Dressage Judge Uwe Mechlem Has Passed Away

Uwe Mechlem lived to celebrate his 91st birthday in June. He passed away on September 14, 2026. A native of Mittenwald, Bavaria, he was an all-around rider and a first-rate dressage specialist at the judges’ table.

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Career

Uwe Mechlem was born on June 26, 1935, the son of Franz Mechlem, a freight forwarding entrepreneur from Murnau. It was his father who introduced Uwe Mechlem to horses and planted the seed for a passion that would last a lifetime—even though his professional career, as a business graduate, led him into the field of business administration. Mechlem was an all-around talent, even in the saddle. In show jumping, he was Bavarian champion six times on his own. In dressage, he became state champion twice and also achieved successes up to the Grand Prix Special level.

From Rider to Judge

In the early 1960s, Uwe Mechlem passed his exam to become a

judge

. A good ten years later, he was judging at the international level, and in 1989 he was admitted into the illustrious circle of “O-judges,” as they were still called back then. “O-judges” were those authorized to decide on the awarding of medals at championships—something Mechlem has done on countless occasions.

He officiated at German Championships, three European Championships, four World Cup finals, and two Olympic Games—those in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.

Later, Mechlem was also appointed to the FEI’s Judging Supervisory Panel (JSP), a body of renowned judges who have the final say in cases of controversial decisions made by their colleagues in the arena.

However, he did not influence the course of the sport solely through his judging decisions.

Official Positions

Held

From 1981 to 2002, Uwe Mechlem served on the Dressage Committee of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR), serving as its chair for the final two years.

From 1994 to 1998, he was also a member of the dressage committee at the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). During that time, he helped develop a new championship format, including the freestyle, which was still a relatively new feature at the time.

In 2000, Uwe Mechlem was awarded the German Equestrian Cross in Gold by the German Equestrian Federation (FN).