Denmark and Sweden Divide the Spoils at the 2025 Nordic Baltic Championships in Ypaja

Shows

2025 Nordic Baltic Championships

Team Denmark and Team Sweden battled it out for medals at the 2025 Nordic Baltic Championships in Ypaja, Finland, on 26 - 29 June 2025.

Denmark won team gold in three divisions, ponies, young riders, and senior Grand Prix level. In the junior and young riders team competition, Sweden, got ahead of Denmark for gold.

Denmark and Sweden divided the gold also on an individual level as another set of medals was awarded for the winners of the Kur to Music. Swedish riders aced the freestyle in the junior and Under 25 class, the Danes led in all other divisions.

NBC

The Nordic Baltic Championships are a unique international competition open to riders from Scandinavian nations, including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

Rain on Sunday forced the organisers to cancel the show jumping part as the footing in the jumper arena was not up to standard. Dressage wrapped up the NBC with its last freestyle final classes on Sunday morning.

Denmark and Sweden Divide the Spoils in the Team Competition

Denmark left no doubt about it that they ruled the Nordic Baltic Championship with a few crumbs left over for Sweden.

The Danish pony team got gold with an almost 10% point advantage, the young riders had a lead of 15% (!!) to silver Norway, and at senior Grand Prix level there was a 10% advantage. In the junior division Sweden topped the board with less than 1% lead, but in the Under 25 division they were untouchable, staying almost 5% ahead of Denmark.

With only four Finnish riders in the Children division it was an automatic win for Finland there.

“We are very proud of our teams, as we had two squads that are not yet very experienced in this kind of competition," said Lars Svarre Krogsgaard, Chef d’Équipe of the Danish Pony Team. "That’s exactly why we come to events like this – to give them the opportunity and experience they need to grow."

Swedish senior team chef Jeanett Andreasen commented about the silver Grand Prix team medal. “They don’t have much experience at this level, so it was a very fine effort. Our key was consistent, stable riding. The Nordic-Baltic Championships are all about development, and we’re looking forward to the future,” said Andreasen.

Freestyle Final

In the pony division Denmark's Agnes Ørnskov Beier scored a triple with aboard 11-year old Timms My Fritz (by Grenzehohes My Fireball x Orchard D'Avranches). With her smaller sized pony, she competed against the tall D-size ponies at FEI level and won all three pony tests including the freestyle with 76.075%.

"Fritz and I are in the best shape of our time together and we delivered together 3 fantastic rides with even more in the tank, good energy and courage. Those were some amazing rides that will last a long time," said Agnes. "Finland was a good and cozy experience with all the other pony girls and families. Already looking forward to the next time we'll see each other."

In the all-Finnish children's division Nele Pulli scored a hattrick on her 14-year old Finnish warmblood Happy Ricoss Boy (by Don Ricoss x De Niro). In the individual test she won the trophy with 70.894%.

At junior level Sweden's Ebba Lindholm surfaced at the top in the freestyle aboard the 14-year old Swedish bred Tiramisu (by Tailormade Temptation x Donnerhall) with 73.255. "Three years ago Tiramisu moved to us, she was inexperienced at the time," Ebba stated. "Now three years later, I get to enjoy all the training Amanda Lindholm (her elder sister) has done with Tiramisu."

Danish young rider Anna Have Larsen-Ledet also made it a triple win in Ypaja with her 11-year old Danish bred Finnigan-Vitz (by Franklin x Ferro). She won the kur with 72.065%. For Larsen-Ledet this was sweet revenge as she missed out on Danish team selection for the European Championships after winning the CDI Sint-Truiden, dropping a bit in scores at the CDIO Lier, but then winning gold at the Danish Young Riders Championships.

"The Nordics in Finland were an unforgettable event and Finnigan was fresh and ready for the task all three days," Anna told Ridehesten. "We had the dream of ending the weekend with a hattrick in the freestyle and Finnigan delivered in every exercise, even though there were some rider mistakes."

In the Under 25 category Swedish Linnéa Holmgren moved into the winner's circle in the Kur after scoring 72.775% aboard her long-time partner, the 15-year old Oldenburg gelding Qc Sir Dennis (by Sir Donnerhall x De Niro). "A hattrick at the Nordic Championships. I have no words," Holmgren rejoiced on Instagram. "So crazy grateful that you are my prince."

It was an all Danish top three in the Grand Prix kur to music with Cecilie Dybro Jensen topping the board on her 10-year old Hanoverian gelding Zagori (by Zack x Sir Donnerhall II). They scored 72.090% for the win, ahead of Camilla Lunderskov aboard Donnerhall's Son II (by Sir Donnerhall II x UNO Don Diego) with 71,255%, while Julie Dyrgaard and Ryvangs Damon Dione (by Damon Hill x Come Back II) were third with 70.195%

"Even though this level is very new for us, I can feel an improvement every time, as both he and I get more energy in the programs. My goal is to get to where I can ride flawlessly, and I know that the horse has the quality. Once I can ride flawlessly, we can build on that and focus a little more on the details. It has been fantastic for me to have my trainer Vibsen (Vibeke Degn Andersen, ed.) on FaceTime every day. We have had a really good trip together, and everyone has been good at supporting each other and coming to see each other ride and cheering, even though it was a long way to the venue. It has been just great results across the board, so I think we can all be proud," said Cecilie Dybro Jensen