Yvonne Osterholm Pulls out of Finnish Olympic Team Race

Dressage

Finland

Yvonne Osterholm, who was a member of Team Finland at the 2023 European Dressage Championships, has announced she's pulling out of the race for Finnish Olympic team selection.

The 44-year old Osterholm has been campaigning Ironman H, an 11-year old Dutch warmblood by Bordeaux out of Zartina (by Rousseau). He is bred by Ja Murkmans and owned by Ucas AB.

Produced to Grand Prix

Originally discovered and owned as a youngster by the Singaporean investor Titan Wilaras. He was first accepted at the 2015 Oldenburg Stallion Licensing in Vechta, but rejected at the 2016 KWPN Stallion Licensing in Den Bosch

Ironman H sold to Sweden to Ucas AB. In 2017 he was the winner of the 4-year old young horses class at the Falsterbo Horse Show. That year he was also the most used dressage stallion in Sweden, having been bred to 131 mares and 113 mares were in foal.

Under Osterholm, the black stallion represented Finland at the 2018 and 2019 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses in Ermelo. In 2018 he finished 13th in the Finals as a 5-year old and in 2019 he ranked 10th in the Finals as a 6-year old.

Ironman H was standing at stud at Lovsta Stuteri, but pulled from stud duty in 2020.

Finnish Team Horse

Yvonne premiered the black at Grand Prix level in June 2022 at the CDI Flyinge and posted 65.978%. After a career competing young horses he is her first international big tour horse. In 2022 they also rode in Falsterbo, Ermelo, Aarhus and Randbol.

In 2023 they secured a spot on the Finnish team for the European Championships in Riesebeck after raking in scores in Lier, Ypaja, Hagen, and Falsterbo. Their Grand Prix high score was 71.065% achieved in Lier. In Riesenbeck they placed 56th in the Grand Prix with 66.972%.

In 2024 they have gone to Gothenburg, Tolbert, Redefin, aachen and Hagen but experienced a score drop. In Hagen two days ago they couldn't find their groove and landed 63.283%

Out of the Olympic Race

After the Grand Prix, Osterholm announced that she's going back to the drawing board.

"The Olympics would have been a dream come true for me, but even more important for me is to be able to be proud of my work and training," said Yvonne. "Right now I can’t show Ironman H the way I would like to and he is not comfortable in the ring. During the warm up and training he feels super, but in the tests we get huge expensive mistakes. That’s why I have made the decision to not try to get a spot anymore, instead take a step back and try to figure out what is happening and why. We’ll be back!"

Osterholm trains with Minna Telde.

For Finland Emma Kanerva and Henri Ruoste seem secure of a spot, the third and reserve place are still up for grabs.