Beate Fink triumphs: 35 years after a life-threatening accident!

Beate Fink triumphs: 35 years after a life-threatening accident!

Beate Fink, an impressive rider from Freising, won two S* amateur dressage tests at a tournament in Giesenbach near Kranzberg in May 2025. This place has a very special meaning for Fink: Over 30 years ago, in July 1990, she suffered a nearly fatal riding accident there during a show jumping competition when her horse got stuck on an oxer obstacle and she fell badly. Her liver ruptured, whereupon Fink was taken to the Freising Clinic and put into an artificial coma. At that point, doctors estimated her chances of survival were just ten percent.

But the brave Fink woke up from the coma and fought her way back to life. She was able to go back to work just six months after the accident. What is overwhelming is that this serious incident did not stop her from pursuing her passion for equestrian sports. On the contrary, she gave up show jumping and turned to dressage. With her horse QC Fighting Harvard, affectionately known as Fighter, she has since celebrated many successes and achieved over 100 placings up to dressage class S**. She wants to realize her dream of riding in competitions until she is 60, as long as her health allows it.

Equestrian sports and the next generation

The enthusiasm for equestrian sports is obviously passed on in the Fink family. Maria Finkler, Beate's 14-year-old sister, has also made a name for herself in equestrian sports. The horse-loving Maria, who has been riding since she was three, became runner-up in dressage pony riding in Saxony-Anhalt in 2023. At the state championships in Zörbig, she impressed with her 13-year-old riding pony mare KWD Raute and took second place in several dressage tests. Her success speaks not only of her abilities, but also of the support she receives from her family, especially her father Karl-Heinz Finkler, a master horse economist.

Maria is a member of the Klötze riding club and has recently intensified her preparations for upcoming competitions with her trainer Ralf Lahmann. She not only owes her success to her passion for equestrian sport, but she also plans to take part in the German and European Championships in the future. The two sisters show that equestrian sports can be a family affair and that ongoing support for each other is crucial.

The equestrian landscape in Germany

Riding is an important and popular sport in Germany. Around 2.9 million people in this country describe themselves as riders, while around 1.3 million horses are in the country's stables. However, the number of equestrian accidents is alarmingly high: around 40,000 accidents occur in equestrian sports every year, which underlines the dangers of the sport.

The turnover of the German horse industry is estimated at 6.7 billion euros, which illustrates the economic relevance of equestrian sport in Germany. Whether recreational or competitive sport – riding attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year and has a remarkable reputation worldwide. After all, Germany has also won 100 medals in equestrian sports at the Olympic Games - clear evidence of the high level of competitiveness and skill in this area.

In summary, the story of Beate and Maria Finkler shows that passion, perseverance and family support can lead to considerable success in equestrian sport. We can also look forward to these talented riders in the future.