Hilus MHB Finds New Rider and Home in Switzerland

Tue, 09/30/2025 - 13:26
Switzerland
Eric Guardia Martinez and Hilus MHB competing in Denmark in 2023 :: Photo © Ridehesten

Hilus MHB, a Swedish warmblood that has been competed by Cathrine Dufour, Charlotte Dujardin, and Annabella Pidgley, has found a new rider and owner in Switzerland. 

Hilus MHB is an 13-year old Swedish warmblood gelding by Johnson out of Lietske (by Don Primero). He is bred by Madeleine Karlsson & Fredric Spång of Modern Horse Breeding (MHB).

Swedish WCYH team horse

The bay gelding was first trained and competed in Sweden by Mikaela Alderin-Danielsson. 

They made their show debut in September 2016. They participated in the team selection trial for the 2017 World Young Horse Championships but did not make the cut. However, several months later the pair won bronze in the 5-year old division at the 2017 Swedish Young Horse Championships.

In 2018 Mikaela and Hilus MHB were nominated on the Swedish team for the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, where they were 23rd in the consolation Finals. 

Cathrine Dufour

At the 2018 World Young Horse Championships
The breeder and owner sent Hilus to Helgstrand Dressage to be sold. The horse was put in training with Cathrine Dufour, who recommended it to her client at the time, the British Pidgley family.

Sarah Pidgley bought Hilus but left him in training with Dufour so she could produce the horse to FEI level. She made her national show debut at M-level in February 2020 in Vipperød and showed him four times that year. 

Annabella Pidgley - Charlotte Dujardin

In the winter of 2020-2021 Hilus MHB moved to the United Kingdom to become Annabella Pidgley's junior riders's horse. 

She debuted him at Advanced Medium level at Widmer Equestrian centre in March 2021. In May they rode in their first and only CDI as a pair at Wellington Heckfield, placing fifth in the team test (69.040%) but they got eliminated in the individual test.  Annabella and Hilus continued on at national level while Sultan des Paluds became her top junior horse alongside Dibert L. Her last show on Hilus was in August 2021 at Mount Ballan.

Hilus was sent to Annabella's U.K. trainer Charlotte Dujardin to further establish him at small tour level. Dujardin premiered him in January 2022 at small tour level and rode him in one CDI at Wellington Heckfield where they claimed the Prix St Georges and the Intermediate I with scores of 74.706% and 73.992. Last summer they won the 2022 British Prix St Georges Champion's title.

Back to Denmark

With Charlotte Dujardin in 2022
In March 2023 Hilus was sent back to Helgstrand Dressage in Denmark to be sold.  

Eric Guardia Martinez has taken over the training and scored 68.728% for third place in the Intermediaire II at the CDN Aarhus on Sunday 26 March 2023. Half a year later in September 2023 Hilus did another Inter II for 66.754% and a fortnight later they lifted that score to 70.658%. Guardia rode four national tests in total with Hilus. The horse's last show was in November 2023 when he got 70.263%.

He has not competed been competed in Denmark since.

Sold to Switzerland

In October 2024 Helgstrand declared ownership of Hilus with the FEI.

Dressprod reported that Hilus MHB has been sold to Swiss Under 25 team rider and national champion Tallulah Lynn Nater.

Photos © Ridehesten - Astrid Appels - Kevin Sparrow

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