06-Oct-2026

DFFU sponsored the 90th Duhner Wattrennen in Cuxhaven

Alda Seafood’s German subsidiary Deutsche Fischfang-Union (DFFU) is proud to have been part of this year’s Duhner Wattrennen horse race in Cuxhaven, one of northern Germany’s most distinctive traditions.

The horse race takes place within the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage Site. Because the course lies on the seabed, the race schedule depends on the tides and can only run at low water. Spectacular scenes unfold as the horses thunder across the mudflats, sending sand and seawater spraying up from beneath their hooves.

The organiser is the Verein für Pferderennen auf dem Duhner Watt von 1902 e.V., which relies on volunteers and local businesses for the event. The 90th edition was held on Sunday, 9 August 2026 and about 16,000 spectators attended.

The races are run over distances ranging from 1,400 to 2,500 metres. Together with Kutterfisch-Zentrale GmbH, DFFU sponsored the 11th race of the day. This was a 1,900-metre trotting race known as the “Preis von Döse” where the riders sit in a light two-wheeled cart behind the horse rather than riding on its back. DFFU has sponsored this race since 2024.

“As a Cuxhaven company with deep maritime roots, supporting an event that takes place on the seabed itself feels natural. We are proud to help keep this remarkable local tradition alive,” says Samuel Rodriguez, Managing Director of DFFU.

Robert Dohrmann, a Cuxhaven farmer, founded the race in 1902 to attract visitors to the then-young seaside resort. Over its history, it has paused several times, including during both World Wars, for longer stretches in the 1950s and 1960s, and during the Covid pandemic. It has been a fixture of the summer calendar since its revival in 1975.

DFFU looks forward to supporting the next Duhner Wattrennen, scheduled for 11 July 2027.

Photographs from the “Preis von Döse” at the 2026 Duhner Wattrennen, courtesy of Marco Federmann. See additional photographs from the event on his site on Flickr.

From the “Preis von Döse” at the 2026 Duhner Wattrennen. Photo: Marco Federmann.