Danish professional dressage rider and trainer Palle Thomsen celebrated his 70th birthday on 11 December 2020. Thomsen was the coach behind Ulla Salzgeber and Rusty's successes.
Life with Horses
Already from a young age Thomsen knew that a life with horses would be his path.
At age 15 he became a working student for Egon Stenbjerggaard and as a 19-year old he completed the riding exam in Stromsholm, Sweden.
He then began working for Gunnar Andersen.
Life in Germany
Thomsen's career shifted to another gear when he decided to move to Germany.
He start working for Bubi Günther in Hamburg and then for Maria Günther in Krefeld. , followed by a stint as trainer for the Helbing family.
In 1999 he began working for the entrepreneur Alexander Moksel, a Polish Jew who lost his entire family in World War II while he escaped labour camp in 1944. After the war Moksel moved to Buchloe and worked his way from poverty to success in the meat industry. Thomsen became a horse dealer for Moksel, mainly buying horses in Russia. This is where he sourced Ulla Salzgeber's Rusty and Wallstreet.
He worked for Moksel until 2009 after which he established his own barn in Waal, Germany.
Students
Thomsen's most successful student was Ulla Salzgeber who won team gold and individual bronze at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and team and gold and individual silver at the 2004 Games in Athens, amongst many more medals.
Thomsen also trained Danish riders Kenneth Dyrby and Sune Hansen.
He trained horses such as Dance and Fly (Fiona Bigwood's first team horse) and Ballaseyr Royale (originally named Matajo, went to Heike Holstein and Richard Davison).
He collaborated for years with Danish horse dealer Klaus Munkedahl.
Thomsen lives in Germany with his partner Andrea Zinner.
Source: Ridehesten.com
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