A young new collaboration in the dressage world has been started: Sophia Skobe Rosen of Stall Säthälla in Tranas, Sweden has signed a five-year professional partnership with Dutch-Italian young rider Chiara Prijs-Vitale of Dressage Horses Vitale-Prijs in Castricum, The Netherlands.
Sophia Skobe Rosen, a 35-year old former medal winning Swedish pony team rider turned entrepreneur, has sold her share in the 130-year old family business "Skobes" to her two brothers and has begun her own enterprise. An active mother of three, Sophia has set up a private investment business which focuses on forestry and real estate while she herself concentrates fully on her job as ceo and marketing director of her horse business, Stall Sathalla.
Skobe Rosen first came in contact with Dutch-Italian young rider Chiara Prijs-Vitale when she acquired Chiara's 16-year old small tour horse Dior (by Donnerhall x Rohdiamant) as a schoolmaster. Sophia aims to compete the magestic Grand Prix level trained black gelding at the Swedish Team Championships and international small tour level in 2016.
"I have always had young horses and educated them myself, so I said it was time for me to have a schoolmaster," Skobe Rosen told Eurodressage. "Dior is the best and sweetest schoolmaster I have met. At Stall Sathalla I want to educate and compete top quality dressage horses, that are happy, healthy and well trained," Sophia added. The 35-year old is supported at home by her coaches Mette Henriksen and Traudi Björling.
Young ladies Sophia and Chiara felt an immediate connection and after the sales transaction of Dior a friendship developed from which this highly interesting 5-year old collaboration flowed.
"It's so incredibly cool that Sophia and I are working together," said an excited Chiara. "I'm thrilled that she is giving me this opportunity. It's very unique and thrilling for both of us."
With her busy schedule at home, Sophia has offered Chiara the ride on her Baden-Wurttemberger bred stallion Sandbrink (by San Amour x Cabaret). The 8-year old black stallion made his international show debut with Prijs-Vitale at young riders' level at the 2016 CDI Drachten at the beginning of January. Before selling to Sweden, Sandbrink became the 2011 South German Licensing Champion, he was the 2011 German Regional Young Horse Champion and competed in the 2013 Bundeschampionate qualifiers under Ralf Kornprobst.
"Sandbrink is such an incredibly fun horse. He's drop dead gorgeous and very willing to work," said Prijs-Vitale. "I will now train the stallion further at home and compete him in The Netherlands and at international shows," Chiara stated. "The goal this year is to compete at the 2016 European Young Riders Championships in Oliva Nova, Spain, this summer."
Prijs-Vitale disclosed that the collaboration also entails "buying a few highly talented horses which we can both train and compete." The latest addition to the Sathalla-Prijs horse collection is the licensed Oldenburg stallion Falcon (by Apache x Donnerhall).
Chiara will be training Falcon Hall at her home yard Dressage Horses Vitale-Prijs, a small, private stable with that has been recently revamped to a boutique state-of-the art facility.
"We discovered Falcon at Ad Valk's yard and I will now be training and competing him," Chiara stated. "We hope to qualify him for the 2016 World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, The Netherlands."
Skobe Rosen also has a small breeding program going at home, which includes the Swedish bred Welsh pony Nexis Breez (by Moelgarnedd Montana x Desarbre Shoestring) and the 6-year old mare For Dance (by For Compliment x Don Primero), who did young horse classes in Sweden and is now in foal to Sandbrink.
Photos © private - Digishots
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