Ronja Kardos Named Comet of the Year 2023

Dressage

Sweden

Swedish multiple division rider Ronja Kardos has been proclaimed "Comet of the Year" at the Swedish Riders' Gala in Stockholm on 2 December 2023.

The awards at this year's Swedish Riders Gala practically all went to the show jumping division as Sweden celebrated unparalleled success with their jumper team. Kardos saved the day for dressage.

Comet of the Year

Swedish equestrian magazine Tidningen Ridsport annually selects three riders from the three Olympic disciplines for the Comet of the Year award to honour the most successful Swedish shooting star of the year.

For the 2023 Comet of the Year award the nominees are show jumper Filippa Enmark, eventer Alice Andersen, and dressage rider Amanda Lindholm.

Ronja Kardos

It was a landslide victory for Ronja Kardos when it came to the votes Tidningen Ridsport collected for the 14-year old.

Competing in both the pony and children division Kardos has already twice represented Sweden at the European Championships. In 2022 on pony Brannornas Rigoletto (by Verdi x Derano B) and in 2023 in the Children class on Holly's Final (by Floricello x Bernstein), who is bred by her aunt. Furthermore, she won the 2023 Swedish Pony and Children Championships and is the FEI World Number One ranked children rider.

At the 2023 European Children Championship
(Photo © Astrid Appels)

Kardos trains with Linn Larsson as well as her mom, professional young horse rider and breeder Camilla Axelsson. Based in Skurup (SWE), Kardos lives on a farm and has grown up with 60 horses around her. She was first interested in show jumping, but B-pony Stenbroåsen's China Girl made her interest shift to dressage. Rigoletto was her first international FEI pony with whom she debuted on the CDI circuit in 2021. In 202 she also competed ponies Holly's Cerwin and Cerwin's Vega. In 2023 Nice One followed, while Holly's Final was her Children ride.

Future Dreams

In an interview with Ridsport, Holly stated that her long-term dream is "riding in the Olympics and World Championship, that would be great fun."

She also said that she will continue to focus on her education instead of committing on going pro with horses.

"I am thinking that I will become an economist and work with horses at the same time," Ronja stated. "If I have an accident and can't ride, I have to have a plan B, and maybe I don't want to get an education as an older person. I hope to go out and work for someone good, but I still have to have a plan B."