The reason may be that he has been working in Riesenbeck for many years and his rise to fame in this time have been sensational, a rise that also had a few major downs. Such things bond and friendships grow.

Marco Kutscher was born in 1975 in Northern Ostfriesland. His parents used to ride at a local riding club and they always took their children along with them. Marco and his elder brother by three years, Frank, joined the club and took part in all the riding club activities, such as vaulting, pony club and all the usual fun. His parents had the opportunity to buy some land next to their house, and soon there was a family horse and a pony living behind the house. It was with the Hannoverian mare Limone, the family horse, that Marco began competing in junior jumping competitions.  He was successful at L and M level and soon he became ambitious for more. At that time there was already a frequent and good contact to the Heckmann stables in Isterberg and the Kutscher boys used to train there in their holidays.  There Marco did his apprenticeship and with the horse Pikeur H he won his first competitions at 1.40-1.50 level.  Soon after he was awarded the “Goldenen Reitabzeichen” (An award from the German federation for winning ten “S” classes).

“I was at the Heckmann stables for five years. It was a good time,” he reflects.  From there he went to Warendorf to the Military Sports School.  Dirk Ahlmann was the contact who eventually led Marco to Ludger Beerbaum.  Dirk was a rider at the Beerbaum stable at that time and through becoming Dirk’s substitute for a while, Marco arrived at Riesenbeck.

Ludger Beerbaum immediately recognized the enormous talent of this level-headed and cheerful young man from Nordfriesland, who shouldn’t shy from comparisons with super stylists such as Marcus Ehning. This is shown by the numerous style awards he is awarded at top international shows around the world.

When Marco joined the Audi sponsored “Audi Quattro Team” in 2002, it was an excellent opportunity to learn more from Ludger Beerbaum. As it was for Marco’s now close friend, Christian Ahlmann and other team member, Mylene Diedrichsmeyer. Ludger served as the leader of the team, setting an example of professional competition management for the younger riders. It didn’t take long for success to come their way. The first outstanding achievement was in 2004. Marco won the individual and team bronze medals at the Olympic Games in Athens with Montender.

The story continues: In 2005 in sunny San Patrignano over the hills of Rimini Marco showed what he was really made of. He won the individual and the team gold medal at the European Championships with Montender.  Ludger was bursting with pride and happiness.  Since then Marco is a true great and it’s hard to think of the German national team competing without him.

Another of his strengths is bringing on the young horses. He won the German National Young Horse Championships for show jumpers three times in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

A nasty adductor strain put him out of the World Equestrian Games in Aachen in 2006. Marco was treated but the healing process took longer than initially hoped. Who knows if a healthy Marco Kutscher would have given a better result for Germany.

In 2007 he was watched his team win the silver medal at the European Championships in Mannheim from the tribune. 2008 was going to be his year again. He had saddled the young grey Cornet Obolensky, a stallion with an unlimited jumping ability, one that had all the breeders talking but a horse that demands all the qualities of an exceptionally gifted rider such as Marco Kutscher. The pair came third at the Deutsche Meisterschaften in Balve and they had the Olympics in Hong Kong in sight.

Typically, it’s every sportsman’s dream to take part at the Olympic Games – Marco’s memories from Hong Kong were and remain tainted with nightmares.  To make it short:   Cornet Obolensky was injected with a protein supplement that he had not registered beforehand. Although it was neither a forbidden medication, nor had it been listed as a doping agent, Marco Kutscher, as the rider, had to take full responsibility – and stood in line as an accused with the four other riders who had treated their horses with the forbidden substance Capsaicin. “It was a turbulent time” says Marco still. There was a lot of bad press said about the riders in the year that followed. “Unjustified” as Marco says. In the meantime, thankfully, it’s in the past. Now, the federations are trying better to differentiate between substances that are allowed and those that are not. The carrousel keeps turning and Marco continues his constant performance.  In 2010 he was second in the overall final of the Global Champions Tour. In 2011 he clinched the gold medal with the German team at the European Championships in Madrid. Marco hasn’t sat on his laurels, he also completed his Equestrian Masters in Warendorf officially qualifying him to train and educate apprentices.

As a second string to his bow, Marco has specialized in the selling of horse transporters, horse walkers and cars. This is convenient for riders wishing to sell their ‘prizes’ won at shows for which they would rather have cash.  He is knowledgeable and enjoys it and makes a profit. Something which is an advantage since in the meantime both his daughters ride and the swap from pony to horses isn’t cheap. “I’d like to spend so much more time with my daughters, it’s hard because my job allows that much too seldom” regrets Marco. The life of a competition rider is fast moving.  Luckily his partner Eva Bitter is a professional rider herself who knows what the job needs in order to be done well. Riesenbeck, Rio, Peking, Nörten-Hardenberg – there’s not much time to catch your breath. He’s already preparing for the next round.

After 14 years at the Beerbaum Stables now the step into self-employment. It remains exciting.

Olympic Games:
Bronze (Team):
2004 with Montender

Bronze (Individual):
2004 with Montender

European Championships:
Gold (Team):
2005 with Montender

Gold (Individual):
2005 with Montender
Gold (Team):

2011 with Cornet Obolensky

German Championships:
Gold:
2003 with Montender

Silver:
2005 with Montender

Bronze:
2008 with Cornet Obolensky

Bundeschampionat of Show Jumpers:

Gold:
2003 with Codi

Gold:
2005 with Quincey

Gold:
2007 with Monte Bellini

current successes:
2011
2. Place Championat CSI3* Paderborn with Satisfaction FRH
2. Place Großer Preis CSI3* Paderborn with Satisfaction FRH
4. Place Worldcup – CSI5*-W Stuttgart with Cornet Obolensky
5. Place Equita-Masters CSI5* Lyon/FRA with Cornet Obolensky

2012
1. Place Worldcup – CSI5*-W Zürich/SUI with Cornet Obolensky
1. Place Worldcup – CSI5*-W Göteborg/SWE with Satisfaction FRH
1. Place Nationscup CSIO5* Rom/ITA with Cornet Obolensky
1. Place Nationscup CHIO5* Rotterdam/NED with Cornet Obolensky
1. Place Großer Preis CSI5*-W Oslo/NOR with Spartacus
2. Place Großer Preis (GCT) CSI5* Doha/QAT with Cornet Obolensky

2013
1. Place Großer Preis CSI3* Neumünster with Cornet’s Cristallo
1. Place Großer Preis CSI5* London/GBR with Cash
1. Place Prix French Tour CSI5*-W Lyon/FRA with Cornet’s Cristallo
1. Place Int. Prüfung 1,60m CSI5* London Olympia/GBR with Cash

2014
1. Place Preis der LGT CSI5*-W Basel/SUI with Cornet’s Cristallo
1. Place Paarspringen CSI5* Paris Saut-Hermès/FRA with Colestus
2. Place Großer Preis CSI5* ‘s-Hertogenbosch/NED with Cornet’s Cristallo
2. Place Großer Preis CSI4* Hagen with Liberty Son