In Memoriam — Uwe Mechlem 1935-2026

In Memory of Uwe Mechlem

Dressage sport must bid farewell to an outstanding horseman and an extraordinary personality: Uwe Mechlem passed away on 14 September at the age of 91.

Horses and equestrian sport accompanied and shaped his life from earliest childhood. As an active rider, he was highly successful in both dressage and show jumping. He won the title of Bavarian Champion seven times and competed internationally at the highest level in both disciplines.

Out of this wealth of riding experience grew an attitude that shaped him as much as a rider as it later did as a judge: "Always listen into your horse. It will tell you what is possible on that particular day, and what it is willing to give you." For Uwe Mechlem, good riding therefore always meant recognising and respecting the horse's possibilities and limits. Accordingly, from the judge's table he took a critical view of riders who visibly overtaxed their horse and — whether out of lack of understanding or excessive ambition — crossed those limits. The welfare of the horse and fair, respectful treatment of it always stood above sporting success for him. This conviction accompanied him throughout his entire career and decisively shaped his work as a judge and official.

In addition to numerous appointments at major national and international tournaments and championships around the world, he was called to the judges' table at the Olympic Games twice, in Barcelona and Atlanta. He was a member of the DRV (German Riding Federation) and the German Dressage Committee for 27 years, most recently as its chairman. He also served for four years on the FEI Dressage Committee, playing a key role in the development of international dressage sport. Even after the end of his active judging career, his vast experience remained sought after: as a member of the Judges Supervisory Panel (JSP), he helped identify and, where necessary, address significant discrepancies in judges' scores at international championships — with the aim of achieving the fairest and most consistent assessment possible.

Despite all his successes and the great recognition he enjoyed worldwide, Uwe Mechlem remained an exceptionally kind, warm, and modest man. He met others with respect, openness, and genuine interest — regardless of their position or name. Perhaps it was precisely this special human quality that meant he was not only known worldwide, but also held in extraordinary esteem and affection everywhere.

What he gave to our sport over so many decades will endure: his joy in the horse, his passion for equestrian sport, his knowledge and experience — and above all, the attitude with which he passed all of this on to others.

Katrina