Then it was time for one of Knytkalaset's main sponsor own competition for the young riders, the Gina Tricot Future Elite.

The first class was held on Thursday and the winner was the Nursery student from the Northern region Emelie Aldenfalk on Winton (Warsteiner - Donnerfly) with 69,825%. 7th in the class was the Nursery colleague Mathilde Hannell on Webster (Krack C - Ulft) with 66,579%.

In the finals on Saturday Emelie & Winton once again brought home the victory, this time with 71,708%.

Not to be forgotten - the Scandinavian Open for 6-year olds where the semifinals was held on Wednesday in Falsterbo.

6th in the semifinals was the Knytkalas member Stefan Jansson on his own breed Locatelli (Loredes - Rubinrot) with 70,095%. First outside placement was Stefan again on the horse Kitaro SB (Kostolany - Donatelli) with 68,476%.

In the finals on Thursday Stefan & Locatelli came 4th with 70,095% again.

The great international outdoor competitions of the year is the Falsterbo Horse Show where many riders dream to be able compete and most riders visit once or many times and just enjoy the great atmosphere.

This year both Nursery students and Knytkalas members participated.

The Scandinavian Open competition for 5-year olds that started on Wednesday was the first competition of the show at the dressage arena and not less than 50 combinations had qualified for this class during spring.

In the semifinals the Knytkalas member Stefan Jansson was placed 4th on Zidney (Zuidenwind - Laurentio) with 71,790%. 6th in the class was the Knytkalas member as well as founder Jan Brink on the approved stallion RayMore (JJ RayBan - Figaro R) with 71,296%. Placed 8th was the Nursery student from the Northern region Emelie Aldenfalk & Jinx Ek (Johnson - Sandro Song) with 69,938% and 10th was Emilie Nyreröd on SpongeBob (Sir Donnerhall II - Weltmeyer) with 69,136%.

In the finals on Thursday Emilie & SpongeBob came 4th with 74,136% ahead of Jan & RayMore that were placed 5th with 71,790%. RayMore was the highest placed SWB-horse and approved stallion. Stefan & Zidney came 6th with 70,679% and Emelie & Jinx Ek were placed 10th with 67,284%.

The next dressage competition was on Thursday, the CDI3* Grand Prix where the Knytkalas member Rose Mathisen came 2nd on the approved stallion Zuidenwind (OO Seven - Jazz) with 69,040%. Placed 8th was the Knytkalas colleague Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard & Triviant (Olivi - Saluut) with 67,060%.

10th in the class was the Young Rider Marina Mattsson from the Nursery in the Southern region, who competed the horse Beckham (Bernstein - Koncertz xx) in the senior Grand Prix with 66,540%.

In the Grand Prix Kür final on Saturday it was a 7th placement for Rose & Zuidenwind with 71,20% and placed 8th was Charlotte & Triviant with 69,70%. Just outside placement was Marina & Bechkam with 69,50%.

Last week it was the great championship of the year for children, junior and Young Riders in French Vidauaban.

It was a week with a lot of good riding and success for the Swedish riders despite the extreme heat where a number of riders fainted due to sunstroke. It was very difficult conditions where the riders trained and competed without being able to find any shadow and 5 days of glowing sun and close to 40 degrees.

4 of the riders from the Swedish team were from the Nursery in the South, half of the junior team and half of the Young Rider team.

Competing for the juniors were Sofie Andersson & Donna Samba (Sandro´s Bube - Bernstein) and Lina Jönsson who competed her first European Championship on Barreiro (United - Balzflug).

As a Young Riders even the big Emma Jönsson competed her first European Championship. She competed the horse Santo Domingo (Samba Hit II - Flemmingh) and Marina Mattsson competed her last European Championship as a Young Rider on the approved stallion Double Diamond II (Don Primero - Romadour II) from Hannell Dressage.

In the team competition for juniors Sofie & Donna Samba was the best Swedish combination with 68,081% and Lina & Barreiro received 66,486%. In the individual championship Sofie & Donna Samba got 68,947% and Lina & Barreiro received 67,132% as the second best Swedish combination after Sofie. Unfortunately Sofie was the first combination outside the kür finals on Sunday.

Among the Young Riders it was 4 really good rides by all team members, so good that the team won a bronze medal and with good margin to the 4th placed team. Actually so good that they would have won a bronze medal even without Marinas fantastic ride for which she received 73,579% where Marina also finished 5th individually. Emma & Santo Domingo got 68,921% and both Marina and Emma could go home each with a team bronze medal together with their teammates Alva Lander and Victoria Appleyard.

But Marina continued… When it was time for the individual Championship program on Saturday Marina & Double Diamond did another great ride on 75,289% which led to an individual bronze medal in the championship program det. Emma & Santo Domingo finessed just outside placement with 69,421%.

For the first time in a very long time Sweden had all 4 Young Riders within the top 18 to participate in the finals on Sunday. Unfortunately only 3 rider from each country may ride the kür finals and since Emma came last of the Swedish riders, she was not allowed to ride the kür on Sunday. But what a good message for the future that Sweden has such a strong Young Rider team!

Marina was thereby the only Nursery student to compete at the kür finals on Sunday and the combination did it again again… with not less than 79,350% and excitement until the end. First when the last rider had finished her ride it was clear that Marina would be going home from her last Young Rider European Championship with 3 bronze medals - that were also her first European championship medals.

What a finish for Marina!

Marina is already successful and has competed U25 as well as senior Grand Prix internationally. A very promising rider fir the future of Swedish dressage.

Last weekend it was the Nordic Championship in Ålborg, Denmark.

A team gold medal it was for 2 Knytkalas members. Ebba von Essen competed Yantuge (Blue Hors Hertug - Master) and Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard competed Triviant (Olivi - Saluut) and with their teammates Minna Telde and Jennie Larsson the gold medal went to Sweden. Minna Telde won individually in the Grand Prix with 74,020%.

The Nursery student from the Northern region Charlotte Esping competed last weekend in Mariefred on the horse Ciwi.

The combination brought home the victory in both the Grand Prix and in the Kür finals with 69,9%.

The Nursery student Lina Dolk competed at the Nordic Championship last weekend in Denmark.

Lina competed the horse Jouleen af Högberget and won a junior rider team silver medal.

Individually the combination was placed 3rd in the team competition with 67.3%, 2nd in the Championship Program with 68.9% and in the kür finals they received 72.2% and thereby won the gold medal!

Last week the Nursery student Fanny Callerud competed at the international competitions in German Hagen.

Fanny competed the horse Choice (Wetano - Eighty Eight Keys xx) and was placed 2nd in the CDIO B-final Kür for Young Riders with 69% and only 0,3% from the winner.

This weekend the traditional yearly Midsommar competitions were held in Everlöv with a good mixture of great competitions and a wonderful celebration of the Swedish holiday Midsommar as well as a number of victories and placements for Knytkalas and Plantskole-students.

The Knytkalas member Rasmus Haid-Bondergaard commenced with a double placement in the first class on Friday, the Medelsvår A:1 where he was placed 3rd on Flash Dancer I.M. (Don Romantic - Tip-Top) with 70,814% and 5th on Dixiland (Loutano - Reichsgraf) with 69,341%. First combination outside placements was the Plantskole student Lina Jönsson, a junior rider on the horse Lifemusic (Le Primeur - Weltmeyer) with 68,566%. The next class of the day, Intermediaire IB the wife Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard won on Roberto des Frettes (Carinho Des Noes - Boulou Des Frettes) with 68,208%. 7th in the class was Emma Jönsson & Dark Diamond II (Diamond Hit - Ramiro´s Son) with 65,208%.

On Saturday Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard won again in the main class of the day Grand Prix på Triviant (Olivi - Saluut) with 70,633%. Placed 3rd was the Knytkalas colleague Natalie Oldfors & Winnie B (Roven xx - Lancer II) with 67,167%.

Then it was time for the Lövsta Future Challenge Cup competitions, Intermediaire II. First it was the division for young riders where the Plantskole student Mathilde Hannell from Hannell Dressage was placed 2nd on Deela Mae (De Niro - Landino) with 68,377%. Mathilde won the first qualification of the year and has since then been placed 2nd in 2 qualifying competitions and is currently in the lead in the division for young riders. 5th in the class was the Plantskole colleague Emma & Dark Diamond with 64,518%. Victory in the group for young horses went to Charlotte Haid-Bondergaard again on Roberto des Frettes (Carinho Des Noes - Boulou Des Frettes) with 69,561%. Charlotte and Roberto have also competed in three qualifying competitions and are currently leading the division for young horses.

In the Medelsvår B:2 on Saturday the Knytkalas member Elin Aspnäs was placed 2nd on the yong horse Donnovan (Inspekteur - Parcival) with 73,372%.

On Sunday it was yet another victory for the Plantskole colleague from the Southern region Sofie Andersson & Donna Samba (Sandro´s Bube - Bernstein) in Medelsvår B:5 with 72,245%. 3rd in the class was the Knytkalas member Rasmus & Dixiland on 68,571%. Victory it was again in the main class of the day FEI Grand Prix Kür for Charlotte & Triviant with 75,205%. Charlotte was also placed 4th in the class on Roberto with 68,958%.