For 18-year old Christina Sachinoglou her final junior rider's year is one marked by new ventures and new horizons. Aboard her new horse Rafaello, she has qualified to compete at the 2007 European Junior Riders Championships in Nussloch, Germany, and she will be showing at the CDI-JYR Barzago (ITA) as final show preparation before the highlight of the season, the European Championships. As of next year, Christina will be moving onto Young Riders level and Rafaello will be her partner for the 2008 show season.
Sachinoglou is a two-time Balkan Champion and Greek Junior Rider Champion. At the CDI-J YR Barzago she will be competing against some of the best junior riders in Europe. With Rafaello, Christina is striving for a good performance in Italy.
Her mount Rafaello is a 7-year old chestnut Russian gelding by Rifs. "When we first saw Rafaello at Alexander Moksel's stable in Germany, I thought 'this is one talented horse'," Sachinoglou told Eurodressage. "At the age of 7 passage and piaffe are like game to him! It was love at first…ride!’’ Christina started training Rafaello only five months ago and the pair is still getting to know each other.
The ambitious Greek rider lives and traines in Athens and trains with Jan Gurov, who has been by her side ever since she first started competing. Gurov is a very successful rider in both dressage and show jumping and uis considered one of the best trainers in Greece.
Jan is thrilled about coaching Christina and Rafaello. "The plan with Rafaello is for him to be Christina’s horse for her first year in the Young Riders' classes. We are taking it easy this year because the horse is young, but I believe the future is very bright for him! He has talent and a good mind. It’s a hot horse but he is very serious about his work!"
Christina has already been a part of the Greek Junior Riders Team twice, competing at the European Championships and the Balkan Championships with two different horses, Maximilian and Mercedes. She was Balkan Champion in 2004 with Maximilian and in 2006 with Mercedes. On her list of achievements, she also has the title of 2003 and 2005 Greek Junior Champion aboard Maximilian.
The international dressage show in Barzago, taking place July 8-10, 2007, is the final stop on the agenda before the Europeans. Sachinoglou and three more Greek junior riders will be entering the show ring there, aiming to produce excellent results in order to confirm their place on the Greek team.
More information about Christina, her family, trainer and horses can be found on her official websitewww.christinasahinoglou.gr