German born American O-judge Axel Steiner officiated at his last CDI in the United States at 2013 Dressage at Devon last weekend. At age 72 he has pushed the limits of retirement age because of his love for sport and the show and was briefly acknowledged for his work at 2013 Dressage at Devon.
While Steiner still has two more CDI's to judge in Australia this year, Devon was his last competition on home soil. "To finish my FEI judging career in my home country at Devon was bitter sweet," Steiner confessed to Eurodressage. "To step down after 33 years as a international judge to a more national level will take some adjustment. What I will miss most is judging the best riders and horses, and the opportunity to judge on panels with respected colleges being able to constantly compare and calibrate one's scores. Some of the discussions at night after a show over a glass or two of wine will forever remain a found memory."
Born and raised in Wiesbaden, Germany, Axel started riding as a 9 year old attended the well known riding schools of Warendorf and von Neindorff. In 1961, Axel emigrated to the US (San Antonio,Texas) to join the Air Force. While waiting to be accepted and thereafter while stationed in Texas he started teaching basic horsemanship and dressage. During these early days, he also competed throughout the Southwest on the horses of the US Modern Pentathlon team. In 1968, Axel received his first judging credentials, and he has been judging and teaching ever since. Even when his military duties took him to locations throughout the US and foreign countries, horses were always a part of his life. His skills and unfailing eye were recognized by riders and officials alike, and he was promoted quickly through the many judges' classifications.
An FEI "O" (now 5*) judge since 1988, he has judged Olympics, World Cup Finals, Pan American Games, and many other championships here in the US and throughout the world. Along the way, he participated in the founding of the USDF in 1973, became a member of the USDF "L" faculty since the inception of the program, and has been a long-time member of the USEF Dressage Committee.
Axel balances his judging duties with teaching and clinics around the country, which keep him "in touch" and appreciative of the look and feel from both "A" and "C". Axel retired from the US Air Force as a Lt/Col. He has a son, a daughter, and three grandchildren, and in 2000 he married the well known photographer and painter Terri Miller. They now live happily in Lake San Marcos, which is just north of San Diego.
Steiner's "retirement" as an international judge does not mean that he will put judging on the back burner. "I hope to remain active nationally as a judge and teacher of riders and
horses and judges," he told Eurodressage. "Maybe the FEI will use me for the Challenge Tour
and/or the occasional Appeals Committee. I am still rearing to go."
Photos © Sue Stickle
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