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On the way back from Valencia, Sven Schlüsselburg had no inkling of the nightmare that was waiting for him.

In his horse truck, the rider unwittingly brought home the deadly virus.

Instead of the late start to an international career, the 39-year-old experienced the worst days of his life.

Eight dead animals is so far in Schlüsselburg's balance of horror: "Behind my team and my family lie weeks of insomnia and despair."

After his last rides on February 12th, Schlüsselburg left an ongoing tournament series in Spain with eight horses and “with a great feeling”, as he wrote on Instagram.

After a stopover at home in Ilsfeld in Baden-Württemberg, the Nations Cup rider traveled on to Doha with two animals.

There he should be allowed to ride for the first time in the Million Series Global Champions Tour.

The late starter in international top sport wanted to recommend himself for the Olympic Games with his top horse Bud Spencer.

But it turned out quite differently.

In Qatar's capital, after a few days, there were positive tests on Schliisselburg's horses Bud Spencer and Nascari, and the Valencia variant of the virus, classified as particularly aggressive by the world association FEI, also developed at home in Ilsfeld.

The life and death struggle began.

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“We are all completely at the border”, reported his wife Romina Schluesselburg to the “Heilbronner Voice”.

“It's horrible to look at.” Of the 60 horses on the facility, 21 are positive.

The husband told the newspaper: "We are sad, we continue to fear for our horses."

The foal only survived three minutes

The virus is particularly insidious in pregnant horses.

Six of his nine “covered mares have foaled”, as Schlüsselburg puts it in the technical jargon.

The foals died before or shortly after birth.

The 39-year-old laments eight dead animals in total, more than anyone else.

The German Equestrian Association (FN) has counted six dead horses from other riders so far.

Schliisselburg reported on heartbreaking scenes in his stable: “A foal was born alive and lived for about three minutes.

We petted it and waited in time.

The only thing we could do. "National coach Otto Becker, who is in constant contact with the rider, said:" I couldn't imagine beforehand what happened there. "

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For Becker, Schlüsselburg and his Bud Spencer have been part of the national team for good rounds and eighth place in the Grand Prix of the CHIO in Aachen two years ago among the group of Olympic candidates.

That is out of the question now.

"He has completely different problems now," said the national coach.

It has to "first calm down".

Schliisselburg on Bud Spencer: The top horse has already recovered from the infection

Source: pa / SvenSimon / Elmar Kremser / SVEN SIMON

After all, Shlelburg's top horse is doing well in Doha despite an infection in the meantime.

Bud Spencer's disease progression was very mild.

Like the mare Nascari, the gelding is now being looked after by Schlüsselburg's sister Gabriela in the three-week quarantine in Doha.