Danish Olympian and former team rider Andreas Helgstrand has made his come back to the show arena a winning one after his one-year suspension.
Suspension
Helgstrand last competed at the CDI-W Stuttgart on 18 November 2023. He rode Queenparks Wendy (by Sezuan x Soprano) to a 6th place in the Kur with 79.56%.
His last competition on the now 10-year old KWPN stallion Jovian (by Apache x Tango) was at the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck where Denmark won team bronze. Individually they were 12th in the Special but as fourth Danish team rider did not move into the freestyle.
After the broadcast of the controversial undercover documentary Operation X mid November 2023, in which alleged horse abuse at Helgstrand Dressage was exposed, the Danish equestrian federation decided to suspend/exclude Andreas from all Danish team activities as well as halted its collaboration with Helgstrand Events for one year. In October 2024 an additional three month suspension followed. The FEI mirrored these suspensions.
While Helgstrand was suspended, Jovian was sent to Germany where Patrik Kittel continued the training and competing of the horse. The collaboration with his major client Bolette Wandt ended. She took Grand Prix horse Wendy to Germany and Isabell Werth took over the ride. In a flash the pair stormed to the top and won team gold and individual silver at the 2024 Olympics.
Winning Come Back
Helgstrand competed Jovian at the CDN Hjallerup on 14 February 2025 and received a winning score of 76.967%.
Eight pairs competed in the class, which was judged by Kirsten Søgaard, Jesper Holst Hansen, and Marie Dige Søgaard. As expected Kirsten Søgaard was the high-scoring judge with 79.00%, Jesper Holst Hansen was at 76.300% while Marie Dige Søgaard had them at 75.600%. All three judges had the pair first.
The test was received with thunderous applause from the attending crowd.
British Annabella Pidgley, who has been based at Helgstrand dressage since the autumn after her trainer Charlotte Dujardin got suspended for whipping a horse (and is therefore not allowed to coach any FEI/BD riders during her suspension), finished second on the 13-year old Westfalian Vamos Amigos (by Vitalis) with 72.500%. Annabella's boyfriend and Andreas' son, Alexander Yde Helgstrand, was third aboard the 12-year old KWPN bred Inspiration PF (by Everdale x Calido) with 70.333%
Related Links
Andreas Helgstrand Set to Return to the Competition Ring with Jovian
Danish Equestrian Federation Excludes Helgstrand from National Team and Team Activities
Danish Associations and Former Team Trainer React on Social Licence to Operate Following Operation X
Operation X Documentary Causes Cascade of Anger, Indignation, Disapproval