HORSES AND STAR RIDERS WILL DANCE IN THE CDI 5*

PART OF PRESS RELEASE

In just a few days' time, the fourth edition of Le Printemps des Sports Équestres will play host to two of the world's top show jumping (CSI 5*) and dressage (CDI 5*) competitions, as well as France’s only international para-dressage event in 2025.

The riders at the very top of the world rankings in these disciplines will travel to Fontainebleau and the Grand Parquet site for the occasion, for a very exciting competition. In the CDI 5*, the British World number 3, Charlotte Fry, has confirmed her presence, as has the French number 1, Pauline Basquin. Here's a closer look at the entries for the CDI 5*.

Will France come head to head with England in the CDI 5*?

For its third edition, the CDI 5* at Le Printemps des Sports Équestres will play host to fifteen of the world's best combinations. Great Britain's Charlotte Fry, who already boasts an impressive list of wins (reigning World champion, European team champion, team bronze medallist in Versailles, and the winner of the FEI World Cup™ Final a few weeks ago in Basel), has confirmed her presence. The World number 3 will be joined by her fellow country woman and Olympic team-mate Becky Moody, fourth in the FEI World Rankings. The two British riders, who are the best ranked competitors in this event, will be up against some stiff competition, with the Olympic and best French rider Pauline Basquin (No.15), alongside her team mates Alexandra Ayache (No.49) and Anne-Sophie Serre(No.118). Will spectators in Fontainebleau be able to watch a clash between France and the UK? Or will Belgium's Larissa Pauluis (No.13) or Portugal's Maria Caetano (No.29) stand in their way in this event where there will be some fierce competition?

All will be revealed in the Grand Prix Devoucoux, on Saturday 26 April, in the morning and in the Grand Prix Freestyle Région Ile-de-France on Sunday 27 April, under the watchful eye of Raphaël Saleh, the President of the jury for this competition.

Teamtræning også en del af talentsamlingen

Blue Hors Baron og Sophia Ludvigsen - foto: H2R

Team træningen giver et godt udgangspunkt i hvor rytterne er på vej hen med deres heste

Den nylig afholdte første samling for de 6 udvalgte talentryttere Sara Hyrm, Sophia Ludvigsen, Ida Bjørn, Karoline Rohmann, Cecilie Jensen og Alexander Helgstrand var selvfølgelig også med træning i sadlen.

Udover introduktion til Team Danmarks eksperter, fysisk træning og team building, så var technical advisor for senior landsholdet tyske Wolfram Wittig også en del af samlingen.

På sidelinien

Begge dage tog Wolfram Wittig plads ved C iført headset, hvor der var afsat 25 minutters træning til hver enkelt ekvipage, og hvor de hver især blev mødt på deres aktuelle niveau.

H2R var helt tæt på og kunne følge “undervisningen”, hvor man fik klart billede af Wittig´s rolle som technical advisor. Det var tydeligt, at han jo ikke skulle lære de unge mennesker at ride, men istedet kom med råd og vejledning til hvordan en eller flere øvelser kunne optimeres. Fornemmelsen var klart at alle havde fået noget med hjem, og motivationen var i top hos de unge ryttere.

Et professionelt set-up

Der er ingen tvivl om at det nye talent set-up har fokus på fremtidens stjerner, og de 6 ryttere er nu startskuddet til at have et endnu bedre set-up i ryggen på vej mod fremtidens medaljer til Danmark.

Salling Fondenes Talentprogram skal hjælpe med at sikre en god og meningsfuld overgang fra talent til verdensklasseatlet og hjælpe atleter godt på vej til målet om at tage medaljer på internationalt seniorniveau.

Vi arbejder kontinuerligt med at skabe gode rammer for atleter, så de har muligheden for at forfølge deres sportslige ambitioner om at stå øverst på medaljeskamlen. Det er en lang rejse med masse af gode oplevelser, men også med udfordringer undervejs, og ingen kommer sovende til tops i elitesport. Der skal mange træningstimer til, og der skal tages mange svære valg undervejs.

Atleter optages i programmet løbende, og sammen finder vi de løsninger, som bedst understøtter atletens udvikling til verdensklasseatlet.  

Kilde: Team Danmark


Næste samling er lige nu planlagt til efteråret.

Interviews med Wolfram Wittig, Ida Bjørn og Alexander Helgtrand ⬇️⬇️⬇️


Santa Anita Park confirmed as venue for Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 equestrian events

FEI Press Release
Lausanne (SUI), 15 April 2025

Santa Anita Park confirmed as venue for Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 equestrian events

Photo caption: Team and individual Dressage champion Reiner Klimke (FRG) riding Ahlerich at Santa Anita Park during the 1984 Olympic Games.

Santa Anita Park, located in proximity to the Los Angeles city area, has been confirmed as the venue of the equestrian events of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28).

“Santa Anita Park will be a spectacular venue for the LA28 Olympic equestrian events,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“The FEI has very fond memories of Santa Anita, which had hosted the equestrian events at the 1984 Olympic Games. The venue is set to offer a breathtaking stage for all the Olympic equestrian competitions and the proximity to LA City will undoubtedly attract many spectators to Santa Anita. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with LA28 to deliver spectacular equestrian events at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.” 

“I would like to thank the FEI on behalf of the IOC for the active engagement in all the discussions regarding the venue,” IOC Sports Director Kit McConnell said. “We have created a strong partnership with the Organising Committee and the city of Los Angeles, which enjoys the full support of the local equestrian community.” 

"We have the utmost confidence in the LA28 Organizing Committee, and we anticipate exceptional equestrian sport will take place at this special legacy venue from the 1984 Olympic Games. We are also extremely pleased that the IOC has confirmed the athlete quotas across the disciplines for 2028 and they remain unchanged from 2024,” said Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian.

Santa Anita features an on-course veterinary clinic and has hosted some of the major Thoroughbred events in the USA including the Breeders Cup. The famous champion thoroughbred racehorse Seabiscuit won his last race at Santa Anita in 1940. The facility also hosts a CSI3* as well as a FEI Jumping World Cup™ Qualifier CSI5*-W, which this year will take place in November.

Santa Anita covers 130Ha (320 acres) and includes a 340m-long (1,100-foot) grandstand that seats 26,000 spectators. The track infield area, which resembles a park with picnic tables and large trees, can accommodate a crowd of 50,000. The Park has 61 barns that can house more than 2,000 horses.

The venue for the Para Equestrian events will be announced at a later date following the review and approval of the International Paralympic Committee Governing Board.

Behind Danish Warmblood gelding SPARADAY - Breeder, owner, amateur rider and trainer team

This weekends trainer team the married couple Helle Wibe and Søren Christensen with Sparaday and Anna Raben - private photo.

Clear hattrick for the Danish combination 8 yr old Sparaday by Tørveslettens Spartacus / Don Frederic / Sandro Hit and 18 yr old Anna Teibel Raben at last weeks international event in Tolbert. Sparaday is bred and owned by Helle Wibe and together with her husband Søren Christensen they were as usual at the sideline training Sparaday and Anna towards the success.

A special set-up with a unique breeder and owner

With just 8 yr of age the impressive Danish Warmblood gelding Sparaday kicked off his international journey starting last year in June at international junior level together with Anna Raben in the saddle. One month later (with about 4 month partnership) they were part of the Danish European Team silver medals in Opglabbeek with individual 2nd place in the team competition. Later in 2024 they finished as no 4 in the 7 yr old Young Horse finals. This year they entered Young Rider level in February in Lier with two victories and one 4th place.

On daily basic either Helle or Søren is at the sideline training Sparaday and Anna, and most recently professional master rider Jørgen Hvenegaard has been weekly part of the training in order to add even more details and experience towards this years big goal the European Championship in Kronberg.

History

12 years ago Helle and Søren went to HANN auction in order to buy a colt, as they already purchased one colt and therefore wanted to buy a friend. Sitting at the auction optaining the final bid, a nearby person said if they were aware of that the gender was not a colt as the catalog said but a filly. Kind of big surprice but Helle and Søren were still happy new owner of now a filly instead of a colt. The same year they purchased additionally 5 foals, so the “friend issue” was easily solved.

Daytona Beach by Don Frederic / Blue Hors Hotline / Sandro Hit

Daytona Beach was a filly not a colt.

After having Daytona Beach under saddle Helle and Søren wanted to try to put her in foal, and at that time all eyes were the super mare line from Danish breeders Pernille and Steen Rugaard, Stutteri Tørvesletten. Back then Tørveslettens Spartacus by Sezuan was approved for Danish Warmblood. He was out of Tørveslettens Quattro (by Quaterback), later on all lips with Anna Blomgren in saddle at international GP level, and this combination made Sparaday. Only a total of 4 offspring are registered by Tørveslettens Spartacus as later was gelded and sold.

Currently Helle and Søren has 6 offsprings from Daytona Beach:

  • 5 yr old by Bøgegaardens Santiago Bernabeu

  • 4 yr old by Vainqueur

  • 3 yr old by Donkey Boss

  • 2 yr old by Donkey Boss

  • 1 yr old by Skyline to B

Daytona is currently not pregnant for 2025, but is recently inseminated with Double Up by Donkey Boy / Tailormade Lancelot.

Amateur/professionel trainer team

As a 6 yr old Sparaday has been educated by Søren Christensen (husband of breeder and owner Helle Wibe) and was at that time showing secure flying changes and of course with great basic qualities.

As kind of coincidence young Anna Raben a local horse girl (former successful at pony level) got a test ride on one of the other horses from Helle and Søren and soon they saw Anna as a potential rider also for Sparaday. Helle and Søren has been focused all the way looking into a solid educational development, firstly for the young horse classes and then with junior level as a target. Last week with hattrick at the international event in Tolbert, Holland at Young Rider level.

From the beginning it has been mandatory that both Helle and Søren has been a part of this journey and therefore also important that they would be able to be close to their heart horse Sparaday in the everyday.

On site warm up

At the competition warm-up arena Søren is kind of start-up “head coach” for Sparaday and Anna and where Helle takes over for the final preparation getting them ready entering the competition arena.

As Helle tells: “Our main goal has been building up a system with about 30 minutes warm up for Sparaday and Anna, with focus on suppleness, only doing a few check up exercises.” At the same time Helle and Søren tells that Anna is super gifted in order to respond and reflect on advises during each training session.

The trainer job was definitely not in the cards for Helle and Søren at the big international competition where they now stand along side international top trainers and Grand Prix riders.

Shining together

Both Helle and Søren feel very privileged as owner, breeder and trainer team with a horse like Sparaday without any weeknesses for this level, and being able to guide a combination where both horse and rider actually is able to develop from day to day. It is definitely an easier journey with a top horse as a rider, and a gift to have tried to get the right feeling when your horse is able to respond and execute what´s been asking for.

Next event for Sparaday, Anna and the trainer team is planned to be at Danish national Championship end of May.



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