Stefan Lehfellner's Roberto Carlos MT Tested Positive at 2025 Europeans in Crozet

Dressage

Austria

Roberto Carlos MT, the horse of Austrian team rider Stefan Lehfellner, tested positive to a prohibited substance at the 2025 European Championships in Crozet on 28 August 2025.

Roberto Carlos MT is a 15-year old Oldenburg by Rosandro x De Niro, owned by Victoria Max-Theurer.

After a highly discussed team selection and Victoria Max-Theurer dropping out last minute, Austria travelled to Crozet with a team of three. Lehfellner and Roberto Carlos finished 38th in the Grand Prix with a score of 68.385%.

Positive

His horse was tested and found positive to the prohibited substance "Dorzolamide", marked by the FEI as controlled medication. It is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor which may be used in the treatment of ophthalmic disease.

"Controlled Medication are substances that are deemed by the FEI to have therapeutic value and/or be commonly used in equine medicine. Controlled Medication have the potential to affect performance and/or be a welfare risk to the horse," the FEI writes.

Eye Drops

On Tuesday evening 28 October the Austrian Equestrian Federation (OEPS) posted a statement, writing that the horse "was treated by Dr. Stadler, specialist veterinarian for ophthalmology, due to an eye disease. The medication used was Dorzostad (active ingredient: dorzolamide). After successful treatment, the horse was able to resume competition training."

OEPS continued, "the attending veterinarian, Dr. Stadler, confirmed to the rider that it was sufficient to discontinue the medication "at least 48 hours before a competition." However, as it subsequently turned out, the medication was detectable in the horse's system more than four weeks after discontinuation."

OEPS wrote, "Dr. Stadler's equine clinic accepted "full responsibility for the erroneous recommendation" and expressly apologized to Stefan Lehfellner. The FEI handles such cases through its so-called "fast-track procedure for administrative sanctions." The case is therefore closed for Stefan Lehfellner and will have no further sporting consequences."

Disqualification

Lehfellner has been disqualified from the 2025 Europeans and his result scratched. As person responsible, the rider accepted the administrative sanction, according to the FEI database.

Lehfellner's disqualification has no effect on Austria's team result as the country ended up eliminated from the team ranking when its third team horse, Florian Bacher's Fidertraum, was rung out for being unlevel in the Grand Prix. Only one result is left standing: Bettina Kendlbacher's 68.478% GP score on Broadmoar's Don Alfredo. They placed 36th.