Maria Anita Andersen and Loxana Rise to the Top at 2013 CDI Bremen

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2013 CDI Bremen

Stepping into the spotlight with her glorious victory in the Grand Prix Special at the 2013 CDI Bremen on 3 March 2012, Danish rider Maria Anita Andersen is making her mark on the European dressage circuit, proudly representing Blue Hors Stud as first female international FEI rider on her team.

"I love my work at Blue Hors, and I love to educate horses," Maria told Eurodressage. "As long as I get up in the morning looking forward to work, I will continue!"

Maria earned first place in the Grand Prix Special with 74.250% and a second place in the Grand Prix with 71.638% at last weekend's CDI Bremen, but her string of success already started little over a month ago with a standout result at the national show in Verden to kick off 2013.

"My trip to Verden was good, and I felt Loxana did a good job," says Maria. "She was a little bit behind me both in the Grand Prix and in the Kur, but it's definitely going the right way, given that I was number two in the GP with 69% and first in the Kur with 73%."

Born just outside Copenhagen in a town called Ishøj, Maria moved with her family to Jutland to a small town called Sdr Hygum when she was 4. There she started riding at the age of 5. "When I first started I was falling off every time, so I stopped riding again after just 6 months," she explained. "When I was 9 we moved again, this time to Ribe and I started to ride again, and have been riding ever since!"

Trained by many different trainers during her riding career, Maria knows that each one has contributed to the rider she is today. "As a kid, the owner of the riding school Anders Andersen taught me a lot, and sometimes still, when I learn something new today, I remember that he had also said that very same thing to me many years ago!" Maria then moved to train with Astrid Gemal for two years. She credits Gemal as being the important person in her life! "Both for her fantastic way of riding, and the person she is," she admitted.

Maria and Loxana at the 2013 CDI Bremen In 2000 Maria started her Bereiter education and spent the first three years of her study on Barthahus supervised by Michael Søgaard and Bjarne Elefsen. Her final three years she spent in Viborg where she was coached by Niels Henrik Christensen. "An amazing person and trainer, and the Viborg riding club is a super place to be," she added.

In 2006, Maria ended her education and started at Blue Hors, where she has now been working for the last 7 years. "At Blue Hors we are currently training with Jørgen Hvenegaard. For him the basic riding is the most important thing and that's something we are really happy about," she said. "He is a super trainer and he is also really good with people." Occasionaly Danish team trainer Rudolf Zailinger comes by the farm and helps her get the best out of the horses.

The only female A-rider at Blue Hors stable, Maria is the only girl to have made it to the big time, even though there are other female riders lower down. She has worked hard to make it in the big ranks. "I think I am where I am today, because I have worked really hard over the years I have been at Blue Hors, and allmost all "my" horses I have educated as young horses," she admitted. "It has been a naturally slow development and for that I'm really grateful. However, we have two female second riders in the stable, so I'm not totally alone with the men!"

Maria pats Loxana Her winning mare Loxana is by Diamond Hit x Agentinus. In 2005 the bay Oldenburg mare won the Oldenburg Elite Mare show in Rastede. Maria credits her for her big personality, though she is "not so easy to read". "When you get to know her though, she is a nice horse to be around," Maria added. "If she were human, I think she would be a bitchy diva, as she thinks herself as a queen," Maria joked. "She wouldn't have so many friends, but those she would have, would be for life, and they are maybe a bit like herself."

Loxana is the first horse Maria has brought on to Grand Prix herself, and both had their Grand Prix debut in January 2012. "Of course, her being my first GP horse, she means a lot to me. She is so special!"

Maria has been given many good horses to ride with a range going from 4-years old to Grand Prix horses. All of them are unique and talented. Her collection includes the Grand Prix stallion Blue Hors Leredo. "He is educated to Grand Prix, but not by me, so our partnership still has a lot of development to do," Andersen explained. "In the summer of 2012 we were placed 6th in the Danish Championships."

Andersen also has three small tour horses soon ready for GP and one of them is Rebelle (by Don Schufro x Regazzoni), another Oldenburg Elite Mare Champion (in 2007). "I think she is the best horse I have ridden in my life. She is amazing! We placed 4th in the World Championships in Verden when she was 6!"

So what's next for the new female duo? "I now will continue to work towards my goal for 2013, which is to be part of the Danish team for the European Championships in Herning," Maria confessed.