Ulla Salzgeber's Rusty Passed Away

Dressage

German Dressage News

Ulla Salzgeber's career making Grand Prix horse Rusty has passed away at his retirement yard in Hungaria last week. He was 25 years old.

The past seven years Rusty enjoyed a retirement in the field in Hungaria, but last week during turn-out he lay down and would no longer get up. "We called the vet and had him peacefully put down," Salzgeber explained. "Rusty spent his retirement in the best care from Andrea, together with his best pony friend Motte. It's good to know that he still had many lovely years after he had been my best and most loyal friend and partner in the show ring."

The Latvian warmblood Rusty was born on the Burtnieki stud farm on 2 April 1988. In 1990 the liver chestnut sold as a two-year-old to Belarus after which he moved to Germany. Rusty, originally named "Rotors", is by Rebuss out of Akra (by Akcents). He was discovered by Salzgeber in Alexander Moksel's show jumping barn.

Ulla Salzgeber and Rusty The duo became one of Germany's most successful and renowned international Grand Prix combinations. Their career as a German team fixture began at the 1997 European Championships in Verden, where they won team gold and placed sixth individually. At the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Rome they won team gold and individual bronze behind Isabell Werth and Anky van Grunsven. In 1999 Rusty climbed the ladder and claimed team gold and individual silver at the 1999 European Championships in Arnheim.

At the 2000 Olympic Games the duo won team gold and individual bronze. Salzgeber had to prove nerves as steel when her music stopped playing in the Olympic Kur Finals. Rusty's Carmina Burana freestyle was never changed and this music became tightly linked to the horse with its signature pirouettes and to date still best one-tempi changes ever.

Salzgeber's and Rusty's incredible success continued in the new millennium. After the retirement of Isabell Werth's Gigolo they were Germany's number one pair and the one to beat on the international scene. They won team and individual gold at the 2001 and 2003 European Championships and at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez de la Frontera they got team gold and individual bronze.

Ulla Salzgeber and Rusty at the 2004 Olympic Games They were the World Cup winners in 2001 and 2002 but in 2003 they reached a nadir in their career when Rusty tested positive to doping at the 2003 World Cup Finals in Gothenburg. They had to give the title to Debbie McDonald and Brentina because Salzgeber's veterinarian Dr. Hans Stihl, who also administered the drugs in the positive doping case of Isabell Werth's Whisper, gave Rusty 25 mg Testosterone Propionate to treat an assumed hormonal imbalance in Rusty that may have caused patchy hair loss. The German Equestrian Federation banned the pair from competition for only two months and with a special rule Salzgeber and Rusty were allowed to compete at the 2004 German Championships in order to qualify for the Olympic Games.

The 2004 Olympic Games were the pair's last major championship. They won team gold and individual silver and Rusty was retired afterwards.

"Often I think back on our most beautiful victory, our first win at the 2000 German Dressage Championships in Balve," Salzgeber reminisced. "More often I think about the unique feeling which Rusty gave me in so many tests. That feeling will always be exceptional for me."