Mattsson, Jonsson, Kittel Win 2020 Swedish Dressage Championships

Wed, 09/09/2020 - 10:01
2020 Swedish Dressage Championships
Klara Svanberg , Elin Mattsson and Matilde Illerfelt are the Young Rider medalists at the 2020 Swedish Dressage Championships

Young rider Elin Mattsson, Under 25 rider Emma Jonsson and senior Grand Prix rider Patrik Kittel won the 2020 Swedish Dressage Championships held at Stromsholm castle on 4 - 6 September 2020. 

With the Swedish Equestrian Federation deciding that Sweden was not to partake in the European Youth Championships in Budapest because of health precautions and the Olympic Games cancelled due to the ongoing corona pandemic, Swedish dressage riders had to rely on national shows for some competitive action and glory. Therefore the interest to compete was great with big starters fields at the Nationals.

Elin Mattsson, Young Rider Champion

Elin Mattsson and the 18-year old Swedish warmblood gelding Beckham (by Bernstein x Koncerz xx) ruled the roost in the Young Rider division, which counted a field of 33 competitors. The pair won all three rounds with scores of 71.127% in the team test, 72.794% in the individual and 74.185% in the freestyle. They totalled 218.106 points and won the national title. Mattsson's Beckham is a seasoned competitor on the Swedish scene, having taken elder sister Marina Mattsson to two European Junior Riders Championships and then into the Grand Prix ring. Elin began riding the sensitive chestnut as of 2019. 

"He is indescribably fun to ride. I had a great feeling in the ring," said Mattsson about her ride on Beckham. Elin is in her last year as a young rider and will move to U25 next.

The silver medal went to Klara Svanberg aboard the 14-year old Dutch warmblood mare Bon Geste (by Dutch Dormello x Nabuur). Three times she placed second and the silver was hers. The pair scored 68.971% in the team test and grew into the competition with 71.421% in the individual and 73.290% in the freestyle. 

The bronze went to Matilde Illerfelt on the 14-year old Dutch warmblood gelding Bento D (by Florencio x Havidoff). This duo consistently scored higher and were third in the first two rounds (67.549% and 71.225%, but dropped to a 10th place in the freestyle with 67.770. Their total point score of 206.544 sufficed for bronze. 

New Comer Jonsson Wins U25 Title

Emma Jonsson on Gerion
Brand new combination Emma Jonsson and the 9-year old KWPN gelding Gerion (by Jazz x Don Primero) were a league of their own in the Under 25 division. In a field of just seven competitors, with only four of them riding the freestyle, Jonsson scored a winning 70.299% in the short Grand Prix and aced the freestyle with 74.640%. She took the title on 144.939 points in total. 

Jonsson is a seasoned Swedish youth team rider, beginning her international career as a junior in 2012 aboard Wolkengold. Since then she has competed no less than seven different horses from Junior to Under 25 Grand Prix level (Fleur, Dark Diamond, Lifemusic, Santo Domingo, Tango and Donizetti). She recently acquired Gerion, who was previously owned by Australian Mary Hanna and competed by Briana Burgess to a 9th place at the 2017 World Young Horse Championships and then briefly went to Russian Alena Starr before moving to Denmark.

"I found him in Denmark at Andreas Helgstrand a few years ago. He was well educated, but we have still worked together to develop and be able to start the Grand Prix," said Jonsson, who trains with Jan Brink.

The silver went to routinier Lina Dolk on Anne Edling's 17-year old Westfalian gelding Languedoc (by Laomedon x Francisco). They were second in the short Grand Prix with 67.436% and second in the freestyle on 72.200%. Dolk took over the ride on Languedoc from trainer Kristian von Krusenstierna after her previous ride Biggles was retired from competition.  The bronze went to Tinne Vilhelmson's student Mathilda Andersson Antelli on the 12-year old German bred gelding Chicago (by Ciacomini x Carthago). They scored 64.957% and 71.025% to total 135.982 points.

"It is a big step from being a young rider to riding the Grand Prix as a U25 rider," said Swedish youth team trainer Tina Due-Boje. "Therefore, we can hope that more people can keep schoolmasters at Grand Prix in the country and make them available to young people."

Seventh Title for Patrik Kittel

A big group of 29 Grand Prix riders travelled to Stromsholm to compete in the senior division, even though three of the Swedish team riders were absent again from these Nationals (Nilshagen on Dante Weltino OL, Antonia Ramel on Brother de Jeu and Juliette Ramel on Buriel K.H.

Patrik Kittel on Delaunay
Aboard the Oatley family's 14-year old Oldenburg gelding Delaunay (by Dr. Doolittle x Feinbrand), Swedish team rider Patrik Kittel cruised to his seventh title in his career getting big scores from the judges with a 75.500% in the Grand Prix and 78.085% in the freestyle to total 153.585 points. Kittel created a big gap with the competition based on his Grand Prix score because in the Freestyle the combinations scored much more closely together.

Following in the distance was rising duo Johanna Dueboje on the 12-year old Swedish bred mare Mazy Klovenhoj (by Bocelli x National Zenith xx), owned by Karlsson and Primdahl. They got 71.826% for a second place in the Grand Prix and 77.190% in the freestyle for third place. Their total was 149.016 points for silver. On their heels was Marina Mattson on Patrik Hannell's 11-year old Hanoverian Quartermain (by Quaterback x Wilawander xx) who got bronze with 148.462 points. She was third in the Grand Prix with 70.652% and second in the Kur with 77.810% just a fraction behind Kittel.

The revelations of the 2020 CDI-W Gothenburg, Sandra Dahlin and the 14-year old Swedish mare Ichi (by Bocelli x Donnerschlag), were on great form but could not push through to land on the podium. They were fourth on 146.373 points with 70.283% and 76.090%.

"This was my most exciting and close Swedish Championship I ever experienced," said Swedish Grand Prix team captain Bo Jenå, expressing that he is very pleased that Kittel is now being challenged by young ambitious riders, despite a still 4.500 percentage point difference between gold and silver. "It is so good for the future," said Jena. 

Photos © Haide Westring

Results - 2020 Swedish Dressage Championships - Stromsholm

Young Riders

  • 1 Elin Mattsson - Beckham - 71.127 - 72.794 - 74.185 --- 218.106
  • 2 Klara Svanberg - Bon Geste  - 68.971 -  71.421 -  73.290 --- 213.682
  • 3 Matilda Illerfelt - Bento D - 67.549 - 71.225 - 67.770 --- 206.544
  • 4 Matilda Jakobsson - Cappuccino - 67.255 - 69.363 - 68.435 --- 205.053
  • 5 Felicia Olofsson -  Dan Brown - 66.225 - 67.696 - 70.430 --- 204.351
  • 6 Evelina Söderström - Latinotanz -  62.353 - 68.872 - 71.110 --- 202.335
  • 7 Emelie Svanström - Toscham SD -  67.745 - 68.971 - 65.025 --- 201.741
  • 8 Ida Persson -  Tago -  66.765 - 67.549 - 67.370 --- 201.684
  • 9 Ellen Hedbys  - Sonnenkönigin -  65.049 - 66.765 - 69.190 --- 201.004
  • 10 Alva Liew  -  Latina - 65.000 - 66.225 - 69.635 --- 200.860
  • 1 Maja Falk - Gilmore MC - 66.029 - 64.951 - 68.920 --- 199.900
  • 12 Emilia Schääf - Arizona -  64.265 - 65.735 - 69.280 --- 199.280
  • 13 Sandra Wickström -  Collin -  64.314 - 63.971 - 65.465 --- 193.750
  • 14 Christina Lundblad - Headline -  63.382 - 64.216 - 65.680 --- 193.278
  • 15 Kajsa Olsson -  Pay Back TP - 64.314 - 63.579 -  64.985 --- 192.878

Under 25

  • 1 Emma Jönsson -  Gerion -  70.299 - 74.640 --- 144.939
  • 2 Lina Dolk - Languedoc - 67.436 - 72.200 --- 139.636
  • 3 Mathilda Andersson Antelli - Chicago - 64.957  - 71.025 --- 135.982
  • 4 Lo Dahlquist Mörkenstam -  Welton Five - 64.145 -  67.450 --- 131.595
  • 5 Isabella Tovek - Happiness  - 62.650
  • 6 Emelie Aldenfalk - Winton - 59.231
  • 7 Charlotta Lundblad -  Wellington - 51.069

Seniors

  • 1. Patrik Kittel - Delaunay - 75.500 - 78.085 --- 153.585
  • 2 Johanna DueBoje -  Mazy Klövenhöj - 71.826  - 77.190 --- 149.016
  • 3 Marina Mattsson -  Quartermain - 70.652 - 77.810 --- 148.462
  • 4 Sandra Dahlin -  Ichi -  70.283 - 76.090 --- 146.373
  • 5 Jennie Larsson - Bonafide - 69.239 - 71.330 --- 140.569
  • 6 Jeanna Högberg -  Fiorucci Ht - 65.913 - 73.825 --- 139.738
  • 7 Mads Hendeliowitz - Jimmie Choo Seq G- 68.565 - 70.245 --- 138.810
  • 8 Malin Rinné - Scharmeur - 67.369 - 70.540 --- 137.909
  • 9 Jennifer Svensson - Sibelius -  67.804 - 69.900 --- 137.704
  • 10 Nina Karlsson -  Strandagergårds Danoir - 68.109 - 69.270 --- 137.379
  • 11 Lena Wiman - Donnerstein-  66.000 - 68.540 --- 134.540
  • 12 Mattias Jansson -  Constantine P - 66.631 - 67.790 --- 134.421
  • 13 Louise Sättermann - Alex - 65.717 - 67.320 --- 133.037
  • 14 Jessica Nordin -  Donauwein - 65.609 - 66.215 --- 131.824
  • 15 Johan Lundgren - Duty Free - 66.130 - 65.375 --- 131.505

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