Homebound: Karin Persson Leaves Wellington to Return to Stockholm

Dressage

Sweden

After more than a decade of periods working in the U.S.A. Swedish professional dressage rider Karin Persson is returning home to Sweden. She announced her move to Stockholm on Instagram.

More Than a Decade in the U.S.A.

The 53-year old Persson moved to the USA in the early 2010s after formative years in her home country working with Louise Nathhorst. In 2013 she became head trainer at Christina Devine's Stonebridge Sport Horses in Bedford, NY, spending winters in Wellington, FL.

Karin made her international show debut at small tour level with Cortison (by Cortez x Lane Court xx) in 2014 and campaigned him at east coast shows through February 2015.

The Call Home

After a three-year break from international showing she returned to the CDI ring at small tour level with Amelia Devine's Hanoverian Perazzi DS (by Prince Thatch xx x Donnerhall) in Wellington. She ended her employment with Stonebridge later in 2020

In January 2021 the call home rung in her ears and Persson moved back to Sweden to ride for Swedish Olympian Mads Hendeliowitz aatnd Segersta Equestrian in Bålsta outside Stockholm. She rode for him for 1.5 years and then as an independent agent.

Persson, however, returned to USA at the end of 2023 and for the past three years was back riding for Devine. Karin competed two more horses internationally. In 2024 she once showed Devine's Oldenburg bred Adoro (by Ampere x Donnerschwee) at small tour level in Wellington and in 2015 she competed Devine's Grand Prix horse Slaebaekgaards Santino (by Sir Donnerhall x Carano) at Grand Prix level. She represented Sweden in the FEI Nations Cup at the 2025 CDIO Wellington, but got eliminated. The team finished third nonetheless. It was Persson's last international start so far.

Back to Stockholm

On 26 August Persson wrote on Instagram that she has moved back to Sweden.

"Almost three years of creating new memories. Lots of good times with new and old: friends, dogs and horses! The highlight for sure was to ride Santino in Sweden’s bronze team in Nations cup," she wrote. "There is no place like Wellington, but for now Sweden is calling! Looking forward to what comes next."

Persson on Adoro at the 2024 CDN Wellington

In an interview with Tidningen Ridsport she explained that she came to a crossroad and decided for Sweden with only two years left on her American visum.

"I could have stayed; I had quite a bit of my own work in Wellington as a rider and trainer," said Persson who still has young horse Selma (2022, SWB by Furst Sinclair x Master x Chirac) in Sweden. "I thought about bringing my young horse over to the U.S., but I felt it would be really tough to go all in and build something of my own, only to maybe have to go home in two years anyway. So I came home a little sooner than I’d originally planned, but at the same time, it worked out well now."

Karin told Eurodressage she is now working out of Erika Grunberger and Johan Bredberg's Ekeby gård near Stockholm. Karin is focusing on her own Selma and Devine's 3-year old Swedish warmblood by Kjento x Don Juan de Hus as well as building her training business.