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Horses gallop ‘on the bottom of the ocean’

More than 35,000 people came out to see the 35th annual Duhner Wattrennen, a series of horse races that took place on the tidal flats near Cuxhaven in Lower Saxony on Sunday.

Published: 20 July 2009 12:11 CEST

Horses gallop 'on the bottom of the ocean'

Photo: DPA

Visitors flocked in early with chairs, binoculars and picnic baskets to get a good spot for the event, which bills itself as the “race at the bottom of the sea.” Spectators were allowed to place bets on each race. Bets began at €1.

The Local’s photo gallery of the race “on the bottom of the ocean.”

The horses ran a total of 12 races, including steeplechases and Thoroughbred racing along the 1.2 kilometre oval track set up for the day’s events. Between races, visitors placed their next bets while taking in an air show featuring parachutists and the Graf Zeppelin, a naval air squad stationed at nearby Nordholz.

The first race on the Duhner beaches took place 107 years ago. After a long break, the races have become an annual event since 1975. Next year’s race is already planned for July 18, 2010.

Germany’s Wattenmeer – North Sea tidal mudflats which are feeding grounds to millions of migratory birds and a unique ecosystem – was made a world natural heritage site by UNESCO last month.

Click here for a photo gallery of the Wattenmeer.

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How a German castle has sparked civil war in Monaco's royal family

Marienburg Castle in Lower Saxony pictured during the recent snow. Photo: DPA

Ernst August, 66, gave his son the fairytale-like Marienburg castle and several other properties between 2004 and 2007, but now wants them back citing “gross ingratitude”, the district court of Hanover said in a statement on Tuesday.

It is the latest public spat to hit the aristocratic family, whosepatriarch has over the years been nicknamed “the party prince” and even “the brawling prince” over his jetset lifestyle and drunken escapades.

According to the court statement, Ernst August filed a lawsuit at the end of last year seeking to revoke the gifts of Marienburg Castle, the Calenburg manor house and a royal property in Herrenhausen.

He accuses his son, Ernst August junior, of acting against his wishes and going behind his back by offering Marienburg Castle to the state of Lower Saxony as public property – partly because of the huge costs of maintaining the mid-19th century Gothic-style building.

READ ALSO: Just one sixth of Germans want own monarchy back

The plaintiff, who lives in Austria, also accuses his son of improperly appropriating artworks and antiques owned by the family.

Ernst August senior estimates the total value of the disputed properties and items at some five million euros, the court said.

Ernst August junior, 37, told German news agency DPA that the case had no merit, saying all the arguments raised “have already been invalidated out-of-court in the past”.

He said the deal struck to transfer ownership of Marienburg Castle to the regional authorities of Lower Saxony was “legally secure”.

“There's nothing that stands in the way of the long-term preservation of Marienburg as a central cultural monument of Lower Saxony, open to all,” he said.

The court has not yet set a date for a hearing.

Ernst August senior has been feuding for years with his son over the family's royal properties.

So severe was the spat that he declined his official consent to his son's 2017 marriage to Russian-born fashion designer Ekaterina Malysheva and stayed away from the wedding.

Princess Caroline, who has been separated from her husband since 2009, did attend the nuptials.

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