Swedish Nathalie Wahlund Declares for Italy

Dressage

Italy

Swedish Grand Prix rider Nathalie Wahlund has declared for Italy. She made her debut riding for the Italian flag at the CDI Ornago on 29 September - 1 October 2023.

The 26-year old Wahlund is based in Great Britain

Assistant Rider

Originally from Mälarhöjden near Stockholm, Wahlund took a gap year after graduating from high school and never returned to academia.

She first worked for Swedish Mette Rosencrantz in the U.S.A., before moving to the U.K. to ride for Vicky Thompson-Winfield. There she was matched with John Evans' KWPN gelding Cerano Gold (by Serano Gold x Lancelot) who became her career making dressage horse. Right before Brexit Nathalie moved to Germany to ride for Warwick and Caroline McLean, before taking a job with Mandy Zimmer and then Patrik Kittel. In the spring of 2023 she returned to the U.K. and has been riding for Sarah Millis since.

Wahlund and Cerano Gold represented Sweden at the 2019 European Under 25 Championships, where they were 16th in the Kur. At the 2021 Swedish Under 25 Championships she was fourth and at the 2021 European Under 25 Championships in Hagen she was 42nd in the short Grand Prix test. At the 2022 Swedish U25 Championships she landed 8th place. At the 2022 European Under 25 Championships she won team bronze, but got eliminated in the short Grand Prix.

Italy

Shortly before her 26th birthday on 9 October, Nathalie declared for Italy.

"I am Italian from birth as my mother is from Italy," Nathalie told Eurodressage. "I am very grateful for my years in the Swedish U25 team and were given great opportunities as I was part of the team at three European Championships."

Wahlund now hopes to continue her Grand Prix career as a senior representing Italy.

"This is not a decision I’ve made over night, it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for years as I do feel a very strong connection to Italy and have spent a lot of time there during my childhood," she explained. "I’m hoping I will be able to represent Italy at the big championships in the future."

Italy has not fielded a single rider at the 2022 World Championships nor 2023 European Championships after finishing last in the team ranking at the 2021 Europeans in Hagen. The Italian Equestrian Federation has set the bar even higher for its riders this year; they now need to score at least 69% internationally instead of 66% to be even considered for a continental championship.

In Ornago, Nathalie competed in the 2023 Italian Dressage Championships, in which she finished fourth in the Technical Championship and got silver in the freestyle championship.