The public prosecutor’s office in Vienna on Tuesday discontinued the investigation into allegations of infidelity against the former head of the Spanish Riding School. The reason was the horse of the daughter of former head of the supervisory board, Johann Marihart.
“There is no real reason for further prosecution of the three suspects, so the proceedings were dropped,” authority spokeswoman Nina Bussek confirmed to the APA on Tuesday afternoon.
Stallion for 12,000 euros for daughter
In addition to Marihart, the infidelity investigations were directed against the equestrian center’s ex-director, Elisabeth Gürtler, and co-director Erwin Klissenbauer. In 2013, the Spanish Riding School had sold the stallion “Maestoso Fantasca-67” for 12,000 euros to Marihart’s daughter, who was then trained by the riders at the expense of the Riding School. It was believed that the animal had been sold well below its value and that the equestrian center had paid all veterinary costs.
Marihart countered that the stallion was a sponsor horse, for whose maintenance and training the Spanish Riding School had been paid privately. And he stated: “If more people were won over to such investments, the riding school’s financial problems could be alleviated considerably.”
Used in over 120 versions
The stallion born in 2008 – like many other breeding horses at Stoeterij Piber – was rejected at a young age during the selection of the young stallions because, according to the riding school, it was expected that he would not meet the requirements either as a future breeding stallion or for future use in the ideas of the Spanish Riding School. After completing the training, however, the stallion was suitable for use in the Spanish Riding School and has been used in more than 120 appearances to date.
Source: Krone
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