A German vet has been ordered to pay Euros 250,000 ($277,000) in damages for the loss of a grand prix dressage horse owned by a member of Austria’s famous Swarovski crystals family.
Donna Asana developed a “minor” cold in December 2010 and the vet, whose identity has not been disclosed, injected the 10-year-old mare with homeopathic substances. She died from anaphylactic shock.
The Munich Higher Regional Court in Germany dismissed the vet’s appeal against the decision, after years of legal proceedings. In a comment to the German paper Nord Bayern, judge Thomas Steiner clarified there was nothing wrong with the choice of treatment, but that the vet had failed to properly inform owner-rider Evelyn Haim-Swarovski about the risks.
The judgement is also interesting for the court’s decision to slash the perceived value of this still young horse. The owner had sued for the purchase price, Euros 1.75 million, but the court ruled her value had reduced significantly in the ensuing short period.
No reason was given for this in the judgement, though it can be seen the mare had a long spell out of FEI competition and did not return to form. Donna Asana had been produced to big tour level by Denmark’s Lone Jorgensen, and as an eight-year-old was widely viewed as an Olympic prospect. She was bought by Evelyn Haim-Swarovski in 2009 with a view to qualifying for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The mare scored considerably lower in her six FEI starts with her new rider during 2010.
Haim-Swarovski has organised a prestigious 4* CDI at her home, Fritzens-Schindlof, for 26 years. As a rider, her previous career bests included competing at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, in which she finished 51st, and the 2015 Europeans, in which the Austria team finished ninth.
More from News:
