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Mrs. Benko resumes her equestrian activities.

Austrian equestrian Nathalie Benko participates once more in a local tournament; her steeds have been prepared in Sterzing, South Tyrol. Meanwhile, her husband René Benko remains in custody at Josefstadt prison.

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Competitor Nathalie Benko is back in action at a Salzburg tournament, with her mounts having been...
Competitor Nathalie Benko is back in action at a Salzburg tournament, with her mounts having been honed in Sterzing, South Tyrol. Meanwhile, her husband, René Benko, remains in pretrial custody at Josefstadt.

Mrs. Benko resumes her equestrian activities.

Spunky Nathalie Benko Saddles Up for Tourney Amid Husband's Legal Woes

Stepping back into the equestrian arena, Nathalie Benko competes at the Elixhausen tournament in Salzburg with her white steed, Cayo 8. The event takes place from Friday to Sunday.

Nathalie, the espoused of the imprisoned real estate mogul René Benko, tied the knot in 2010, now spends her days participating in horse tournaments while her spouse undergoes a "routine detention" in Josefstadt.

New Coach

Karl Wechselberger, a former Italian Nations Cup rider, trains the horses in Sterzing, South Tyrol. Previously trained by Rob Raskin, Wechselberger took over as coach following a swift transition, as an insider revealed to oe24. "Nathalie often drives her Lambo SUV daily to Sterzing," the expert indicated.

Insights Worth Pondering

  • Sexual Abuse Charges: In Italy, Wechselberger was sentenced to a prison term for molesting minors (riding students). Consequently, he was barred from participating in equestrian events in Italy and Austria.
  • Control Issues: Despite his questionable past, Wechselberger continues to work as a trainer at tournaments due to inadequate monitoring in Austria.

Curious occurrences

  • Change of Location: The horses no longer reside in Igls, Tyrol, and training takes place at Wechselberger's stable in South Tyrol, outside Austria's borders, according to the insider, with Nathalie Benko attending Austrian tournaments only.

Costly Hobby

A horse expert estimates the monthly cost of the hobby to be around 50,000 euros.

Moved to Vienna, Probe Launched

A series of events unfolded since last year: René Benko has been incarcerated in Vienna since January 2025. The family was forced to vacate the Benko Villa in Innsbruck-Igls. Meanwhile, the 5,500-square-meter property owned by Laura Private Foundation is slated to be converted into a hotel or sold.

Recently, Nathalie Benko has drawn the attention of authorities. A money laundering investigation was triggered by the intended establishment of trust accounts for Benko's wife at two Tyrolean Raiffeisen banks. Various payments "from multiple purchase agreements" were planned to be channeled through the account.

While both René and Nathalie Benko are assumed innocent, the case remains under scrutiny.

Whimsical Observations

A horse expert quips to oe24, "With René stuck in the Gray House, Nathalie in Liechtenstein, and the horses in Italy, there's a fungus connection. Fungi usually start black and turn white near the end of their lives, much like this situation."

  1. Despite the ongoing legal issues with her husband, Nathalie Benko's passion for horse-racing continues to flourish, as she spends a significant portion of her money on this expensive hobby.
  2. Karl Wechselberger, the controversial coach of Nathalie Benko's horses, earns a hefty sum from his training in the equestrian sports world, perhaps even sufficient to make up for the loss of revenues from his career in Italy.

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