Gerhard Pietsch Passed Away

Dressage

Germany

German dressage trainer and rider Gerhard Pietsch has passed away on 1 May 2023. He was 64 years old.

Originally from Baden-Wurttemberg, Pietsch made his name as a respected dressage rider and trainer, mainly in the Hessian area.

Remy Martin S and Kronenhof

He was trained as a bereiter at Heinz Lammers' stable in Olfen, before he moved to Hessia, where he rode and taught for years at Elizabeth Oppermann-Willers' Kronenhof equestrian centre in Langen.

In this time, Pietsch was most successful in the saddle of the Oldenburg licensed stallion Remy Martin S (by Rubinstein x Gardegeneral), which he began competing in 1998 and took to Grand Prix level in 2004. He rode him in the national Grand Prix classes at the CDI Frankfurt in 2006, 2007 and 2008 amongst numerous other national shows. His other last international horse was Quinto (by Quaterback) which he showed at the 2006 CDI Strassen.

He became the 2002 and 2003 Hessian Professional Dressage Rider Champion and at the Hessian Regional Grand Prix Championships he won gold in 2002, 2003, 2007; silver in 2000, 2001, and 2004; and bronze in 1992 and 2006.

In 2009 Katja Willers took over the management of Kronenhof and a period of change followed for Pietsch.

On the Move

Pietsch on Remy Martin S winning the Hessen Dressur
Trophy at the 2004 CDI Frankfurt

In 2010 Pietsch moved to the equestrian centre Josefshof of the Heckenberger family in Upper Swabia and in 2014 he relocated to the sales yard of Peter Thanner.

In this period he competed in the Bundeschampionate qualifiers with horses such as Sohnlein Brillant (by Sir Donnerhall x Ehrentusch) and Don Hitmeyer (by Diamond Hit) as well as showed FEI horses Finnegan's Wake (by Furst Piccolo x Newcastle), Deniwe (by De Niro x Welt Hit II), Lorraine (by Lizitant x Lanthan), and Don Vincente (by Don Vino x Wittelsbach) amongst many others.

In his last years he lived in Rodgau and worked as a freelance trainer.

ALS

Since 2017 Pietsch suffered from the debilitating disease ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) which also ended his competitive career that year. The same disease took the life of German Olympian Herbert Krug.

Gerhard Pietsch with trophy sponsor Manfred Louven

Pietsch was diagnosed after he began to suffer from cramps in his hands and had to retire from a competition when he no longer could hold the reins. He gradually lost all strength in arms and shoulders, could no longer tack his horses. He talked about the disease with HR-Info in a podcast in 2020, disclosing his fear for the end stage of ALS in which he would need a ventilator to breathe. He made it known that he would not let the crippling end phase ALS take control over bis life.

He was supported through this difficult time by his wife Una.