Born in Arzbach, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, I started riding early at the age of seven.

 

My first pony named “Frieda” was quite headstrong and put me in challenging situations back then, after all I didn’t know much about riding.

As a teenager I fortunately had the opportunity to ride a lot of horses with different characters and abilities and to acquire experiences especially in show jumping up to 1,30 m classes.

 

 I pushed on my riding skills as an autodidact through intensive study of riding literature, frequent observation of experienced riders and trainers and personal verification of my own riding capabilities.

To this day I stay true to my own principles. This is an ongoing process which challenges everyone anew, who is deeply attached to the equestrian sport.

 

Over time I got predominantly involved in dressage riding. During my years of study I successfully trained several horses up to fourth level. With my most successful dressage horse “Walesco” I gained places and victories up to FEI level, including Piaffe and Passage.

At that I grasped every opportunity to improve my riding competence, in particular during clinics with Paul Stecken and Harry Boldt.

In 1979 I passed the FN exam as a riding instructor and thereby obtained my first trainer certification.

 

Having finished my studies in pedagogics I was employed as a riding instructor in the Institute for Therapeutical Riding in Dr. Banzhaf’s medical office in Nassau. In 1982 I received the Stensbeck Award for the successful Bereiter (master rider) exam and in addition

the degree for “ Coach in riding instruction for physically challenged people".

 

Due to intensive activities in multifarious aspects of the equestrian sport I decided to pursue the education as a judge for riding competitions.

1983 I passed the judge exam up to second class, 1993 fourth class and 1995 up to Grand Prix Level of the German Judge Assosciation ( DRV) and since 2008 I’m a dressage expert (“Gutachter”) from the Rheinland-Pfalz-Commission.

 

For many years I have been several times in the US as a dressage trainer and coach, mainly in Florida. Here I have been training ambitious dressage riders up to Grand Prix level, giving clinics and seminars for riders and instructors, and starting successfully in FEI competitions.

 

As a Grand Prix Judge I’m not only active in Germany, but also abroad in Luxembourg,Singapore and this year also in Australia.

 

The combination of being an active dressage competitor, training supervisor, clinician and judge enabled me to obtain a deep understanding and profound knowledge in equestrian sport aspects.

 

 

My primary objective for the coming years is to convey my expertise to those riders and students who have true interest to obtain the skills of "distinctive riding".