Gaston Glock, Austrian engineer who developed the Glock pistol, has died at 94

Gaston Glock, the Austrian gun engineer, and entrepreneur, passed away at the age of 94, as announced by his company on December 27, 2023.

The statement acknowledged Gaston Glock’s visionary leadership, highlighting how he built and steered the company to global prominence, notably with the internationally acclaimed Glock Perfection. The statement noted that until the very end, Gaston Glock remained at the helm, overseeing the strategic direction of the Glock group of companies and its employees.

In 1963, Gaston Glock established a firearms company in Deutsch-Wagram, Lower Austria, which has since expanded with branches worldwide.

Glock holds an impressive market share of nearly 65% for handguns in the U.S. Gaston Glock, primarily through a trust, possesses 99% ownership of the business, estimated by Forbes to be worth $1.5 billion in 2018.

Additionally, Glock’s connection to the equestrian world was established through his second wife, Kathrin, who is more than 50 years his junior. The couple tied the knot in 2011.

In February 2012, the newlyweds entered into a decade-long contract with Edward Gal, Hans Peter Minderhoud, and Nicole Werner.

Gaston Glock subsequently acquired and established the Glock Horse Performance Center in Oosterbeek for them, where they continue to operate as free agents according to recent reports. Additionally, the mogul owns a facility in Austria, initially managed by Marcel Schoenmakers until 2014. Notably, they organized an opulent CDI competition in Villach from 2012 through 2015.

Throughout the past decade, Glock consistently provided Gal and Minderhoud with a diverse array of horses, including notable names such as Undercover, Voice, Zonik, Dream Boy, Total U.S., Romanov, and Johnson.

The couple maintained a consistent presence on the Dutch team over the last 10 years, concluding their joint representation for the Netherlands at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.