The Legend of Carlsson: “The Pony that Makes Dreams Come True”

Focus

F.O.C.U.S.

On 23 May 2021 British FEI pony Carlsson took another Premier League title – aged 23. Piloted by Beatrice Butterworth and seeing off ponies up to 16 years his junior, he won the Pony Individual test at the All England Dressage Festival, held at the historic Hickstead showground. The week before Carlsson took Beatrice to her second CDI at Wellington Heckfield.

Whilst several FEI ponies enjoy success into their later teens, Carlsson is one of a very small group that continue to excel at the level into their 20s; he is the oldest pony to have competed at a CDI in Europe so far in 2021, and one of only two 23-year old dressage ponies in the world to have shown internationally this year.

From Germany to Great Britain

Bred by Hugo Schulze-Wartenhorst and born in Germany in 1998, the bright chestnut Carlsson is a son of the German Riding Pony stallion Croupier, who sired offspring that have been successful in the pony ranks of all three Olympic disciplines. His dam Bacadi (by Bolero x Kasimir x Nadir).

He was first competed in Germany in 2002 as a 4-year old by Jenny Jonsson and owned by now professional rider Lukas Fischer, before selling to Great Britain.

Carlsson has been a regular member of the British pony squads for nearly a decade, although he was only competed at a CDIP for the very first time when he was fifteen – an age at which many ponies actually bow out of international competition.

A Childhood Treasure

Carlsson first made his way to British shores aged four, after being purchased by Alison Mcilwraith’s mother for her to ride. Alice reminisces on the trial ride as something of a “humiliation”, since despite her experience riding larger horses, Carlsson’s power was unexpected – “he just kept coming up and up!” she recalls. However, her mother recognised his talent, and he joined the family.

With Alice, Carlsson was exposed to everything, taking part in “Pony Club camp, unaffiliated dressage and show jumping, combined training, gymkhana, local in-hand and ridden fun shows, fancy dress classes, horse and hound scurries” and being produced slowly and correctly with an eye on protecting his mental and physical health for the future.

Alice recounted that her competitive dressage aspirations were sadly curbed when she was eleven, after a demoralizing experience caused her to avoid riding under public scrutiny – as a result, Carlsson’s dressage career was temporarily stayed.

Despite challenges such as this ‘Carly’ was the light of Alice’s youth: “he gave me a reason to smile every day and for 10 years he was my soulmate, the one I ran to if I had a bad day with the bullies at school. He was the one who didn’t care that I was deaf and was pleased to see me every day, treating me to a nicker that always made my day. When I was on his back I had wings and I was free from all my demons. I trusted him with everything I had and he never ever let me down”.

Dressage Debuts

Ollie Stokes and Carlsson at the 2013 CDI Vidauban

As Alice was due to get married and planned to study at university, she made the “heartbreaking” decision to sell Carlsson. He landed on his hooves with the Stokes family who cherished him for several years and with Ollie Stokes, at the age of twelve, Carlsson commenced his competitive dressage career. “He was teaching me just as much as I was teaching him” said Ollie, who made his own FEI debut with his “hidden gem of a pony”.

The pair competed at their first international at the 2013 CDI-P Vidauban, securing two top 5 places and going on to represent Great Britain again that year at CDIP Addington. According to Ollie, Carlsson “would try his absolute best at everything” and was “a truly honest and willing character with one or two funny quirks thrown in just to keep you on your toes!”

Once Ollie had aged out of ponies Carlsson found a new home and continued his journey with the Taylor family. For a young Sophie Taylor, Carlsson was the perfect schoolmaster. As her first introduction to the FEI pony world, he helped launch her career and develop her skills for the future. “He taught me so many invaluable lessons which I then took forwards with my other ponies” said Sophie. She fondly recalls Carlsson’s “lovely character”.

Sophie went on to be selected to represent Great Britain at the European Pony Championships in 2016, 2017 (team bronze) and 2018 on Madam's Miss Maria and George Clooney B.S. As Sophie progressed on to other rides in 2016, Carlsson found his next home and newest student.

International Reappearance

Though several years have now passed since the Clewlow family owned Carlsson, Vanessa confesses to still getting choked up every time she sees him “storming down that final centreline flicking his little toes!”

After joining the family shortly after their move to the UK from South Africa, Carlsson took then twelve-year-old Josephine Clewlow on a whirlwind journey which culminated in selection to represent Great Britain at Hickstead CDI in the summer of 2017. The pair took two top ten placings, before the eternal struggle of many young riders – outgrowing ponies – meant that Carlsson was on the lookout for another new rider to guide.

Jo has since developed her current ride, Bon Jovi AKW, to small tour level, and credits Carlsson with teaching her many of the skills that she has employed on her journey to Grand Prix. Vanessa looks back fondly on Jo’s “special” time with Carlsson: “he is a truly once in a lifetime legend of a pony taking 4 kids onto GB squads, 3 of those to Internationals. ‘Sunni’ - the pony that makes dreams come true!”

Young at Heart

With the Butterworth family Carlsson had one more dream to make true. In late 2017 he eased into the role of schoolmaster once again, forming a formidable team with then ten-year-old Beatrice and winning the Pony Team class at the Vale View High Profile show in 2018.

In 2019 he spent several months at a slower pace, including enjoying success in Veteran showing classes, before expressing that he wasn’t ready to stop yet, and returning to competition with aplomb. In October 2020 Bea was selected to compete at CDI Keysoe, where she and a twenty-two-year-old Carlsson scored his lifetime personal best in an international team test.

And so, in the spring of 2021, Carlsson continued his legend with more international success at CDI Wellington Heckfield (UK). Although the Butterworth family had tentative plans to retire him following the competition, a somewhat overexuberant performance in the freestyle demonstrated that in Carlsson’s mind he’s still a youngster, and he doesn’t want to stop just yet.

“He truly loves life and needs no reminding that he is a legend because he already knows it” said Bea, who has marked several milestones of her early riding career with him. “If only we could clone him!”

by Rebecca Bell for Eurodressage - Photos © Astrid Appels - Spidge