Gestut Westfalenhof's Werner Gehring Passed Away

Breeding

Germany

Gestut Westfalenhof's owner Werner Gehring, a passionate horse owner and sponsor, passed away on Sunday 6 December 2020. He was 85 years old.

Zuchterforum first reported the news of Gehring's untimely passing.

Entrepreneur

Gehring garnered his wealth in the beverage industry with "Gehring-Bunte" Drinks. Since 1955 he and his brother Paul managed the company that sold, for instance, Christinen Brunner mineral water as well as owned Coco Cola distribution rights.

He was an entrepreneur and involved as a shareholder in companies such as RT Lasertechnik, Wihag Fahrzeugbausysteme and Rapid Leichtbau.

Social Commitment

Werner was married three times, his first to Renate, his second to Margot. Both wives died before him. His third marriage was to lawyer Martina Schwartz-Gehring.

The Gutersloh based Gehring was also actively involved in humanitarian and community projects in his area. In 1995 he founded the Renate Gehring Foundation which supports single parents, children and senior citizens in Gütersloh who are in need.

On his 80th birthday in 2015, Gehring donated one million euros to the city of Gütersloh. A third of this went into the renovation of the town hall forecourt, one third into the renovation of the square in front of the Gütersloh theater , and one third into the construction of a parcours facility.

For his commitment he was decorated with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2019.

Westfalenhof

In the horse world Gehring was best known as the owner of the fabulous brood farm Gestut Westfalenhof in Steinhagen. The yard is managed by Sven and Kathrin Sudhölter.

In 2013 Gehring acquired the renowned dressage stallion Belissimo M (by Beltain x Romadour II) when Sportpferde Schmidt in Lippetal-Lippborg foreclosed. Westfalenhof further owns licensed stallions Viva Gold, Baron, Dantano, and Desario

Gehring passed away in the Gutersloh hospital on Sunday night after a long period of illness. He leaves behind his third wife Martina and three daughters.