WCYH Participant Van Love WS Sold to Austria

Dressage

Austria

Van Love WS, Eric Gaurdia Martinez' 2026 World Young Horse Championship ride, has been sold to Austria.

Van Lowe WS is a 5-year old Westfalian mare by Valverde out of Ruhhmreich (by Riccio x Magnum). She is bred by Russian/Armenian Alena Starr at her Westphalian Stables in Riesenbeck, Germany. She co-owned the horse with Andreas Helgstrand.

Eric Guardia Martinez

The mare moved to Helgstrand's yard in Denmark when she was 3.5 years old and the ride got allocated to Spaniard Eric Guardia Martinez.

He only competed Van Love once in Denmark on 2 June 2026, winning a 5-year old preliminary test with 90.2%. Four weeks later she was selected on the German team for the 2026 World Young Horse Championships in Verden.

At the 2026 WCYH she scored 80.80% in the preliminary test and placed fourth in the consolation finals with 79.20%.

Austria

At the end of August Van Lowe WS sold to Austria and moved into the stable of Under 25 rider Valentina Friedl.

Dressprod first spotted the change in ownership in the FEI database, but Friedl revealed the news on Instagram six days ago.

"This special lady is joining my team now," Valentina wrote. "I’m beyond excited to have her by my side and can’t wait to see where this journey takes us. So grateful for this new chapter and all the memories we’re going to create together. Looking forward to the future with this one."

Valentina told Eurodressage that "we’ll do a few national tests this year to get to know each other and see how we work together. We haven’t planned yet whether we’ll try to qualify for Verden next year, but we’ll see where the time takes us. Who knows, maybe even to Verden."

The 21-year old Friedl is a triple Austrian team rider having represented her country at the 2024 and 2025 European Young Riders Championships and at the 2026 European Under 25 Championships all on Korefan, a now 13-year old Russian warmblood by Komandor x Los Angeles, which she sourced in Elena Sidneva's barn.