Dressage rider and trainer Walter Zettl has passed away in the early morning of 7 June 2018. He had celebrated his 89th birthday on 21 March 2018.
Zettl died in his sleep with his wife Heidi and fried Todd Owens by his side.
Born in 1929 in Alt-Rohlau, Bohemia, now the Czech Republic, the German Zettl began riding as a 16 year old. Five years later he became the youngest recipient of the Rider Badge in Gold for his successes at S-level.
He was selected on the German dressage team for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, but ruled a professional rider and therefore ineligible to compete. In 1953 he succeeded Otto Lörke and Willi Schultheis as head trainer of the Vornholz stud. The majority of his professional career he spent in South Germany as rider and trainer.
In 1981 Zettl moved to Canada to become the managing director of the Canadian I.E.S.S. owned by Hans and Eva Maria Pracht. During his years in Canada he coached the young riders dressage team from Ontario which subsequently went on to win three consecutive team gold medals, one individual gold medal, two individual silver medals and one individual bronze medal at the North American Young Riders Championships. He was also appointed the dressage team trainer for the Canadian eventing team at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Walter became a Canadian citizen in 1987. In 2011, he was inducted into the Toronto CADORA Dressage Association Hall of Fame.
In 1998 he published his book "Dressage In Harmony", in 2007 "The Circle of Trust" and in 2013 "Ask Walter" followed. In 2002 a 5-volume educational DVD appeared called "A Matter of Trust".
Related Links
Vornholz Stud: Birth Place of Post-War German Dressage
The 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki: Gold in the Middle of the Woods
The 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki: En Route to the Games
Canada's Diane Creech Wins Sportsmanship Award at 2011 CDI-W West Palm Beach