May-Day Graftebjerg, Grand Prix Schoolmaster for Nana Christiansen

Dressage

Denmark

Danish A-squad rider Carina Cassoe Kruth has given the ride on her 17-year old Grand Prix May-Day Graftebjerg to her student Nana Christine Christiansen.

May-Day Graftebjerg is a Danish warmblood by Dream of Heidelberg out of Maya Graftebgerg (by Vemmetofte Rainman). The mare is bred by the late Arne Bjerg-Nielsen.

The mare was originally owned by Carina's mom and her husband Kasper Olsen.

Kasper first competed as a 5-year old by Kasper Olsen in 2008 and took the horse up to M level and showed it through 2013.

"Kasper trained and educated her, until we lost him to cancer a year ago," said Carina in 2018. "When I took over the ride and bought her for myself May Day had not competed in four years. We did our first Grand Prix in August 2017 at a national show."

Kruth and May-Day made their international show debut in October 2017 at the CDI Herning and the pair has competed at numerous shows at GP level through 2019 with starts in Kristiansand, Galsterbo, Flyinge, Randbol, Frankfurt, Neumunster, Mannheim and Uggerhalne. Their last show was the CDIO Falsterbo in July 2019.

With Carina's attention shifting to her number one GP horse, Tokyo hopeful Heiline's Danciera, and May-Day turning 17 in 2020, a new goal was sought for the still fit and fresh mare. Carina's student Nana Christiansen has taken over the ride on the Grand Prix schoolmaster.

"Nana is already an well trained rider, but wants to further educate herself. I have great respect for that, as it is something we must never stop," said Carina. "Since May-Day is not ready for retirement at all, it was natural to explore the option of taking another rider to the highest level. It's pure win-win situatio, as Nana is already a student of mine and I get the pleasure of following them both on the way."

Danish Nana Christiansen (29) made her international show debut in May 2019 at her first and only CDI so far, the CDI Uggerhalne, where she rode Tenna Larsen's 12-year old Danish warmblood mare Frida (by Firenze) in the amateur small tour division.