Inna, Klemola, Pietarinen, Kolu, Hagelstam Win 2026 Finnish Dressage Championships

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2026 Finnish Dressage Championships

Pony rider Nelli-Maria Inna, children rider Mea Klemola, junior rider Armi Pietarinen, young rider Anniina Kolu and senior Grand Prix rider Stella Hagelstam became the winners of the 2026 Finnish Dressage Championships in Nurmaa on 5 - 7 June 2026.

Seniors: Hagelstam for the Win

With some of Finland's team riders based in Germany, the field for the annual Finnish Grand Prix Championships stays rather small, year after year. A consistent competitor on home soil is Stella Hagelstam and aboard the home bred 9-year old Hagels Prince Nassak (by Pin Rock's Black Velvet x Fernet) she claimed the cold medal with a total of 144.757 points, but had 2023 Finnish team rider Ville Vaurio very closely on her heels with 144.495%. The bronze was for Jasmin Sikström with 133.675%.

Hagelstam and Hagels Prince Nassak won the Grand Prix with 70.292% and was second in the Kur with 74.465% but had the highest overall total. Vaurio, who sold his 2023 team horse G-Star to Belgian Alexa Fairchild, is now back with a new hore, the 13-year old Hanoverian Dante NL (by De Niro x Alantas xx) with whom he scored 70% and 74.495%. The 35-year old pregnant Sikström rode the 19-year old Oldenburg Clementine II (by Chico's Boy x Rouletto) to 63.875% and 69.80%. She trains with junior rider Armi Pietarinen.

For Hagelstam this was her seventh gold medal in her career. "Whenever a new horse comes along, there are new opportunities, but also new challenges. This gold medal feels especially meaningful when it comes from a horse I bred myself. This Finnish Championship medal is the first one I have won with a horse that my family has bred for many generations," said Hagelstam. Stella rode a highly technical kur. "The program is difficult, and I fell behind a bit in the music. It wasn't quite as smooth as I had hoped, but for the first time I rode a program in a competition situation, I'm happy with it. This was also "Nasu's" first Kur."

Stella is in the luxury position of having two horses at Grand Prix level right now with MSJ Disney Fairytale to ride as well. She looks forward to the World Championships in Aachen in August.

"Next on the competition calendar is the CDIO team competition in Hagen, which we are aiming for with both horses. One of the horses will go for five stars, and the other for three, but I haven't decided which one will go for which yet," said Stella. "The idea is, however, to have one international competition, and then prepare for Aachen."

Youth: Inna, Klemola, Pietarinen

In the pony division Nelli-Maria Inna (15) and the 11-year old Finnish bred sport pony Pin Rock's Devil's Double (by Hunsingo's Twister x Pin Rock's Dark Devil ) won both rounds that determined the winner with scores of 67.772% and 70.585%.

"I didn't take any pressure from yesterday's success to today, I just had to ride my best in the freestyle. The trot part was quite good today, I was satisfied with that," said Inna.

The children division had only three competitors so all ended up going home with a medal. The winner was 13-year old Mea Klemola on the 15-year old Finnish bred pony with Dutch pedigree, Tiny's Big D (by Pionier's Sjoerd x Shamrock Silent Squadron). She scored 72.217% and 68.426% for the win.

"Tiny's Big D was originally intended as a show jumping pony, and I switched him to dressage myself. That's why it feels especially good to be able to do well with it," Klemola

Ten junior riders battled it for glory and 18-year old Armi Pietarinen on the 14-year old Finnish mare Lisbeth S (by Fiance Noir x Chablis) won the tightly fought race with 66.972% and 71.12%, having her rivals closely on her heels.

"Well, I was a little nervous, and it felt like the tension just grew during the competition. I just tried to breathe and trust that it's always fun on the track with "Lissu"," said Pietarinen who trains with Jasmin Sikström.

The 20-year old Anniina Kolu dominated the Young Riders division with a field of 12 pairs. Aboard the KWPN bred El Macho VOD (by Westenwind x Olivi) she stayed well ahead of the competition with 66.108% in round one and 69.715% in round two.

"It's a really good feeling," said the triple consecutive gold medal winner. "It feels wonderful at the same time, but also a little sad, because this is my last year as a young rider. Of course there was a little pressure from yesterday, but I thought I would do my best, and that's it. Macho is really confident, and he knows these little things about the tour well. He's a really fun guy"

Photos © Iita-Maria Ahtiainen - courtesy Ratsastus

Results - 2026 Finnish Dressage Championships - Nurmaa

Children

1.
Mea Klemola - Tiny's Big D - 72.217 68.426 --- 140.643
2. Tytti Kuukkanen - Kastell's Don Diego - 69.125 71.372 --- 140.497
3. Enni Vähäsaraja - Sylvian Joseph - 68.959 68.795 --- 137.754

Pony Riders

1. Nelli-maria Inna - Pin Rock's Devil's Double - 67.772 70.585 --- 138.357
2. Mea Klemola - Sir Maximus Welshwarrior - 67.2 69.535 --- 136.735
3. Sini Shemeikka - Caramel Grey - 67.057 69.2 --- 136.257
4. Aino Hallasaari - Fairytale Twilight - 67.429 68.665 --- 136.094
5. Iina Hirsimäki - Diego Zh - 66.0 68.52 --- 134.52
6. Maria Suhonen V - iljam - 66.6 67.82 --- 134.42
7. Iida-sofia Alasuutari - Cato 88 - 66.914 64.6 --- 131.514
8. Aurora Keitaa - Princess Adele - 64.943 65.785 --- 130.728
9. Mikaela Rimon - Messi E - 62.429 65.48 --- 127.909
10. Mandi Kovalainen - Wilbert Ii - 62.714 64.555 --- 127.269
11. Viivi Ahola Tynan - Earl Grey - 62.229 64.62 --- 126.849

Junior Riders

1. Armi Pietarinen - Lisbeth S - 66.972 71.12 --- 138.092
2. Amanda Prittinen - Reitland's Du Nur Du B - 66.0 70.405 --- 136.405
3. Aino Sellman Lapinjärvi - Sabroso - 65.833 69.865 --- 135.698
4. Mikaela Sinda - Hagels Debeers - 64.778 70.32 --- 135.098
5. Peppi Kangasjärvi - Ds Smartakus - 65.584 67.835 --- 133.419
6. Tuulia Soikkeli - Royal Diamondring - 64.694 67.98 --- 132.674
7. Kiira Kortesalo - Vix Chico - 64.083 67.18 --- 131.263
8. Tilda Mustalampi - Quitaro - 60.306 66.965 --- 127.271
9. Mea Nirhola - D'olympus - 61.917 64.605 --- 126.522
10. Lila Maijala - Fiona Verde - 62.278 62.3 --- 124.578

Young Riders

1. Anniina Kolu - El Macho V.o.d - 66.108 69.715 --- 135.823
2. Sohvi Rouvali - Fabian - 64.838 68.115 --- 132.953
3. Ulrika Salminen - Gilmore Mc - 65.784 66.99 --- 132.774
4. Mila Pietarila - Jonathan S - 64.378 67.605 --- 131.983
5. Venla Lahtinen - Tempelhüter - 63.108 68.325 --- 131.433
6. Minttu Polin - Jura Jaz - 63.243 67.855 --- 131.098
7. Matilda Piispa - Skovens Rosselli - 65.541 65.49 --- 131.031
8. Vanessa Tolvanen - Sandrina - 63.622 66.085 --- 129.707
9. Viivi Parikka - Stradivarius - 63.865 65.14 --- 129.005
10. Coco Roine - London Eye - 63.811 64.28 --- 128.091
11. Ruut Mantela - Mandela -62.46 65.48 --- 127.94
12. Viivi Rusanen - Magic. T - 59.081 0.0 --- 59.081

Seniors - Big Tour

1. Stella Hagelstam - Hagels Prince Nassak - 70.292 74.465 --- 144.757
2. Ville Vaurio - Dante Nl - 70.0 74.495 --- 144.495
3. Jasmin Sikström - Clementine Ii - 63.875 69.8--- 133.675
4. Katja Kuokka - Fillyhill's My Special - 64.229 68.695--- 132.924
Peggy Högsten - Frisco - DNS

Complete scores here.