Matthias Alexander Rath doesn’t have to be in the saddle to get good grades. As director of the International Frankfurt Festival Hall Equestrian Tournament, which took place for the 50th time last weekend, his job is nothing less than to lead the event into a new era.
Last year, the 39-year-old worked in dual roles in the festival hall. He led the Grand Prix Special with his stallion Destacado. This year he decided not to get on the horse himself. He has award ceremonies, sponsorship appointments and press discussions under control, as well as dressage riding at the highest level.
He has been successful with his two stallions Thiago and Destacado in recent months, most recently in the World Cup in Madrid. In September he was part of the German silver team at the European Championships. It was already his third championship medal – at the European Championships in Rotterdam in 2013 and in Aachen in 2015 he took second and third place respectively with the team – but the conditions were completely different this year.
Support from the national coaches
In Rotterdam and Aachen, Rath started with the stallion Totilas, who was then known as the “black wonder horse”, and who had previously become world champion with the Dutch rider Edward Gal. Then the entrepreneur and former show jumper Paul Schockemöhle bought Totilas.
Its sports rights went to Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff, Rath’s stepmother. Rath was supposed to build on previous successes with the horse, but never managed to do so and received a lot of criticism for his riding style and the marketing of Totilas. The performance in Aachen ended ingloriously because the stallion had to compete due to bone edema. It was his last tournament start.
Rath hasn’t completely gotten rid of the label “Totilas rider” yet, but he’s working on it. This year’s successful participation in the European Championships helped to bring closure to the events of that time. He still receives many critical reviews and even hateful comments on social networks when he competes in the dressage arena. However, he receives support from the national coaches.
Julia Basic, Frankfurt Published/Updated: Katja Sturm Published/Updated: Recommendations: 3 Mina Marschall Published/Updated: Recommendations: 2
He was recently called up to the German Olympic squad again with both horses. This also means that he can have hopes of starting at the Games in Paris. “Matthias has now gained a lot of experience with a wide variety of horses,” says national trainer Monica Theodorescu. And: “I’m glad that he’s so positive in sport again. He does a great job with the stallions and in his role as a tournament organizer.”
As managing director of Schafhof Connects GmbH, Rath and his team now regularly organize a summer tournament at their own facility in the Taunus. Only recently he also took over the organization of the traditional tournament in the castle park in Donaueschingen. But by organizing the festival hall riding tournament, Rath is continuing a family tradition.
He again received good marks for the 50th edition of the pre-Christmas event, which according to official information attracted more than 54,000 spectators over the five days of the tournament. Among others, Olympic champion Isabell Werth, who wants to be there again next year. The tournament’s budget is now around 2.3 million euros. For comparison: In the early years it was 800 marks. Matthias Alexander Rath has long since ushered in a new era.
