Etoine, A Schoolmaster for Antonia Ax:son Johnson's Daughter Sophie Mörner

Shows

2023 CDN Wellington

Etoine, the 2012 KWPN licensing champion who was acquired by Antonia Ax:son Johnson in 2017 for Tinne Vilhelmson to ride, has become a partner in sport and fun for the owner's daughter, Sophie Mörner.

Etoine is a 2009 born Vivaldi out of Janette (by Balzflug x Amor). He is bred by S. de Lange.

Globe Trotter

Initially owned by Ad Valk, Tim Coomans and Tineke Bos, he was named champion of the 2012 KWPN Stallion Licensing and was acquired by Carolyn de Roo at the KWPN Select Sale for 58,000 euro.

She resold him to American Anne Schmidt of Tam Farm Dressage in Vermont and the horse got shipped to Florida in the autumn of 2012 for training. There he was named Emeici and was gelded. He was trained by Caroline Roffman at the time.

In 2016, Etoine was sent back to Europe to Henri Ruoste's yard to be produced to Grand Prix level and sold. He became co-owned by Ruoste and Jochen Arl.

Sold to Sweden

In February 2017 Arl sold Etoine to Swedish horse lover and sponsor Antonia Ax:son Johnson of Lovsta Stuteri for Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven to ride.

Tinne premiered the gelding in Sweden in May 2019 at national level and rode her first CDI in Flyinge with him, posting 71.369% in the Grand Prix and 72.043% in the Special.

In 2020 the Lovsta team traditionally wintered in Florida and Etoine was competed at the 2020 Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, to mixed results. They did three CDI's. The black gelding did not betray the pedigree of his damline (Balzflug x Amor) and has not been the easiest ride. In his last international start with Vilhelmson in Wellington on 20 February 2020, the pair had to be excused from the ring.

Horse and rider returned to Sweden and Tinne competed Etoine nationally through November 2020.

Sophie Mörner

Fortunately with time, age, and patient dedication Etoine seems to have settled down and after a two year absence from the show ring, he resurfaced in Wellington under Swedish Sophie Mörner.

Sophie and Etoine in Wellington in their first Inter 1

Sophie is one of four children Antonia Ax:son Johnson had with her first husband, Nils Mörner, and she is as horse loving as her mother. Mörner and her life partner Casja von Zeipel are a Swedish art world power couple. Casja is an artist and Mörner a celebrated curator and gallerist in New York, where she has lived since 1998. She commutes between New York, Wellington and Stockholm.

Sophie is a versatile equestrian with a bigger competitive career in show jumping than dressage. She has competed extensively on the American East coast over the years, while her dive into competitive dressage only begun in 2023. She first showed Etoine in the U.S.A. in the national Prix St Georges at the 2023 Palm Beach Derby. From there she took him to Saugerties and the USDF Region 8 Championships.

"I am a jumper rider for most of my life," Sophie told Eurodressage. "Last year I started riding dressage as well and the timing was right and I had the incredible opportunity to start riding Etoine - he is such a school master. I did my first start in level 3 a year ago and have now gotten good ribbons in PSG."

Mörner and Etoine kicked off their 2024 season at Global on 5 - 7 January 2024 in the Prix St Georges, posting 69.559% and in the Intermediaire I with 68.235%. It was her first Intermediaire I in her career.

"I love combining show jumping and dressage, both disciplines benefit from it," she said. "I train with Peter Lutz with my jumpers and dressage with Tinne. When she is in Sweden with Louisa Eadie, who works very well with Tinne."