Diana Wünschek Steps Down as Austrian Team Captain

Dressage

Austria

After 14 years on the job, Diana Wünschek is stepping down as Austrian dressage team captain. The 2024 Paris Olympic Games were her last major competition in her role.

Wünschek was thanked for her efforts at the annual OEPS sports awards gala held at hotel "Das Steinberger" in Altlengbach at the start of December.

A Family Affair

The 71-year old Wünschek was a show jumping rider at the start of her own equestrian career before finding her passion in dressage. She owns the family yard Gutenhof in Himberg, Austria, where national dressage championships have been hosted.

Her daughter Katharina Wünschek was an Austrian Junior/young riders team member between 2005 and 2009 on Atoutprix. She then became an international senior competitor until 2016. Her last Grand Prix horses were Sissy Max-Theurer's Salieri OLD and Amusant OLD. She married Johannes Max-Theurer.

Austrian Team Captain

At the 2019 European Youth Championships

In 2010 she was appointed team captain for the junior and young riders and as of 2011 succeeded Thomas Lang as the official "Dressurreferentin" (Dressage consultant/chef d'equipe) for all age groups.

Wünschek worked at 36 championships, including 32 European Championships, 2 World Championships and 2 Olympic Games. As team captain, she was involved in 20 European Championships, 2 World Championships and once at the Olympics for Austria.

Honoured

Wünschek was thanked for her efforts at the annual OEPS sports awards gala held at hotel "Das Steinberger" in Altlengbach at the start of December.

Sissy Max-Theurer, president of the Austrian Equestrian Federation (OEPS), stated that Diana is "a woman who has shaped the Austrian equestrian world for decades. Diana was a mentor, motivator and sometimes comforter. With her incomparable manner - a mixture of subtle humor, rigor and an unshakable belief in her team - she inspired generations of riders and raised Austrian dressage to a new level."