Franz-Josef Dahlmann, one of Germany's most successful national dressage riders and trainers in the 1980s, passed away on 21 March 2021. He was 78 years old.
Amicably known as "Jupp", Franz-Josef ran a dressage stable in Fröndenberg-Neimen, close to Dortmund.
Sport Success
Jupp began his riding career as an eventing rider in 1965. However in 1975 with the birth of his first chil, wife Babs pleaded with him to switch disciplines and Jupp dedicated himself to dressage.
He got coached by Harry Boldt and gained much acclaim in dressage sport in the late 1970s and 1980s. By 1981 he had won the Golden Rider Badge and in 1982 he won his first Grand Prix test.
His dressage career began on the 1971 born Monte Cassino (by Makuba xx x Chronist), which he later sold to Katrina Wüst, now a 5* FEI dressage judge.
Aboard the 1973 born Westfalian liver chestnut Achilles (by Antar xx x Abendwind x Donar), bred by Heinrich Stöcker, he made his international break through.
The highly noble Achilles, known for his most Arabian like face, achieved a total winner's purse of 88,286 euro in his lifetime, a stellar amount at the time. The pair recorded no less than 89 victories at the highest level.
Student Success
In the 1990s Dahlmann began focusing more on training students, his most important ones being his own children. Son Frans-Josef, aka "Peppi", became a famous show jumper, while daughter Juliane shone in dressage.
In 1989 Juliane took over the ride on Achilles and won the 1989 German Junior Riders Championships in Bremen. In 1990 she got silver at the German Junior Nationals. Achilles retired from sport in 1991.
He coached numerous Westfalian juniors and young riders' to regional and national success and was official certified FN coach in his area. Some of his students were Arnd Erben, Holger Münstermann, Iris Lüpertz, Uta Leisentritt, Maria Rohe, Martina Bertulies, Michaela Otte-Habenicht, Iris Heinen, Marion Grosse-Frericks, Astrid Saure, Tatjana Hillberg and Petra Dibowski.
Family Yard
Juliane Dahlmann took over the family stable in the 1990s with her then husband Arnd Erben. In 2005 she and Erben separated and later on she re-married; she is now known as Juliane Dahlmann-Weber.
An intimate funeral ceremony will be held and he will be buried on the Frondenberg cemetary on 30 March 2021.
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