German born orthodontist, Wilfried<br />

moved to the UK with his wife, Ursula,<br />

in 1986 and settled into their yard near<br />

Cirencester.<br />

As a rider he was skilful and sympathetic,<br />

and he was a great pupil, but even more<br />

so a teacher. Always keen to support up<br />

and coming talent, he is widely credited<br />

for launching the career of Carl Hester.<br />

In three and a half years under Wilfried’s<br />

guidance, Carl made his senior debut in<br />

1990, then to the Barcelona Olympics<br />

in 1992. Such was Dr B’s generosity that<br />

he gave Carl the ride on his most prized<br />

horse, the licensed Oldenburg stallion<br />

Giorgione, the first horse he trained<br />

himself to Grand Prix. ‘Gino’ gave Carl<br />

his first National Champion title and<br />

Olympic experience, putting him on the<br />

map.<br />

Wilfried and Ursula embraced all things<br />

<strong>British</strong> and Wilfried even changed<br />

nationality, proudly wearing the Union<br />

flag at the 1995 European<br />

Championships when rode Giorgione<br />

(by Grundstein x Perser xx) on the <strong>British</strong><br />

team. The pair were also reserve for the<br />

1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.<br />

His focus then turned towards<br />

mentoring his daughter, Laura, into<br />

one of the sport’s leading medallists.<br />

He coached her from pony level and<br />

success in the youth teams was followed<br />

quickly by medals at senior level, all<br />

under Wilfried’s close guidance. With<br />

Mistral Hojris, Laura found success, but<br />

it didn’t come easily because ‘Alf’ was<br />

a tricky horse to train – to turn a horse<br />

some said was unrideable into an<br />

Olympic, World and European medallist<br />

was testament to Wilfried’s patient and<br />

sympathetic training methods, which<br />

Laura continues to champion. Their<br />

individual bronze and team gold medals<br />

at the 2012 Olympic Games in London,<br />

was undoubtedly a proud achievement.<br />

Since 2010, Lara Butler has been part<br />

of the Eastington Stud team and Wilfried<br />

and Ursula have supported her as<br />

mentors and owners, helping her to<br />

achieve her ambitions. Success with<br />

Rubin al Asad and their homebred<br />

Kristjan with Lara riding has given almost<br />

as much pride as Laura’s own<br />

achievements.<br />

At Eastingston Stud, Wilfried and Ursula<br />

also ran a small scale breeding farm<br />

which started with their own stallions<br />

Giorgione and Polarion. They collaborated<br />

with the Oldenburg society and<br />

initially invested in a series of<br />

broodmares, including Starlight Surprise<br />

(by Sion), Deutsche Eiche (by<br />

Donnerhall), Sven Rothenberger’s<br />

Donne, First Lady (by Feiner Stern),<br />

Utima (by Landadel), and Wild Rose (by<br />

Weltmeyer). Later on Laura’s retired sport<br />

mares were added to the fold (Unique,<br />

Pamina).<br />

Jason Brautigam, Chief Executive at<br />

<strong>British</strong> Dressage, said: “Everyone at BD<br />

is desperately sad to hear this awful<br />

news. Dr Bechtolsheimer has done so<br />

much for <strong>British</strong> Dressage over the years,<br />

it is hard to overstate his contribution to<br />

our sport. Wilfried was hugely respected<br />

and very highly regarded by everyone<br />

in the dressage community, his immense<br />

technical knowledge and expertise was<br />

second to none. There have also been so<br />

many examples of his incredible<br />

generosity in supporting BD, often<br />

without public recognition, in his quietly<br />

modest and unassuming way. The sport<br />

certainly wouldn’t be where it is today<br />

without Dr Bechtolsheimer’s substantial<br />

influence and input. Our thoughts and<br />

condolences go out to Ursula, Laura and<br />

all of his family at this difficult time.”<br />

He is survived by his wife Ursula Laura;<br />

his children Felix with wife Geraldine,<br />

Götz with wife Alida, Till with wife Julia<br />

and Laura with husband Mark; and<br />

grandchildren Annalisa, Amélie, Wilfred,<br />

Lukas and Hanni.<br />

A memorial service will be held in<br />

Gloucestershire later this year.<br />

14 | BRITISH BREEDER

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