Maria Anita Andersen Leaves Helgstrand Dressage

Dressage

Denmark

Danish professional dressage rider Maria Anita Andersen has decided to leave Helgstrand Dressage for a new chapter in her career. Since 2019 Andersen worked as manager of Helgstrand Academy, the student training department at Helgstrand's.

Pro Career

Andersen began as a professional rider working for stallion owner Anders Andersen and made name aboard Raimondo and Charmer. She worked at Barthahus Equestrian Centre in Kokkedal, trained by Michael Sogaard and Bjarne Elefsen, and three years in Viborg, where she was coached by Niels Henrik Christensen.

In 2006 she was hired as a rider at Blue Hors stud and worked her way up the ladder to become the head rider at the yard. She realised her international break through in 2012 on horses such as Loxana, Rebelle, Karina Limskov and Leredo which she competed internationally at CDI's across Europe. In 2013 she rode three horses at the World Young Horse Championships in Verden (Katholt's Bossco, Svalegaards Hottie, Lohmanns Takitta).

In the autumn of 2014 Andersen left her job at Blue Hors as head Grand Prix rider to go independent. She began her own business, House of Dressage, near Brædstrup, Denmark, with her partner at the time, rider Laila Aarrejarvi Bilstrup. Between 2016 and 2018 she rode at four CDI's, all in Denmark and at small tour level: in 2016 with Ludowitz, in 2017 on Placido Domingo, and in 2018 it was Praesteskovens Raquel.

In 2017 Maria began working for the Danish Equestrian Federation in Vilhelmsborg, teaching courses for riding instructors and rider training.

Helgstrand

In August 2019 Andersen moved to Vodskov and began working at Helgstrand, first as a rider, and then she took over the position as manager of Helgstrand Academy after the resignation of Soren Vallentin.

Andersen became implicated in the Operation X documentary and was one of four riders/trainers getting expelled from the Danish Riding Instructor Association following the broadcast. This means they are no longer allowed to have students who are in the DR-IF's professional rider education programme.

On Vive La Reinne II VH at the 2023 WCYH

In 2023 Andersen competed Vive La Reinne II VH (by Revolution x De Niro) and Rosee de Fontaine to 11th and 9th place in the 5-year old final at the World Young Horse Championships in Ermelo, but did not show internationally after that. Nationally she continued competing Vive La Reinne II VH through 2024. In 2025 her competition horses were small tour horses Larry Bird (by Lord Leatherdale x San Amour) CS Nabiha (by Quaterhit x Dream Boy).

Work Life Balance

Ridehesten reported that Andersen announced her departure from Helgstrand.

She and her partner Sophie Wilson, who also rode at Helgstrand, will begin their own business in Zealand. Wilson was first a jumper rider but then rode for dressage rider Karin Nissen before moving to Helgstrand in 2022. The couple, which got engaged in December 2022, will now set up their own shop in search of a better work-life balance.

Maria has a 7-year old daughter, Nicoline, with an ex-partner. Sophie is the mother of a 7-year-old daughter Selma, whom she has with her ex-husband.