88-year old Georg Wahl visits the 2008 CDIO Aachen. For many years, Wahl was the Oberbereiter of the Spanish Riding School and he is the trainer of Christine Stuckelberger (Photo: © Astrid Appels)

Legendary classical dressage trainer Georg Wahl passed away in his home in Kirchberg, Switzerland on 4 November 2013. Wahl was 93 years old and was hospitalized with pneumonia last month. Georg Wahl is one of the last surviving “old” masters of classical dressage. He was also the last students from the Podhajsky era. Wahl was born in Oberschlesien, Poland, and joined the German cavalry as a 17-year old. He was discovered by Colonel Podhajsky who took him to the Spanish Riding School in Vienna where he was trained as a rider from 1940 to 1951. Wahl then travelled to Switzerland to work for Fredy Knie senior at the famous Circus Knie. He also taught at the Riding Club of Berne, where he scouted his best pupil ever, the then 13-year old Christine Stückelberger. In 1967 Hans Handler invited Wahl to return to the Spanish Riding School. Wahl took on the job and he worked there as Oberbereiter till 1971.To check out the full story – go to Eurodressage.com