Primavera, the Bergåkra's Family Dressage Horse, Passed Away

Dressage

Sweden

Primavera, a Grand Prix horse which was competed by three Bergåkra family members, has passed away. She was 20 year old.

She a Swedish warmblood mare by Don Primero out of Favorite (by Figaro x Vestibilis x Arons). She was bred by Anina Eskebak.

Bergåkra Family Horse

The bay mare was purchased by Sigrid Bergåkra Berglund as a 3-year old and was first trained and competed by her.

They competed in the 5-year old young horses classes at the 2008 CDI Falsterbo and 10th in the 6-year old finals at the 2009 CDI Falsterbo. They finished 14th in the 6-year old finals at the 2009 Swedish Young Dressage Horse Championships. The pair showed in the small tour at the 2011 Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera.

She became a schoolmaster for daughter Cecilia Bergåkra, who first sat on her when she was 10. She began competing the mare nationally in 2012 and made her international show debut as a junior in 2015 at the CDI Odense. They were fifth at the 2016 Swedish Junior Riders Championship. In 2017 the pair moved to international Young Riders level and were selected on the Swedish team for the 2017 European Young Riders Championships in Roosendaal, where they finished 8th in the Kur finals. They won gold at the 2017 Swedish Young Riders Championships and silver in 2018. They returned on the Swedish team a year later for the 2019 Europeans in San Giovanni in Marginano, where they won team bronze and placed 10th in the Kur finals. Cecilia competed her up to Grand Prix

At the 2017 European Young Riders Championships

The bay mare returned to the international arena two years later with Emilia Berglund Bergåkra in the junior division. They won bronze at the 2021 Swedish Junior Riders Championships and were selected on the Swedish team for the 2021 European Junior Riders Championships in Oliva Nova, where they landed 35th place in the individual test. It was Primavera's last international show. The duo continued to compete nationally through June 2022 when the mare was 19 years old. They were seventh at the 2022 Swedish Junior Riders Championships.

Retirement and Passing

Primavera was retired from competition sport and spent time in the field with retired Grand Prix horse Duchesse.

"For 17 years you have been a very big part of my and my family’s life as well as the start of my dressage career," Cecilia took to social media. "Luckily my mom allowed me to start competing her when I was 11 years old.. then she’s taking us to competitions and championships in Italy, France, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark and Spain (twice)! I have not only grown some decimeters in height during this years, me and Primavera did also a huge development together in the sport during all these years, from MsvC to Grand Prix! I’m so happy that Emilia could continue learning from her and then have a wonderful retirement at our yard."

Emilia and Primavera at the 2021 CDI Grote Brogel

On 6 November 2023 Primavera was put to sleep as she started to suffer from old age and the family didn't want to put her through another long winter.

"Primavera began to show the incurable ailments of age and was not fit in her body so it was time to let her go before the long cold winter arrived," Cecilia told Eurodressage. "Primavera enjoyed her retirement in the fields with her best mare friends to the end, one of them was my former Grand Prix horse Duschesse. She’s also retired, 21 years old but still in great shape and so energetic, she will for sure have some more years at our yard."

Cecilia concluded, "it’s for sure a though time to lose one of our most loved family members, my mom bought Primavera as a 3 y/o so 17 years in our family feels very very special!"