Emotional Funeral Service for Hans-Heinrich Isenbart “The voice of equestian sport”

Nearly 700 guests attended the emotional funeral service that was held today in the Niedersachsenhalle in Verden (GER), an indoor arena where Hans-Heinrich Isenbart had presented many gala evenings and horse shows during his long career.

Commemorative speeches were held by German NF President Breido Graf zu Rantzau and commentator Stefan Krawczyk. Isenbart’s coffin was borne by staff of the state studs Celle and Warendorf, an auction rider and three international riders: Dressage rider Heike Kemmer, Jumping rider Lars Nieberg and Eventing rider Benjamin Winter. Two dark horses in front of and two behind the coffin, mounted by auction riders, accompanied the procession.

The legendary German horse show announcer deceased on 25 December 2011 at the age of 88. Thousands will remember him forever as “the voice of horse sport”. This nickname was given to him because like hardly anyone else, the eloquent man was able to describe the fascination of horses in such a brilliant way. And nobody else so consequently urged the equestrian world to act responsibly in the interest of the horse at all times. His famous last words at the end of every single of his broadcast comments remain unforgettable: “Und vergessen Sie die Pferde nicht”! (And don’t you forget the horses!) For more than six decades, Hans-Heinrich Isenbart worked as a commentator for TV and radio stations, journalist for magazines and announcer at horse shows – he is part of equestrian sport’s history.

Isenbart was born on 5 February 1923 in Vienna/AUT. His family always had a passion for horses. He wanted to become an officer like his father, but since his grandmother was Jewish, the Nazi regime did not allow him to do so. Thus he studied law and passed his exam as riding instructor. After World War II, he started work as a journalist for the NDR broadcast station, covering political and economic issues, and later on took over the sport coordination of the ARD in Munich where he stayed until his retirement in 1987. He commentated the equestrian competitions of the 1956 Olympic Games in Stockholm live on TV. Since then he was present at nearly all major equestrian events. “The voice of horse sport” continued to commentate events, speak at seminars and congresses, write books and even made a film on horses.