In Memoriam Udo Nesch (1931 - 2026)

In grateful memory - by Angelika Frömming (née Jucho) and Karl-Heinz Streng

On 25 August 2026 Uda Nesch passed away at the age of 95. He was a man who had a profound influence on countless riders at the Dortmund Riding Club and beyond, including us, both as riders and horsemen, for more than six decades.

Born in Drawehn, Pomerania, in 1931, he already had a remarkable equestrian biography when he joined the Dortmund Riding Club at the urging of then-chairman Günther Jucho in July 1958 at the age of just 27. From that point on, it became his lifelong place of work and equestrian home.

Released from Russian captivity at age 18, Udo began an apprenticeship as a riding instructor in Verden that same year. After stints in Hoya and Warendorf, he began working at the Dortmund-Bodelschwingh Riding Club in 1954 and made a name for himself as what he always remained and what has become a rarity today: an exceptionally versatile trainer of both riders and horses..

At Bodelschwingh Udo rode himself into the spotlight on the post-war German equestrian scene with horses owned by Otto Schulte-Frohlinde, who later became known as the owner of the legendary Grönwohldhof. In 1957 at the tender age of 26 Udo was awarded the Golden Riding Badge   for six S-level victories in dressage on the chestnut Kurprinz and eight S-level show jumping victories on Sambesi..

Indelible Influence

When he joined us at the Dortmund Riding Club in the summer of 1958, we, who were still equestrian greenhorns at the time, were deeply impressed. Someone who had placed third in the Grand Prix of the Federal Republic of Germany in Dortmund just a year earlier was now set to guide the equestrian development of the club members and, last but not least, our own. That was something we greatly admired as young riders. And rightly so, as it soon turned out.

Everyone who rode with him at the club, from beginners to successful competition riders, quickly came to know Udo Nesch as an instructor who shaped his students into riders with great consistency;  who could rely on a broad equestrian foundation, while also instilling a deep respect for the horse. Throughout it all, he was always a true friend to us, whom we held in high regard. Udo was more than just a riding instructor and trainer; he cared deeply for both his two- and four-legged charges.

Versatility

Udo Nesch’s training approach was a product of his time, which was still strongly influenced by cavalry training. Early specialization, something which is now the norm for horses and riders today, was not the standard back then, neither in breeding nor in sport. Quite the opposite, in fact. Riders and horses were to be trained on as broad a foundation as possible.

That is exactly what Udo did with the horses entrusted to him for training, which he often trained from scratch. All of our horses did dressage and  show jumping competitions as well as hunting aptitude tests, and Udo developed them always as much as possible in the various disciplines.  For example the dark chestnut Gitano from our stables won advanced dressage classes as well as advanced hunting aptitude tests. Providing young horses with as broad a training as possible is a fundamental principle advocated by the German equestrian federation in its official guidelines, simply because it’s healthy.  And it was precisely this kind of  training that was the norm with Udo.

Thanks to his approach, we, too, gained a very broad foundation from which we benefit throughout our riding careers. A welcome byproduct of this type of classical training for both horse and rider was that each of us could ride any of our horses and compete with them at shows. This even applied to friends who wanted to experience competing in a show just once.

Will to Win

From Udo, one could learn not only correct riding techniques and respectful treatment of the horse, essential attributes of a classical training that he demanded of all his students without exception. He likewise conveyed us the precise riding style that is crucial, especially in competitive riding. He taught us that we had to approach every competition with a certain will to win, so to speak, but that this must not be misunderstood as excessive ambition.  Rather, what he meant was that on day X, you try to get exactly the most out of your horse that is possible at that moment.

Udo was not only an outstanding instructor who convincingly lived by and passed on the right values; he also continued to regularly demonstrate his skill in both dressage and show jumping, right up to the highest level. After his first major successes with Kurprinz and Sambesi in the 1950s, he went on to achieve further great successes in both disciplines for the Dortmund Riding Club with horses owned by Günther Jucho and other club members.

Udo Nesch’s most significant and at the same time most surprising success was his victory in the 1967 Hamburg Dressage Derby, which at that time was still held in the classical format with a change of horses. Aboard the Hanoverian chestnut Wodka, which we purchased as a newly broken-in gelding at the Verden auction and developed over the years all the way to the Grand Prix level under Udo’s guidance, he defeated the overwhelming favorite, Dr. Reiner Klimke, the European champion of that same year. We found out by phone while competing at home at the district equestrian show in Dortmund and soon the entire show grounds were celebrating. Klimke’s heartfelt congratulations following Udo’s derby triumph, which appeared everywhere in the press at the time, and his sincere appreciation for his fellow rider from Dortmund were a testament to Udo’s popularity in the equestrian community, which always held him in high regard. 

Udo Nesch was indeed universally liked and his achievements were always acknowledged by his colleagues without envy, which is not the norm in professional sport.

Woyzeck's Trainer

Perhaps less well remembered is that Udo brought another imposing Hanoverian chestnut gelding to Grand Prix level, a horse that, shortly thereafter would bring home Olympic honours from the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal with Harry Boldt. Woyzeck came into Udo’s care already at an advanced stage.

Udo was able to present Woyzeck internationally for the first time as a 9-year-old in the spring of 1975 at the Dortmund Indoor Horse Show, where he naturally attracted attention with his talent for piaffe and passage and was immediately purchased for Harry Boldt by one of his patrons. Udo’s thorough training, Woyzeck’s extraordinary talent and Harry’s skill ensured that the new pair was able to return home from the European Championships in Kiev just a few months later with two medals.

A Trainer of Horse and Rider

Looking back, one certainly tends to highlight the deceased’s great achievements in training and competition, which also included the training of numerous riding instructors and master master riding instructors for which the German Equestrian and Driving Association honoured him with the Golden Badge of Merit in 2000.

However, this would not do Udo Nesch sufficient justice. His contributions to horse friendly training, something he dedicated his entire life to with passion, go far beyond his own competitive successes and those of his students. Udo lived for the horses entrusted to him, and everyone who had the privilege of learning under his guidance felt this and will never forget it

We are saddened by Udo’s passing, but we are both also infinitely grateful for everything he taught us, in terms of horsemanship and character. He had a profound influence on us and countless others in the equestrian community. 

May the values he stood for in equestrian sports continue to shape it.

Photos: Private Archive Angelika Frömming / Sankt Georg Magazine 

Related Links
Angelika Fromming: Half a Century of Dressage
Woyzeck: A Star Who Was at Peace with Himself
From Flying Past to Flying Change - Part IV: On Thoroughbreds Losing Relevance in Dressage
An Evening Dedicated to Classical Dressage and Harry Boldt