Eva Maria Pracht

Eva Maria "Evi" Pracht (née Neckermann; 29 June 1937 – 15 February 2021) was a Canadian equestrian who competed in dressage in the 1984 Summer Olympics and was part of the bronze-medallist team at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Early life Born in Würzburg, she was the only daughter of equestrian Josef Neckermann. She had two brothers, Peter and Johannes.

Dressage consists of a series of 39 exercises demonstrating how well the rider communicates with the horse. Included exercises are the walk, trot, and canter, as well as having the horse walk backwards, and weave through a pre-determined serpentine course. Four judges score the maneuvers on a ten-point scale.

Training Aside from Antoinette, Little Joe and Emirage, Pracht's celebrated competition horses included Mazepa, Duccas, Cantate and Lyogen. In her lifetime she built up her expertise by having been coached by her father, as well as by Willi Schultheis, Walter Christensen, the well-known Heinz Lammers, Walther Günther and Harry Boldt.

Riding with the Canadian team She married entrepreneur Hans Pracht, and in 1981 the couple and two children moved to Cedar Valley, Ontario, Canada.

She represented Canada at the following events: 1982 World Championships: Equestrian – Dressage Individual 1984 Summer Olympics: Los Angeles, Equestrian – Dressage Team and Individual – with equine partner Little Joe 1986 World Championships: Equestrian – Dressage Individual 1987 Pan American Games: Equestrian – Dressage Team, Gold Medal – with equine partner Emirage

Family Pracht's daughter, Martina, was born in Frankfurt, Hesse, West Germany, in 1964 and also became an accomplished equestrian in Canada. She has won seven medals, five gold and two silver, from the North American Young Rider Championships.