It was pure Danish Championship magic
There was one… There were two… There were three Danish champions from Blue Hors! Three times gold in para dressage, U25 dressage, and senior dressage for Tobias, Sophia, and Nanna!
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
An unforgettable for the Blue Hors team
The Danish Dressage Championships were three sunny days where the horses shone as bright as the sun, creating an unforgettable atmosphere for the passionate spectators gathered around their love for dressage sport.
Viewed through “Blue Hors lenses,” it is a championship that will go down in the history books! On Sunday, we were left with three Danish Champions, each riding their own Blue Hors horse. Each of them has set the standard for outstanding performances in the battle for gold, and it was three nerve-wracking finals where nothing was decided until the last horse had completed their test – keeping the audience on the edge of their seats from start to finish!
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Zepter
Nanna Skodborg Merrald/Blue Hors Don Olymbrio
We knew that we were witnessing something extraordinary!
Blue Hors Zepter (by Blue Hors Zack/Wolkentanz I, breeder: Bernhard Sieverding) and Nanna Skodborg Merrald entered the arena and concluded the senior ballet with a ride that sent shivers down the spines of the Blue Hors team and the rest of the audience – it was pure magic!
With world-class elasticity and harmony, they received numerous well-deserved scores of 8, 9, and 10. Their piaffe was an absolute highlight, and Zepter and Nanna executed each movement with meticulous attention to every tiny detail. The pair left the arena visibly satisfied, and through the speakers, they could hear how their precision and elegance was rewarded with marks from the highest end of the scale. For Zepter and Nanna, the 86.850% they received for the Grand Prix Freestyle, combined with their 80.120% in the first round’s Grand Prix, resulted in a total score of 166.970, placing them at the top of the podium and rightfully drenched in victory champagne – presented in abundant quantities by silver medalist Carina Cassøe Krüth and bronze medalist Andreas Helgstrand.
Their performance was nothing short of outstanding, a study in perfection, and the audience had no doubt that they had just witnessed a partnership and a ride of world-class caliber. Nanna and Zepter have proven on more than one occasion that the qualities of rider and horse come together in perfect harmony – especially on a day like today, where they make us SO proud with a stellar ride and a resounding victory at the Danish Championships.
Nanna also competed breeding stallion Blue Hors Don Olymbrio (by Jazz/Olympic Ferro, breeder: Jan Lamers), who, however, had to sit out the Grand Prix Freestyle as riders are only allowed to compete on one of their horses in the championship’s final. But even though he was only the “second choice” of the weekend, he still performed so well that he and Nanna set a new record for their partnership! With 77.460% and a fantastic fourth place in the preliminary Grand Prix, the little stallion continues to show remarkable talent, keeping up with the top of strong Danish horses and riders.
Champagne is a must when you become the Danish Dressage Champion, and Andreas Helgstrand is the man to ensure there's an abundance of it
Sophia and Quintana are Danish U25 Champions
Sophia Ludvigsen and Blue Hors Quintana (by Quantensprung/Desperados, breeder: Steffen Brunkhorst) started off strong with a victory in yesterday’s preliminary U25 Grand Prix, setting a promising tone for their performance at this year’s U25 Danish Championships – and they held the lead all the way!
A score of 78.300% in the U25 Grand Prix Freestyle was more than enough to secure the overall championship win, and Sophia could proudly stand at the top of the podium!
Impressive debut for Amalie and Quantico!
In the U25 Championship, Blue Hors rider Amalie Aasted Albæk made her debut in the U25 Grand Prix and U25 Grand Prix Freestyle with Gørklindtgårds Quantico (by Quaterback/Capaccio, breeder: Jørgen Ravn) – and they performed so well together that they earned a respectable 71.875% overall, placing them in 8th position.
Sophia Ludvigsen/Blue Hors Quintana
Amalie Aasted Albæk/Gørklindtgårds Quantico
Amalie Aasted Albæk, Mathilde Damholt Völcker & Gørklindtgårds Quantico
Sophia Ludvigsen/Blue Hors Quintana
Amalie Aasted Albæk
Blue Hors Quintana/Ingrid Rimestad
Alexander Helgstrand, Sophia Ludvigsen, Thea Bech
Sophia Ludvigsen/Blue Hors Quintana
Sophia, Ingrid and Quintana
Blue Hors Quintana, Sophia Ludvigsen, Amalie Albæk
Tobias Thorning Jørgensen/Blue Hors Zackorado
Tobias and Zackorado win the Danish Championship in Para Dressage for grade I, II, and III
With an impressive total percentage of 157.320% and over 82% for their freestyle, Blue Hors rider Tobias Thorning Jørgensen and the stallion Blue Hors Zackorado (by Blue Hors Zack/Florencio I, breeder: Paul Rode) secured a confident victory at this year’s Danish Para Dressage Championships for Grade I, II, and III!
Despite only forming a partnership about 1/2 year ago, they displayed great confidence on the arena during both days of the championship. Their freestyle was brand new and created specifically for Zackorado, featuring music from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The program showcased beautiful half-passes, flying changes, and seamless transitions in the walk, earning them exceptionally high scores while their trainer, Nanna Skodborg Merrald, watched from the sidelines.
The silver medal went to Maria Bech Kofoed and Nordstrands Galina, who achieved a total percentage of 135.498%, while Line Munk Madsen and Tailormade Ralph Lauren secured the bronze with a total percentage of 132.020%.
Tobias Thorning Jørgensen/Blue Hors Zackorado