Billionaire mom of Olympic gold medallist is sued for £200K

The billionaire mother of Olympic gold medallist Laura Tomlinson faces a £200,000 lawsuit after one of her horses allegedly kicked an aspiring dressage rider in the face, shattering his dreams of becoming an Olympic equestrian. 

German-born billionaire and heiress Ursula Bechtolsheimer, 72, is being sued by George Day, who claims he was forced to give up his equestrian career after enduring serious facial injuries as well as a traumatic brain injury following the accident in March 2021. 

Mr Day said he was working at Mrs Bechtolsheimer’s horse breeding stable, which she runs at Eastington House in the Cotswolds, at the time of his injury.

Mrs Bechtolsheimer is the mother of Laura Tomlinson, who won a gold for Great Britain in the London 2012 Olympics in the team dressage alongside Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin. Laura is married to polo player Mark Tomlinson – whose 2013 wedding was attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of Sussex. 

As reported by The Telegraph, High Court documents claimed that Mr Day had been hand-grazing a young horse when he was suddenly kicked in the face, causing him to lose consciousness. 

Ursula Bechtolsheimer (right) pictured with husband Wilfred, daughter Laura Tomlinson and son in law Mark Tomlinson. Mrs Bechtolsheimer runs a horse breeding stable in the Cotswolds. She is being sued by a former employee who was kicked in the face by one of her horses

Mrs Bechtolsheimer’s daughter Laura Tomlinson is an Olympic dressage rider

Laura Tomlinson won two medals in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London

The man was rushed to the Great Western hospital in Swindon with severe facial injuries, including fractured facial bones and eye sockets and a shattered nose and even had to undergo surgery for his injuries. 

Mr Day claims that he has been left suffering from neurological symptoms since the accident, including headaches, dizziness and burred vision, as well as reduced sensation in his face, The Telegraph reported.

He has also suffered from tinnitus and finds it difficult to eat tough foods, it is claimed. 

Mr Day reportedly tried to return to Mrs Bechtolsheimer’s yard but was unable to work and found he had become uncomfortable around horses, meaning he can no longer ride professionally nor continue his equestrian career. 

He is now seeking compensation, claiming that he has been left with few job prospects. 

Mrs Bechtolsheimer has admitted some liability for the tragic accident, but wants Mr Day to prove his injuries, according to The Telegraph. She also wants him to prove that he was a skilled rider who had been riding professionally at the time of the accident. This includes proving that his career path included the possibility of competing at Grand Prix dressage. 

Mr Day’s claim was issued by law firm Irwin Mitchell, while the defence was filed by Keoghs. MailOnline has reached out to both Mr Day and Mrs Bechtolsheimer’s legal representatives for comment. 

A spokesman for Bechtolsheimer yard told The Telegraph: ‘Mrs Bechtolsheimer and her team extend their sincere sympathies to George for the injuries he suffered, and wish him all the best for his treatment and recovery.

This is the latest incident to hit the world of equestrian dressage, after Team GB rider Charlotte Dujardin was sensationally banned from the Paris 2024 Olympics after distressing footage emerged of her repeatedly whipping a horse

‘The matter is in the hands of the insurance company for the purpose of determining the amount of damages that he is to receive. Liability has been admitted not on the basis that the accident was caused by negligence but by virtue of the fact that the Animals Act 1971 imposes strict liability in circumstances such as those in which George sustained his injuries.

‘Neither Mrs Bechtolsheimer nor her daughter were involved with the management of the yard at the time of the accident.’

This is the latest incident to hit the world of equestrian dressage, after Team GB rider Charlotte Dujardin was sensationally banned from the Paris 2024 Olympics just days before the sporting event was due to start after distressing footage emerged of her repeatedly whipping a horse. 

In a statement of apology, Dujardin claimed she was ‘deeply ashamed’ and ‘devastated’ at her actions, calling what happened in the video ‘an error of judgement’.