Nanna Skodborg Merrald to Leave Blue Hors

Dressage

Denmark

Danish Olympian Nanna Skodborg Merrald will be leaving Blue Hors stud, her employer of 8 years and provided of all of Nanna's career defining horses. The Kirk Kristiansen family, which owns Blue Hors, has decided to end the collaboration.

Nanna explained, "the board of Stutteri Ask and Blue Hors have decided that it’s time to a restructure of the management." She added, I’m grateful for all the great experiences that I have had with this great team through the last 8 years."

Nanna's exit comes only days after her assistant rider Sophia Ludvigsen worked her last day at Blue Hors on 8 May 2026.

Nanna Merrald

The 32-year old Nanna Merrald began her career as a youth rider on pony Centrum and then horse Millibar. She won the 2011 European Junior Riders Championships and she made her international Grand Prix debut in 2013 as a 20-year old young rider on Millibar.

Nanna began working as a professional rider at Blue Hors at the start of 2018 and worked her way up to head rider. In 2021 she had her break through year when she took over the ride on Blue Hors Zack from Daniel Bachmann Andersen. She rode him at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and to team gold at the 2022 World Championships. She piloted Atterupgaards Orthilia to team bronze at the 2021 European Championships and Blue hors TOuch of Olympic to silver at the 2021 World Young horse Championships.

In 2023 Blue Hors Zepter pushed her career to another level. He took her to team bronze and GP special silver at the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck and a second place at the 2023 World Cup Finals. In 2024 she was second again at the World Cup Finals, this time on Don Olymbrio, while at the 2024 Olympics she and Zepter got team silver and finished 9th in the Kur.

What's Next?

Merrald, who has been away from the CDI show scene for over14 months (since March 2025), recently gave birth to her first child and had returned to the saddle.

Nanna has been training particularly Santiano and the recently "procured" Lyngbjergs St. Paris as her rising GP hopes. Blue Hors Zepter's suspected retirement from sport has never been officially announced.

Merrald concluded, "now is the time to look forward. I’m still very passionate about the sport and horses. I’m trying to figure out where and how I’m going to continue the journey from here."

Changes at Blue Hors

The 'smaller' operation Blue Hors in Martofte

In 2023 Blue Hors announced its major downsizing from a huge operation in Randbol to a more boutique style dressage facility and small breeding station in Martofte. It is unclear whether a new rider will be hired or whether the company continues to scale down even more.

Danish equestrian magazine Ridehesten told Eurodressage that they received an exclusive press statement from Blue Hors in which they they will confirmed their dressage operation will be continued with a new rider. The search has already started.