Sissy Max-Theurer

Austrian dressage rider Sissy Max-Theurer married her coach Hans Max in 1983, having competed at the Moskva (Moscow) Olympics in 1980 under her maiden name Theurer. Their daughter Victoria also took part in the Olympics.

Due to the complete boycott of Western European and North American riders, Max-Theurer’s individual gold medal in the 1980 Moskva (Moscow) Games sparked hatred, ridicule and scorn among her colleagues, and her friendships with almost all serious competitors broke down. As her own association also refused to take part, the travel expenses and costs were covered by sponsors and Formula 1 world champion Niki Lauda, who flew her to Moskva in his own plane.

At Los Angeles in 1984, Max-Theurer came eleventh individually and ninth with the team. In 1992 she was her country’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony and finished eighth. She was also European Champion in 1979 and won six Austrian national titles (1978-80, 1983-84, 1992).

In 2002 Max-Theurer became president of the Riding Association in Austria and in 2005 vice-president of the renowned Spanish Riding School in Wien (Vienna). In 2012 she became vice-president of the Austrian National Olympic Committee. Max-Theurer lived with her family Schloss Achleiten (at Kematen on Krems) running a breading and training company with 20 horses.