With great sadness, the State Stud in Warendorf announced the passing of the legendary dressage trainer Franz Kukuk on February 28, 2005. He was 77 years old.
Franz Kukuk was born in Dortmund-Barop on 1927. In August 1941 at age 14, he became a stable hand at the State Stud in Warendorf . Between 1953 and 1954 he graduated at the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR), where he schooled renowned horses such as Kamax, Burnus, Heliotrop xx and Traumwunch xx.
In the winter of 1958, Kukuk was tutored at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. After his return, he trained the foundation stallion Radetzki to Grand Prix level and made Damhirsch his "Parade Horse".
From 1964 to his retirement in 1991, Kukuk managed the stallion station in Warendorf and was responsible for the acquisition and dressage training of the stallions. Besides leading many Warendorf stallion to greatness, Kukuk trained several international dressage riders, such as double Olympic gold medallist Nicole Uphoff.
He became a legend for his in-hand work and was, until his death, still working at Hof Kasselmann in Hagen, Germany, to school young horses their first piaffe steps.
Franz Kukuk was a highly decorated man, having received the "Bundesverdienstkreuz", the Silver Achievement Plaque ("Silbernen Verdienstplakette") from the province of Westfalia, and the Silver Riders' Cross from the German Equestrian Federation.
Photos copyrighted: Astrid Appels/Eurodressage
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