No More 4-Year Olds to Move On To SWB Breeders Trophy in Gothenburg

Breeding

Swedish warmblood

The Swedish Warmblood association has announced that it will remove the 4-YO classes from the SWB Breeders Trophy in Gothenburg due to horse welfare reasons.

SWB Breeders Trophy

The SWB Breeders Trophy is a competition in which some of the Sweden's best young horses in showjumping and dressage get the chance to showcase their talents during the Gothenburg Horse Show.

Young horses who placed the highest in their respective age categories in the Breeders Trophy classes during the Swedish Warmblood Young Horse Championships (aka SWB Equestrian Weeks) are eligible to compete in Gothenburg.

No 4-YO Qualificants

The rule change says that horses that qualify as four-year-olds will not compete at the Gothenburg Horse Show in February 2025.

"The change is entirely based on horse welfare," said Tomas Torgersen, competition director for the Gothenburg Horse Show. "We have realized that many of the youngest horses are not ready for such a large arena so early in the season. They need more time for preparation to ensure a positive experience than is feasible when the Gothenburg Horse Show takes place in February."

5 and 6-YO Can Go to Gothenburg

Horses competing in the five-year-old jumping class or the five- or six-year-old dressage classes during the SWB Equestrian Weeks still have a chance to make it to the Scandinavium arena. As in previous years, they will compete at the same level as they qualified for.

Helen Uddefors, CEO of the Swedish Warmblood Association, explained that "these changes align with SWB's goal that the SWB Equestrian Weeks with Breeders Trophy should be Sweden's most young horse-friendly competition. The opportunity to qualify for the Gothenburg Horse Show and showcase a talented young horse there remains as a five- and six-year-old!"