Tragic death

“We are a family and that takes a lot out of you!”

Lea Siegl and "DSP Fighting Line" come up trumps in Poland.(Bild: GEPA)

While Olympic event rider Lea Siegl from Hargelsberg celebrated a great comeback in Poland just eight weeks (!) after breaking her fibula and won the CCI4*-L competition, a riding colleague died in England after a fall with her horse.

One day before the start of the tournament, she had another check-up with the doctor and was given the green light to compete in Poland. Where Lea Siegl got back on her horse just eight weeks (!) after suffering a fractured fibula during training. "I only had two training sessions beforehand, I didn't know whether I could cope with the strain on the cross-country. Especially as it normally takes ten weeks to be fully fit again after such an injury," said Siegl, who turned her uncertain lightning comeback into a real dream comeback.

"I am very relieved"
Because she triumphed with "DSP Fighting Line" in the CCI4*-L test at the international eventing tournament in Baborowko. "I knew I had what it takes. But due to the circumstances, it's still a big surprise and I'm very relieved. I couldn't have done it without my friend Felix and my dad," said the 25-year-old, making her accident a thing of the past and able to look ahead to the Olympics in a more positive light again.

Lea's horse now needs a break.(Bild: GEPA)

Impact on the horse
Due to the forced break, Siegl had to change the original schedule, which in turn has an impact on her horse. The dress rehearsal for Paris is at the end of June - "and normally you take a six-week break after such a long tournament as in Poland," says the rider from Hargelsberg, "but basically there is still enough time for everything to fall into place in Paris!"

"Makes you think"
Away from her super success, an unbelievable tragedy occurred in Great Britain when Georgie Campbell (36) died after a fall in an eventing race. "Even if you don't know each other personally, it's just awful. We're a big family and it takes you away and makes you think. But you can't let it get to you too much, something can always happen in other sports too," says Siegl.