The 67-year old German 5* judge and show organizer Gotthilf Riexinger has been bestowed with the German Rider's Cross in gold, the highest accolade awarded by the German Equestrian Federation to distinguished equestrian figures.
Gerhard Ziegler, the president of the Baden Wurttemberger equestrian federation, bestowed the cross upon Gotthilf at the Baden Classics show, which Riexinger directs.
"It was a very emotional moment for me," Riexinger commented.
Riexinger was supposed to have received the Cross at the 2014 CDI Stuttgart but due to "atmospheric disruptions" between the show director and the Stuttgart organizing chair Andreas Kroll, the ceremony was postponed. Riexinger has been show director of the Stuttgart German Masters since 184. In 2002 Riexinger already received the Silver Rider's Cross at that show.
For forty years Riexinger has been actively involved in German equestrian sport. He is an international dressage judge and was, for instance, member of the ground jury at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong. He has served on the German and FEI Dressage Committee and has always been very outspoken about his ideas and opinions.
On a professional level, Riexinger is a furniture dealer. In his leasure time he enjoys safari's on horse back in South Africa.
Photo © Lukasz Kowalski
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