Danish magazine Ridehesten reported that Andreas Helgstrand has decided to leave his employer Blue Hors Stud to establish his own business Helgstrand Dressage. His new business is owned by Andreas but partly financed by Lotte and Ole Vagner.
Helgstrand will leave Blue Hors Stud at the end of 2008.
Andreas Helgstrand got employed by Blue Hors seven years ago as chief rider. Since his employment the stud experienced a tremendous development. Their cooperation led to the training of some of the best dressage horses in Denmark in recent time, such as Blue Hors Matine, Blue Hors Don Schufro, Blue Hors Cavan, and Gredstedgaards Casmir. Helgstrand has won the Danish dressage championship four years in a row with four different horses and has won individual silver and bronze at 2006 World Equestrian Games. He also returned from the 2008 Olympic Games with Denmark's first ever team bronze medal.
"I have had ben some truly wonderful years at Blue Hors," Helgstrand commented. "I have learned so much, that I feel like standing on my own two feet. In order to do so one needs considerable financial means, and I am very grateful to Lotte and Ole Vagner for having secured the economical foundation for my company.
Helgstrand Dressage will be a training stable with the focus on selling the horses. "The aim of Helgstrand Dressage is to create a new place where well trained and talented dressage horses are purchased and trained the last bit of their road to Grand Prix with the view to selling. I will no longer be involved with breeding or young horses, but solely buy and train upperlevel dressage horses to be fine-tuned for Grand Prix. I look forward to creating a place with an exclusive focus on dressage.”
Esben Møller, director of Blue Hors Stud, regrets Helgstrand's departure. "At Blue Hors we have been delighted to have Andreas on board our team and would have liked to see him continue," Møller commented. "We have known from the beginning that Andreas wanted to realize his dream of working independently at a given point in time. It's still a disappointment that it happened at this point, when we have such a strong foundation for future success and where Danish dressage sport is stronger than it has been for many years.
Naturally we respect his decision, and we wish Andreas the best of luck and happiness in his new challenges. ”
Source: Ridehesten
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