Where Are They Now? Ironman H

Dressage

F.O.C.U.S.

The Swedish based licensed KWPN stallion Ironman H made dreams come true for Finnish professional rider Yvonne Osterholm who after a long career of riding numerous horses at the World Young Horse Championships finally broke through at Grand Prix level and made it on the Finnish team for the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck.

Ironman H did his last CDI in Hagen in June 2024 as the pair was trying for the Olympic team. However, a low score made Osterholm pull her horse from Finnish team contention. Ironman H has not returned to sport since then.

Where is he now?

Licensed Stallion

Ironman H is a 13-year old KWPN stallion by Bordeaux out of Zartina (by Rousseau x Jazz). He is bred by Jan Hurkmans in The Netherlands. He should not be mistaken with the eponymous Ironman (by Ferro x Tuschinski) competed at Grand Prix level by Dutch Jonna Schelstraete.

Originally discovered and owned as a youngster by the Singaporean investor Titan Wilaras, he was first accepted at the 2015 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing in Vechta.

He sold at the auction following the licensing for 60,000 euro. Ironman H sold to Sweden to Ucas AB, a company led by Ulf Vilhelm and Anette Christensson from Vinninga, Västra Götaland in Sweden. Three months later he was presented at the 2016 KWPN Stallion Licensing in Den Bosch, but rejected.

With his Oldenburg licensed status in the bag and winning the Swedish Warmblood performance test in March 2017, Ironman H straight away became the most popular dressage breeding stallion in Sweden that year, covering the largest amount of mares that year.

Ironman H initially stood at stud at Tinne Vilhelmson's base, Lovsta Stuteri, but in 2020 he was pulled from stud duty to be focused on sport. Ironman sired 201 offspring in Sweden; two of his sons are licensed (Indiul TS and Dee's Topper Harley).

Sport Career

In 2017 he was the winner of the 4-year old young horses class at the Falsterbo Horse Show.

Yvonne Osterholm, who over the years trained with Jan Brink, Kerstin Andre, and Minna Telde, rode the black stallion for Finland at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo. In 2018 he finished 13th in the Finals as a 5-year old and in 2019 he ranked 10th in the Finals as a 6-year old.

At the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck

Yvonne premiered the black at Grand Prix level in June 2022 at the CDI Flyinge and posted 65.978%. After a career competing young horses he is her first international big tour horse. In 2022 they also rode in Falsterbo, Ermelo, Aarhus and Randbol.

In 2023 they secured a spot on the Finnish team for the European Championships in Riesenbeck after raking in scores in Lier, Ypaja, Hagen, and Falsterbo. Their Grand Prix high score was 71.065% achieved in Lier. At the Europeans they placed 56th in the Grand Prix with 66.972%.

In 2024 they went to CDI's in Gothenburg, Tolbert, Redefin, Aachen and Hagen but they experienced a drop in their scores. In Hagen they ended with 63.283%, which prompted Yvonne to withdraw from Finnish Olympic team contention. Two days later the owners picked up the horse and brought him home.

"He is such a sweet soul," Osterholm told Eurodressage. "Ironman meant so much to me. He (is) a lovely horse in so many ways."

Where Is He Now?

Ironman H has not yet made an international show come back, but after more than a 2-year break from competition, he returned to the show ring as a gelding with his owner Anette Christensson in the saddle.

"When Ironman arrived back home discovered our veterinarian that he had av rotated testicle that bothered him, that was the reason for him being gelded," Christensson told Eurodressage.

At the CDN Hammarö on 11 - 12 October 2025, the pair rode an Intermediaire II test and finished second with 68.382%.

"I look forward to competing him in 2026 myself, that is atl east the plan," Anette added.