On November 21, 2000, the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR) decided to name Holger Schmezer the new German Dressage Team Coach.
The 53-year-old Schmezer has been the official trainer of the junior and young riders' team since 1996 and is now succeeding Klaus Balkenhol, who end his function as official Bundsestrainer in 2001.
Holger Schmezer was born on 9th March 1947 in Bad Rappenau, near Heidelberg. At the age of 15 he got acquainted with the equestrian sport after being a pentatlon athlete. His first equine years were devoted to show jumping and dressage, but at the age of 19 he went for a "Bereiter"-career and worked in the stables of the legendary Willy Schultheis for four years. After this period, he was employed in the private barn of Hegemann in Thedinghausen for 8 years.
When he was 25, he received the Golden Reitabzeichen, a medal honouring his many victories at Prix St. Georges level. In 1979 Schmezer started his own barn in Verden-Borstel and became a very famous trainer and competition rider with a large list of achievements. In 1996 he took over the command over the junior and young riders team from Siegfried Peilicke. Since then, the German JR/YR Team has won 25 medals at European Championships of which 13 are golden. Schmezer is also a dressage judge up to Grand Prix level.
Image: Madeleine Winter-Schulze, Chef d'equipe, and Holger Schmezer in a pensive mood, watching Isabell Werth competing at the CDIO Aachen 2000
Source: FN
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