A guest article
Trotting too in East Germany (GDR) suffered from the economic-political system. Breeding was restricted to what was available of broodmares and stallions in the socialist countries. Trainers and drivers were not allowed to participate in races in Western Europe. For attempts at fleeing to the West, Republikflucht, the penalty was severe. The state and party interferred in the awarding and suspension of training-licenses, and even in the meetings, forcing state-licensed stables to enter unsound horses to fulfill the yearly plans. The story, by Ulf Lindström and assisted by Jürgen Gassner, is made available courtesy of Hoof Beats (Nov. 2014).
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