Two young ladies, Annemette Mortensen and Lisbet Seierskilde, will compete for Denmark in the new contest for young riders under the age of 25, which will take place for the first time this year during the CDIO in Aachen.
Kimi Nielsen, who is responsible for young riders in Denmark, comments the choice as follows: “ Annemette and Lisbet were simply most convincing. Both of them have already gathered a lot of experience in spite of their young age. And both of them have proved several times during international competitions that they are able to handle this kind of task.”
Annemette Mortensen is 23 years old and started riding when she was about eight. She was a member of the Danish National Junior and Young Rider Team from 2003 to 2007. Milestones in her riding career are Danish Champion for Young Riders in 2006 and a third rank during the Young Rider World Cup in Frankfurt the same year. In 2009 she proved that she is capable of competing within the senior camp: She won a remarkable 9th rank in the Danish Senior Championship. Her most important trainers so far are Jette Nevermann, Bjarne Nielsen, Jon D. Pedersen and Finn Greve.
Her horse Mitchell Imhoff is a 15-year-old Danish Warmblood (by Michellino). She has been training the gelding since 2003.
Riding is not the only supporting leg of Annemette. At the moment she is striving for a Masters Degree at Copenhagen Business School and already works part time for KPMG, an international tax and accounting firm.
“The nomination for Aachen has been a surprise. There are so many good young riders on the rise”, said Mortensen shortly after she had been informed that she won one of the tickets to Aachen. “In spite of the fact that Mitchell and I have gathered many positive experiences on junior and young rider level internationally, Aachen means something special to me. Particularly when I think about the Grand Prix.”
Annemette’s goal is simply to “do our best on the day”. As a prospective business strategist she is well aware of the risks being involved: “The horse is a living thing – so no matter how much routine we have as a pair – it is always an issue to obtain the optimal harmony on the day.”
Her team mate is 23-year-old Lisbet Seierskilde. One thing she has in common with Annemette besides dressage riding is that she is also a student at the Copenhagen Business School. However, the young lady puts her preferences straight :“I will definitely put the focus on riding in my life.” No wonder – Lisbet Seierskilde grew up on horse back. Her parents own a riding school and she got her first pony at the age of two. Her mother Susanne Seierskilde has been her most important riding teacher right from the start. Now “mom” is supported by Andreas Helgstrand and Finn Greve. Furthermore, during training weekends with the Danish team Rudolf Zeilinger, the German helps Lisbet to improve.
The young talent was a member of the pony/junior/young rider national team for more than seven years. During that period she won five gold medals at Danish championships, four individual gold medals during Nordic championships and one silver and bronze team medal as well as one individual bronze medal during European contests. On senior international level she won an Intermediare II competition in Compiedagne, France. Here she started in a U25 Grand Prix for the first time. With 69% she succeeded to win the second rank.
Lisbet is very proud of her sport partner, 11-year-old gelding Raneur (by Ragazzo x Schwadroneur). “I believe it is the best horse I have ever had. He was bred by my parents and I have always had a special bond with that horse. Already when he was one year old I told my mom that he would become my first Grand Prix horse.” These dreams came true as Raneur was the horse Mrs. Seierskilde competed with in Compiegne. But in the eyes of the young rider this was just the start. “Raneur is young and he has so much potential”, she expresses her enthusiasm about their common future. “He is a very sensitive horse and is always keen to learn and work. We are a being a great team.”
For Lisbet the nomination for Aachen came as a big surprise as well. “I have been in Aachen once only to watch all these amazing riders. That was two years ago and I have not even dared to dream at that time that I myself might go there.” In spite of her excitement she tries to remain cool when it comes to train for the event. “I prepare the same way I do for other competitions. You ought to be professional and always consider whether you do the right thing.”
“My goal is to ride as well as I can and simply enjoy that I got this opportunity”, Lisbet Seierskilde sums up. “I will do everything to make a good impression in Aachen.”
by Irmgard Peterek for Eurodressage.com
Photos © Ridehesten - Barbara Schnell
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