Rudolf Zeilinger Resigns as Spanish Dressage Team Trainer

Dressage

Spain

The Spanish Equestrian Federation (RFHE) has announced that Rudolf Zelinger has resigned as Spanish Dressage Team Trainer.

"After conversations held at the end of this year's European Dressage Championships, Spanish coach and national dressage team trainer Rudolf Zeilinger has informed the RFHE of his decision not to continue carrying out his work for the Spanish team," RFHE stated.

According to the RFHE, Zeilinger "decided to focus his work as a coach on individual athletes after 25 years working for different national teams."

Danish Team Trainer

After his own personal Grand Prix career in international dressage sport, celebrating his biggest successes on Livinjo, Rudolf Zeilinger began working as national team trainer for Denmark.

Zeilinger was Danish national team trainer for no less than 19 years. He took up the job in 1997 and resigned in June 2017.

The highlight moment for Denmark was when the team won historic bronze at the 2008 Olympic Games in Hong Kong. Under his supervision, Andreas Helgstrand also rode to individual silver and bronze medal on Blue Hors Matine at 2006 World Equestrian Games and the team won bronze at the 1999 and 2001 European Championships

He was succeeded by Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein.

Spanish Team Trainer

Zeilinger coaching the spanish squad riders

Three months after his resignation as Danish team trainer, Zeilinger was ratified as Spanish team trainer at the RFHE board meeting in September 2017.

He succeeded Rafael Soto, who worked with Spain's top Grand Prix combinations between 2012 and 2017, even though he was not officially the team trainer. Soto filled the gap Jean Bemelmans left when he resigned as Spanish team trainer in 2012 after 16 years.

Under Zeilinger's coaching, the Spanish team finished sixth at the 2018 World Equestrian Games, while Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and Delgado were 13th in the Special. At the 2019 European Dressage Championships Spain was sixth, while Claudio Castilla Ruiz and Alcaide were 12th in the Kur.

The selection of the Spanish Olympic team for Tokyo brought its tense moments for the RFHE technical staff as emotions ran high at the final Olympic selection trial in Grote Brogel, where all Olympic short listed riders were invited to battle it out, but afterwards seemed to have understood that the team had already been decided on before Grote Brogel.

In addition, two team riders (Jurado Lopez and Garcia Mena) were told they would have to do a "ride-off" at the pre-quarantine in Aachen to know who would be the team rider and who the travelling reserve. In the end the problem was "solved" as Claudio Castilla was forced to withdraw Alcaide due to fitness issues. At the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Spanish team placed seventh and Beatriz Ferrer-Salat on Elegance was 17th in the Kur.

Technical Staff Restructured

It is unclear whether the Spanish Equestrian Federation will be on the look out for a new team trainer.

"Once the dismissal of Zeilinger has been confirmed, the RFHE technical team will work on a restructuring, which will be announced in the near future," RFHE stated.