The Fuchs family Text and pictures by Elisabeth Weiland

At home with...

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HORSE INTERNATIONAL FeAture

The Fuchs family Text and pictures by Elisabeth Weiland

the Fuchs Family, that means Markus, Chef

d’equipe of the Swiss team at the London

Olympics, nearly winning a bronze medal;

thomas, trainer of Gold medalist Steve Guerdat;

Martin, son of thomas and both Swiss and

european Champion Young riders in 2012; and

renata, Martin’s mother, thomas’ wife and the

calming influence at the Fuchs stable in

Bietenholz. She was also successful at

international events and Swiss elite Champion

in 1990.

We start with a visit at Bietenholz, the home of Thomas, Renata and Martin. Renata and Martin have been away to Falsterbo, the horse van just arrived back home the previous evening and Renata is still tidying up, using the water hose to clean different items. Blankets that have been in the washing machine are now drying in the sun. Martin is schooling a young horse in the indoor riding hall; he comes over to greet us and then goes straight to work again. Renata, who looks magnificent, young and fit, asks: “Where do we start, which pictures first?” After some thinking and discussion we look for a quiet spot behind the house. Renata shows

the Koi fish in the pond and they do know her. All of them come over, jumping in the air, hoping to get some tidbits. Then she goes into the house again, to arrange some urgent matters and change her T-shirt. She calls Martin: “Do show the Kois again,” and he does. But the Kois are not so excited about him, they swim around his hands and try to nip him and of course, snatch the fish food. The Koi fish belong to Adrian, the older brother of Martin, who does not compete. He works at Felix Bühler, a big tack shop in Lenzburg, as marketing manager. “Koi fish are one of his hobbies, the other one is

snakes; they are also here,” Martin mentions. Renata comes back and they both sit together laughing behind the Koi fish pond. Bergamasker dog Cindy is rolling happy on the lawn and enjoys life.

Fox trotters“And what shall we do now?” Renata asks, and we decide to take pictures of her trotting horse. She instructs her stable lads and goes back in the house to change into riding gear. Martin calls out, “Where is she? The trotter will be ready,” and she comes, happily mounting her sulky and driving off into the woods. The horse is Heros Champ, bred in Germany in 2006

by Abano As, a brown stallion. It is the one and only trotting horse left at Bietenholz. Years ago, Renata was enthralled by the fascination of driving trotting races and started to train and participate. Soon afterwards, Thomas was joining her. Renata: “Thomas won about 60 races, I won 40 times, we had 15 trotters here once.” Renata also bred trotteur français and proudly tells: “Four starters with the prefix ‘Fox’ (Fox is English for Fuchs) were competing in one race, all bred by myself.” She took special pleasure in the breeder’s awards she received in return for her horses’ successes, although

“He likes trading, but gets annoyed when his father sells a

horse he is training.” - Renata Fuchs

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they are rather small. She leads the way to the practice run in the woods with Heros Champ, and suddenly turns to me saying: “To drive a sulky is simply great.” But why give up this sport as well as the breeding of trotters? “We could no longer afford the time. With Martin’s successes in the jumping sport we had to change our plans again. Thomas is a perfectionist, and that is impossible in two fields at the same time. Our latest home- bred trotter was named Adieu Fox, born in 2010.”

A long line of successPictures of Martin’s successful jumpers follow; Karin II CH, Ideo du Thot, then Principal, Arjo, Lalik and Mighty de Riverland are all put in line. His new hope, the grey Holstein stallion Conte della Caccia, bred in Italy, has to stay seperate, as he would unsettle the group of mares. Martin’s patrons, and the owners of his horses, are Rolf and Gloria Theiler, Ursula and Luigi Baleri, Pierre and Jacques Bodenmüller and Jakob Weber. With Karin II CH (born in 1995, by Ishan), Martin started his career and a long list of successes. Before riding in the 2007 Junior European Championships in Auvers, France, his reply to the question: “What is your target?” came like a pistol

shot: “A medal!” And he won the Bronze. He classifies his successes up to now: third at the Calgary Grand Prix, an international top competition, with Principal. With

the same horse he won this year’s Swiss Championships for Young Riders at Schaffhausen. A special experience for him was riding Ideo du Thot at the Rolex Grand Prix

during the CSI Zurich 2011: “After the last jump I saw the Theiler’s in the VIP-section jump up from their seats and throwing their hands in the air.” So which horse is his favorite? “With Karin I feel safest, I have no problem with distances before taking off. But Principal made it possible to compete in the top sport.” Martin’s sponsors include Mercedes Benz, Zenith Watches, Dominik Co., Private Bank, Uvex and Felix Bühler.

Medals and... snakes?In no time, the whole crew has changed clothes and poses for a picture in front of Martin’s horsebox, all of them participating in his successes. In the ‘trophy-living room’ there are a lot of cups and medals, as well as Adrian’s snake terrarium. Martin laughs and shows his cap full of autographs of his prominent pals. In the past he asked for them, now he has to distribute them. Martin explains why he has changed his T-shirt again: “Three friends of mine started a collection which I like very much. Now I help them with the marketing.” Renata and Martin look for the snakes in the terrarium. The smaller one, a rainbow boa, is there, but where is the other one, a 135cm long royal

The entire team poses in front of Martin’s horse truck.

Markus Fuchs, Chef d’Equipe of the Swiss team at the London Olympics.

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python named Fauchi? She must have slipped away through a crack. The search is adjourned, and Fauchi turns up again the next day. From the lot, Martin takes a few medals into his hand and Renata eventually locates her Swiss Championship Gold medal from 1990. She smiles content: “I don’t have as many as my son.”

All about teamworkWhen making plans, it clearly shows that Renata and Martin are an excellent team, not just mother and son. With father Thomas and Renata as trainer and coach, and uncle Markus as a role model and adviser, this Young Rider has had an exemplary development, with further successes bound to come. There was for instance his success at the 3* in Crans-Montana in July of this year, with three victories aboard Principal, Mighty de Riverland (also one second place), and Arjo; and a third place on Conte della Caccia. Such achievements require excellent teamwork and background. The next stop will be a national event at Zuoz near St. Moritz, Renata’s hometown. That is one of the highlights of the season, meeting many old friends and enjoying a few relaxing days before the European Championships for

Young Riders at Magna Racina – Ebreichsdorf, Austria.

Martin’s plansMartin just finished the Commercial Sports School with a noteworthy average of 5 and can now fully concentrate on riding. In March of next year he has to pass initial military service at Magglingen, the first jumping rider to get through on a special program. Martin does not have much time left for hobbies. “I used to play Unihockey with my brother Adrian, but now he works in Lenzburg and visits only to see us, the Kois and his snakes.” Martin’s plans for the future are jumping on top class level and taking charge in the trading of the horses.“If I sell a horse myself, I regret the loss of that horse, with which I have built up a bond, less.” He likes trading, but gets annoyed when his father sells a horse he is training. So where does the

schooling take place? Renata explains: “In a neighbor’s paddock. In return, he uses our indoor riding school whenever he likes. Besides that, we also gallop the horses every ten days at the Frauenfeld racecourse. That does them well.”

Grandfather MatthiasIt all started with grandfather Matthias, who established himself as a horse dealer in Bietenholz, north of Zurich. He took an active part in national jumping competitions, with good scores. Sometimes riders were still paid in goods instead of money, and that is when Matthias Fuchs angrily said: “Stop this and give some cash.” Many good horses passed through his stable. Of his four children Markus, Thomas, Heidi and Andrea,three were medal earners: first his sons but later Andrea followed as well. Riding Montois, she won the Bronze medal at the European Championships for Young Riders at Donaueschingen 1987.

the family horseMarkus, born in 1955, started like a rocket. In 1970 he won individual Gold at the Junior

Championships in St. Moritz on the experienced Famos; in 1973 his first Gold followed at the Swiss National Championships with Lady Seven. Five more would follow. He won the Silver medal with the team at the Sydney 2000

Olympic Games on Tinka’s Boy; and the World Cup Final of 2001 in Gothenburg on that same horse. The chestnut KWPN-stallion, bred in 1989 out of Zuidpool and first registered as Hooper, is a mixture of Holstein, Trakehner, Thoroughbred, Anglo-Arab, KWPN and Selle Français. Tinka’s Boy was the horse of his lifetime. Markus remembers: “I saw Tinka’s Boy with Nick Skelton. His cautious manner of riding convinced me that he valued this horse highly. A horse from an average rider is easy to manage, but a horse from Nick Skelton has a much higher risk of whether or not a bond will result. It took ten months, with setbacks, until we found each other. But then I knew, this is the horse of my life and Tinka’s Boy is a member of the family.”

Full of praiseAfter his retirement from the sport in Gothenburg, Tinka’s Boy became a breeding stud at Celle. He was approved in 2004 in Switzerland and is now involved in French breeding near Lyon. His first descendants were born in

England, Tinka’s Serenade (Billy Twomey) being one of them. At Markus Fuchs’ Ahorn Stable, Tinka’s Boy was regurarly ridden by Markus‘ wife Maya, who is still full of praise: “Perfect altogether, wonderful motion, easy to ride, a

“To drive a sulky is simply great,” says Renata, “Thomas won about 60 races, I won 40 times, we had 15 trotters here once.”

“A horse from an average rider is easy to manage, but a horse from Nick Skelton has a much higher risk of whether or not a bond will result.” - Markus Fuchs

Thomas and Markus competing together in the Swiss team at Aachen in 1988.

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fighter – simply great.” Maya first met Markus, “When he was very young,” at an international competition in Vienna; or was it Geneva? A happy and lasting relationship started between the dressage rider and the jumping riding. Both of their sons stayed away from the jumping sport, however: one is a lawyer and recent father, the other a police officer.

A new careerHis jumping style was easy to recognize. With his tremendous determination to win he was a fighter and transferred this onto his horses, they fought for him and with him. Markus said goodbye at the CSIO St. Gallen in 2009 with his last starts on La Toya III and Grania. His patron and owner of his top horses, Adolfo Juri, agreed to a future partnership with Arthur Gustavo da Silva. La Toya III continues winning with Da Silva at European events. She is a BWP-mare, by Fortuin Z, born in 1995 and originally named Sweety van het Asborneveld as a foal. Arthur Gustavo da Silva achieved many good results in Brazil as a youngster and then moved to Europe to settle in Switzerland. He is Swiss citizen by marriage to a Swiss and starts in Swiss teams too. After ending his career as top sport rider, Markus is now busy working as instructor, horse dealer and coach of international jumping riders; in addition he is an esteemed TV- commentator due to his pleasant voice with its special ‘timbre’ and his overall knowledge. He recently acted as coach of the Swiss Elite Jumping Riders at the London Olympics.

the fighter and the stylistMarkus and his brother Thomas, his junior by 2 years, have been outstanding over a long period of time in the Swiss top jumping sport; one the fighter, the other the stylist. Renata completed the trio, riding in brilliant style too. Thomas and Renata often switched horses, for example

Dylano, when winning the Swiss National Championships in 1990 with Renata. Dylano achieved the same result with Thomas in 1993 and in addition they were in the Gold team of the European Championships at Gijon in Spain in that same year. Thomas’ further wins in the same League include Hickstead with Willora in 1983 and St. Gallen in 1995 with Major. Thomas’ horse of a lifetime was Dollar Girl, but that is a story by itself. After years with Dollar Girl, Major became the driving force in Thomas’ jumping stable, winning team Bronze at the 1994 WEG in The Hague.

Dollar GirlDollar Girl (born 1980, by Dynamo) was bought in 1985 at the Summer Auction in Verden by the clever Bernd Stüve for only 13.000DM, who gave the mare to Norbert Nuxoll to show. Rumour of her qualities was heard by Swiss couple Joe and Renata Haller, and they paid an estimated sum of 800,000 Swiss francs for the then 7-year-old mare and engaged Thomas Fuchs as rider. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul he was 7th both individual and

with the team. Just the same happened at the World Equestrian Games of Stockholm in 1990. In the winter of 1991-1992, Joe Haller sold the mare. Nick Skelton was her next rider. He was convinced he found the horse of his lifetime, with successes at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games: 6th with the team and 7th individual; winning the 1993 Spruce Meadows Master GP ($1 million) and the World Cup Final in 1995. Dollar Girl enjoyed her retirement up to 29 years of age at Alfonso Romos’ La Silla stud. Descendency was possible through embryo transfer.

George MorrisMarkus and Thomas understand one another excellently. In Aachen in 1988, they competed in the same team. Now they are both horse traders and instructors. Thomas ran the circuit in Washington, New York and Toronto, where he met George Morris. From him he learned to memorize the number of strides before the take off and how to meet the exact point. This precise mastering of a jumping round beared fruit instantly. George Morris accepted invitations for several lectures in Switzerland in the late eighties. The relationship continued and Renata explains: “George is a good friend of us. Whenever he pays a visit to Europe, Thomas tries to meet him.” This happened for instance this year at the Lago di Como in Italy, when the American legend gave lessons to Italian rider Valerio Sozzi.

How renata met thomasRenata: “I first saw the two brothers at the European Junior Championships in Lucerne where I became an instant total fan of them. Later, at a regional show in Wädenswil, I met Thomas. We started a relationship and married in 1983“. Some days later over the telephone, she specifies Thomas peculiarities: “He is a perfectionist in every respect, in the jumping- or trotting- sport, in competition and training. He is ambitious and a real horseman.” Within ear-shot, in a hurry: “I am going to Lenzburg to congratulate our son Adrian with his birthday at his work. The elder brother should also profit from his mother’s affection.” The quiet hours were interrupted, the individual Gold medal of Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets had to be celebrated and Renata and Martin were off to London! <<

Cindy the family dog.

Koi fish are one of the hobbies of Martin’s older brother Adrian, the other one is snakes.

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