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Marcela Krinke-Susmelj

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Marcela Krinke-Susmelj
Pictured 2016
Personal information
National teamSwitzerland
Born(1965-10-18)18 October 1965
Vlašim, Czechoslovakia
Died17 July 2024(2024-07-17) (aged 58)
Occupation(s)Dressage rider and veterinarian
Employer(s)Obergrund Veterinary Clinic, Rotsee Riding Centre
AgentIrene Meyer (sponsor and patron)
Spouse(s)Ivan Susmelj, Yugoslav dressage champion and trainer, married 1996
Websitehttps://marcelakrinke.ch/
Sport
CountrySwitzerland
SportDressage
Coached byTon de Ridder, Daniel Ramseier
Retired2018
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals2016 Summer Olympics
National finalsSwiss Grand Prix Championships 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2017

Marcela Krinke-Susmelj (18 October 1965 – 17 July 2024) was a Czechoslovak-born Swiss Olympic dressage rider.[1] She participated at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she placed 24th in the individual competition.

Krinke-Susmelj competed at three editions of World Equestrian Games (2006, 2010 and 2014), six European Dressage Championships (2005, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015[2] and 2017) and four World Cup Finals (2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017). Her best championship results were two 8th places in team dressage competitions (from the 2005 Europeans and the 2006 Worlds), while her best individual result is 11th place in freestyle dressage from the 2010 World Equestrian Games.

Biography

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Marcela Krinke was born 18 October 1965 in Vlašim, Czechoslovakia. She and her parents fled the country to Switzerland in 1968 during the Soviet invasion of the country.[3]

She first began riding horses on her twelfth birthday, after receiving lessons as a birthday present. After high school, Marcela Krinke continued her riding career while pursuing studies in veterinary science, writing her doctoral thesis on cardiology and pursing an internship at Washington State University in the United States. She returned to Switzerland to set up a small animal medical practice.[3]

She would later meet her husband, Yugoslav dressage champion Ivan Susmelj when training in Lausen. Susmelj was the former trainer at the Lipica Stud Farm [de] in Slovenia, and the pair would go on to have a long association of training and owning Lippizan horses.[4]

In 1996, Marcela and Ivan established the Rotsee Riding Center, and Marcela focused on riding and training full time.[4] At Rotsee Riding Center, Krinke-Susmelj met Irine Meyer, who would become her long time sponsor and patron, helping acquire top level horses for her to compete at the international level.[3]

International competition

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In 2005, Krinke-Susmelj first represented Switzerland at the international level when she competed at the European Dressage Championships. She would go on to compete at the 2006 World Equestrian Games riding Corinth, an Oldenburg gelding with whom she would ride at a host of international and European competitions until his retirement in 2011.[5]

In 2010, Krinke-Susmelj acquired the ride on Atterupgaards Molberg,[6] a Danish warmblood with whom the pair would become one of Switzerland's most successful dressage competitors.[7] Together, the pair were champions at the Swiss Grand Prix Championships in 2012,[8] 2013,[9] 2016[10] and 2017.[11] Krinke-Susmelj and Atterupgaards Molberg would go to the 2016 Summer Olympics[12] and represent Switzerland at the 2013, 2014,[13][14] 2016 and 2017 World Cup Finals.

Krinke-Susmelj was notable at the time for being the only Swiss dressage rider on the international stage. At the time of her appearance at the 2013 World Cup Finals, no Swiss horse and riding pairing had made it to the Grand Prix finals for a decade.[15] At the time of her appearance in Rio at the 2016 Summer Olympics, no Swiss horse-rider dressage pairing had reached the games in twelve years.[16]

Despite qualifying, Krinke-Susmelj did not ride Atterupgaards Molberg at the 2018 World Cup Finals. At the time, she said she did not want to ask too much of her 17-year old Olympic horse.[17]

Later life

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Krinke-Susmelj was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease in 2019 and was forced to retire at the age of 54.[3]

She died on 17 July 2024, at the age of 58 shortly after the death of her husband.[3][18] She and her husband Ivan Susmelj had two children who now run their Rotsee Riding Centre.[19]

Personal bests

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Personal bests as of February 2017
Event Score Horse Venue Date
Grand Prix 74.260 Molberg Lyon, France 29 October 2015
Grand Prix Special 74.874 Molberg Caen, France 27 August 2014
Grand Prix Freestyle 78.000 Molberg Lyon, France 30 October 2015

References

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  1. ^ "Marcela Krinke-Susmelj". fei.org. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
  2. ^ Jegen, Peter (15 August 2015). "Krinke Susmelj im GP spécial schlecht belohnt". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Swiss Olympian Marcela Krinke-Susmelj Passed Away". Euro Dressage. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Marcela Krinke-Susmelj, Dressage in the Riding Club". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Marcela Krinke-Susmelj's Corinth Passed Away". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Marcela Krinke-Susmelj Buys Grand Prix Horse Atterupgaards Molberg". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Im Alter von 58 Jahren - Dressurreiterin Krinke Susmelj gestorben". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF) (in German). Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Wettstein, Lehmann, Krinke-Susmelj Win 2012 Swiss Dressage Championships". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Huet, Winnewisser, Wettstein and Krinke-Susmelj Win at 2013 Swiss Dressage Championships". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Scheufele, Guerra, Winnewisser, Suter, Krinke Win 2016 Swiss Dressage Championships". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  11. ^ "Marcela Krinke-Susmelj's Career Making Atterupgaards Molberg Passed Away". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Marcela Krinke-Susmelj Officially Nominated as Swiss Individual for 2016 Olympic Games". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  13. ^ Jegen, Peter (27 August 2014). "Eigenbrötler statt Teamplayer". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  14. ^ Jegen, Aufgezeichnet: Peter (20 April 2014). "«Ein Pferd wie ein Rohdiamant»". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Marcela Krinke Susmelj. Das Interview zum Weltcupfinal". Pferd Online. 14 April 2014.
  16. ^ Peschke, Sara (9 August 2016). "Olympia in Rio statt Kleintier-OP". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Krinke Says No, Van der Meer Replaces at 2018 World Cup Finals". Eurodressage. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  18. ^ "Marcela Krinke Susmelj verstorben". blue News (in German). Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  19. ^ "Über uns". Reiterzentrum Am Rot. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
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