Danish born American Charlotte Jorst has acquired the 13-year old Danish warmblood gelding Akeem Foldager from Andreas Helgstrand and Hanni Toosbuy Kasprzak as U.S. team hopeful for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Jorst, who placed third today in the 3* Grand Prix class at the CDI Wellington aboard Nintendo, another horse she also bought at Helgstrand's in Denmark, is based in Reno, Nevada and trains with Guenter Seidel in California.
Akeem Foldager is one of Denmark's most talented dressage horses. The massive dark bay gelding (by Akinos x Loran x Astaire) was trained and competed to Grand Prix level by Joachim Thomsen, but sold by owner Patricia Florin for a multi million euro amount in February 2013.
Helgstrand successfully campaigned the horse in 2013 and competed on the Danish team at the 2013 European Dressage Championships in Herning, Denmark.
The show career of Helgstrand and Akeem Foldager came to an abrupt end in April 2014 when Andreas was accused of animal abuse after presenting Akeem with a blue tongue at his open house day. The rider immediately took a step back from competition and focused on coaching while several lawsuits were settled in court. Helgstrand was acquitted from abuse in the autumn and winter of 2014-2015.
Today the news broke that Akeem Foldager sold to Jorst in the U.S.A. The horse will arrive in America on Wednesday 11 February 2015.
"We are happy that Akeem got an owner who can continue to develop his big talent," Andreas Helgstrand commented. "Akeem is a horse with great potential. There aren't many in the world of that calibre."
"I always followed Akeem under Andreas and when I got the opportunity to try him out, it was a fantastic experience," Jorst explained. "I'm very happy to bring him to Florida."
The 50-year old Charlotte Jorst made her fortune when she sold her thriving Danish watch company Skagen to Fossil in January 2012.
Photo © Astrid Appels
Related Links
Coming to Hagen: Akeem Foldager Makes an Entry at the 2013 CDI Hagen
Andreas Helgstrand Acquitted of Animal Cruelty
Andreas Helgstrand Under Fire After Publication of Training Photos
Jorst and Vitalis, Sole U.S. Representative at the 2013 World Young Horse Championships
Anna Kasprzak's Nintendo Sold to the U.S.A
Vitalis Sold to the United States