Norwegian Team Horse Sandbaeks Rio EL Sold to the U.S.A.

Dressage

Norway

Mathilde Merethe Klaesson's has sold her career starting Grand Prix horse Sandbaeks Rio EL to the U.S.A.

Sanbaeks Rio EL is a 14-year old Danish warmblood gelding by Skovens Rafael out of Sandbaeks Alicante (by De Noir x Royal Diamond). He is bred by Eigil Kirkegaard Nielsen.

From Juniors to Grand Prix

Acquired by Mathilde's mum and trainer Merethe Blikstad at age 3, the bright bay moved to the family yard Bråthen Gård near Oslo in 2013. He became Mathilde's career starting horse as he took her from junior level to senior Grand Prix.

Initially ridden by Elise Klaesson in 2014-2015, Rio EL competed at the 2015 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, where he was 42nd in the preliminary test but withdrawn from the consolation finals.

At the 2017 European Junior Championships

Mathilde took over the ride when Rio was 6 and premiered him at international junior riders' level in 2017. They were 12th at the 2017 Norwegian Junior Championships. They competed at the 2017 European Junior Riders Championships (52nd in the individual test) and 2018 Euros (7th in the Kur). They were the 2018 Norwegian Junior Riders Champions.

They moved to Young riders level in 2019 and then jumped into the Under 25 division in 2020. They won the 2020 Norwegian Under 25 Championships and competed at the 2021 European U25 Championships in Hagen, where they were 38th in the short Grand Prix.

Senior Break Through

Klaesson, who at the time had worked with Kyra Kyrklund, Richard White, and Pether Markne, rode Rio EL into the spotlight in 2022 when they were nominated to represent Norway at the World Championships in Herning, where they scored a personal best of 69.317. Mathilde was the youngest rider competing in Herning at age 22. A few weeks later she won the Norwegian Grand Prix Championships.

In 2023 they finished 52nd (67.376% in the GP) at the European Championships in Riesenbeck and were second in the 2023 Hamburg Dressage Derby. In 2024 she showed in three CDi's including the Nordic Baltic Championships in Skaarup Fun, where they won silver in the Kur to Music

Sold to the U.S.A.

Sandbaeks Rio EL will now continue his sport career in the U.S.A. as a schoolmaster and Grand Prix ride for Kyle Kuvalanka.

The horse has just flown to Wellington, Florida, where Kyle winters and trains with his coach of 40 years, Pam Goodrich. He made his international show debut this year in the Amateur Grand Prix class on 16-year old Swedish gelding Don Juan (by Don Laurie x Bernstein).

Klaesson owns Rio's full sister, Rio-Ella, who is a 4-year old.