Britta Rasche-Merkt Takes Over Gut Auric

Dressage

Germany

Grand Prix rider and German working equitation team trainer Britta Rasche-Merkt and business partner Melanie Puff have taken over Gerald Wagener's Gut Auric in Krefeld, Germany.

From Marberthof to Gut Auric

The property was originally known as Marberthof and then turned into Gestüt Taliho, led by Ella Gugel, before Gerald Wagener bought the yard in 2003 and fully renovated it.

Over the years the yard has been an important training hub, where the careers of many professional dressage riders started, such as Borja Carrascosa, Jordi Domingo, Henri Ruoste and Beata Stremler.

Gut Auric was for decades the training base of Belgian-German coach Jean Bemelmans.

Its owner Gerald Wagener is one of Germany's top business entrepreneurs and a keen sports fan. A national sprint champion as a young adult, he also developed an interest in handball and bobsledding. His professional career as an entrepreneur kicked off first in Russia in 1993 by opening a fashion store for brand MCM on the Red square, and later becoming distributor of brands Atomic, Willson, Burton, and Oakley.

In 2003 Wagener and his wife Susanne bought the yard and renamed it Gut Auric after the James Bond villain Auric Goldfinger for his cunning.

In the late 2000s Wagener acquired the "Schneekoppe" company and some of his horses received the Schneekoppe prefix, such as Leonie Bramall’s Märchenprinz.

Rasche-Merkt

The 44-year old Rasche-Merkt was already based at the yard, but has begun renting Gut Auric in its entirety as of April 2022.

"I am looking forward for this big adventure with my friend Melanie,” Rasche-Merkt told Eurodressage. “It’s going to be a very busy year with the new stable, myself riding internationally, and training the German working equitation team as the national trainer for the world championship in France. So let’s see how it will go.”

Britta competes the 19-year Lusitano stallion Xerez (by Nordeste x Hostil) and 12-year Rhinelander Sunny Side Up (by Sir Donnerhall x Abanos) at international GP level. Before moving to Auric in May 2020, she was based at a smaller yard near her husband's equine clinic in Meerbusch.

"I am very happy to change because this stable gives me and my horses all what we need," Britta added.