Anniversary victory: Max-Theurer celebrates 90th home win

Daniel Winkler
7 days ago
2 min read

Austria’s five-time Olympic participant Victoria Max-Theurer delivered a confident performance at home during the international dressage competition (CDI4*) at Achleiten Castle. Riding Abegglen FH NRW, she celebrated her next home victory in the Grand Prix of the Special Tour with 71.826 percent, despite a brief moment of alarm. For the 39-year-old Upper Austrian, the win marked a special anniversary. Since 1996, the local heroine has claimed her 90th victory in national and international competitions held at Achleiten – a remarkable milestone.

“Despite two costly mistakes, I’m very pleased – the highlights like passage, pirouettes, and changes were beautiful. The moment of shock (editor’s note: a loudly slamming door) was something we handled and recovered from well. Abby was startled, but quickly regained focus and showed what he’s capable of. He concentrated on me and was very rideable – that shows trust and development. I’m really happy today,” said Max-Theurer after her 90th home victory at Achleiten since 1996. She added: “The fact that all three of us (editor’s note: Stefan Lehfellner, Florian Bacher) scored over 70 percent is a good sign. We’re on the right track, and there’s still room for improvement for all of us.”

For the 39-year-old Upper Austrian, the number 90 is not just a figure – it’s closely tied to many wonderful moments and emotional experiences. “It makes me really proud. A lot of time has passed since that first victory, but wins at home are still something special. And in recent years, there have been memories that will surely stay with me forever. That definitely includes the two freestyles with Augustin and Abegglen, both scoring over 80 percent. I think back on those fondly.” Second place went to Finland’s Henri Ruoste with Tiffany’s Diamond, scoring 71.565 percent.

Austria’s Olympic rider Stefan Lehfellner also had a more than satisfactory performance in the Grand Prix with the spirited Roberto Carlos MT, finishing third with 70.543 percent. “Roberto is now very solid and settled – especially his faultless canter tour shows how stable he’s become. After the show in Munich just under two weeks ago, we’ve now found our competition rhythm again and taken a step forward – the next focus is on building more strength,” said the 42-year-old. He added: “With over 70 percent and a good riding feeling, I’m very happy – it shows we’re moving in the right direction.”