The North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection (MULNV) has announced that Kristina Ankerhold, head of the Warendorf state stud has requested a transfer from her position.
Ursula Heinen-Essern, the NRW regional minister of Environment and Agriculture, plans to comply with this request.
Ankerhold Affair
On 11 May 2021, a Facebook photo made public that Ankerhold had placed prohibition signs, forbidding photography and videography in Warendorf. The "Landgestüt Warendorf" is a public institution, paid with tax payers money, and under the management of the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry for the Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection (MULNV). The new prohibition signs wire the smoke that came from a fire that has caused much upheaval in Germany the past week.
On 13 April 2021 videos were made of Kristina Ankerhold coaching a rider on two young stallions, one pulled tight in draw reins, the other ridden in a hyperflexed fashion. The training took place in the "German Riding School" which is located at the state stud and part of the FN educational department, where riders are trained to become teachers (Pferdewirtschaftsmeister).
The two training sequences were filmed by several people. An FN employee, who was also on site witnessed the incident, informed the head of the FN training department, Thies Kaspareit. The German Equestrian Federation condemned this training method and went into discussion with Ankerhold.
Resignation
One week into the affair and with numerous publications, statements and condemnations made by various institutions involved, Ankerhold announced her resignation, referred to as a "transfer."
State Secretary Dr. Heinrich Bottermann, in addition to his other duties, will provisionally manage the state stud in Warendorf ad interim.
Minister Heinen-Esser thanks Kristina Ankerhold for her dedicated work for the state stud: “Ms. Ankerhold took over the management of the state stud in March 2018 during a very difficult phase. In her time she has significantly increased the quality of the stallion stock. She has also successfully modernized the administration of the state stud. A breeding project initiated by her to improve the health of Rhenish draft horses attracted nationwide attention."
Photo © NRW Landgestut
Related Links
Warendorf Director Kristina Ankerhold in Troubled Waters Due to Videos with "Unfriendly" Horse Training
Ankerhold Appointed Managing Director of Warendorf State stud
Warendorf Fraud Case Comes to an End: Settlement Reached
Warendorf District Court Rules In Fraud Case Against Rimkus, Borggreve, Gerdemann
Warendorf State Stud Sells Laureus and Dolby Suround