Yde Helgstrand and Laudrup-Dufour Win the 2025 Danish Dressage Championships

Shows

2025 Danish Dressage Championships

Under 25 rider Sophia Ludvigsen and senior Grand Prix rider Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour became the winners of the 2025 Danish Dressage Championships for Grand prix level riders on 23 - 25 May 2025.

The Danish National Dressage Championships used to be held in Broholm but relocated to Helgstrand Academy in Uggerhalne in 2019. After the turmoil at Helgstrand Dressage the Nationals found a new home in Vallensbaek in 2024, but this year Obel/Fisker Dressage Academy came forward and won the bid to stage the event in Randbøl at the old Blue Hors premises.

Seniors: Dufour On Repeat

The key competition of the weekend was the senior Grand Prix championship which was for the second consecutive year by Cathrine Dufour aboard the 16-year old Hanoverian mare Mount St. John Freestyle (by Fidermark x Donnerhal), owned by the rider, the Zinglersen family and Emma Blundell. This is her eighth senior title in her career.

The Grand Prix championship kicked off with 24 combinations riding round one, the Grand Prix, in the pouring rain. Five riders scored over 70%, three riders got eliminated, and two Olympians were absent from the event: Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Daniel Bachmann Andersen. This year's championship might not have had the strongest field and despite Dufour's top winning scores, Denmark gives a weakened impression after sensational achievements of team gold at the 2022 World Championships and 2024 Olympics. It will be interesting to see what team Denmark will muster for the Europeans in Crozet in August.

Cathrine Dufour and Freestyle were once again a league of their own, winning the Grand Prix with 79.220% and the freestyle with 86.125%. Their kur score stayed five percent shy from their freestyle best score of 91.140% (CDI-W Gothenburg in February 2025), but with an overall 16,45 percentage point advance to the second placed pair, there was no doubt who wields the axe of power in Denmark at this moment.

"The arena was super cool, and the audience was fantastic," Dufour told Ridehesten. "It has been great to ride the Danish Championships in these new settings. The technically difficult things worked out really well today, and it is always exciting because you balance athleticism and relaxation on the edge of the knife. When you succeed, Freestyle is really fantastic."

Carina Cassoe Kruth and Heiline's Danciera

The silver medal went to Carina Cassøe Krüth on Four Oaks's 14-year old Danish bred mare Heiline's Danciera (by Furstenball x De Niro). The Nationals were Kruth's first competition after another round of "time-out" and she immediately found her spot again in the field of competitors as runner-up to Dufour. She was second in the Grand Prix with 72.02% and second in the Kur with 76.875%

The bronze went to Kruth's trainer Andreas Helgstrand aboard Cathrine Rasmussen's 11-year old KWPN stallion Jovian (by Apache x Tango), who was fourth in the Grand Prix (71.36%) and third in the freestyle (75.225%).

Under 25: Alexander Yde Helgstrand

In the absence of last year's champion Sophia Ludvigsen, whose team at Blue Hors is taking a break from competitions amidst animal welfare turmoil, Alexander Yde Helgstrand rode himself to his first Under 25 title aboard the 12-year old KWPN bred Inspiration PF (by Everdale x Calido). In the Short Grand Prix he won the class with 70.326% but had Ida Bjørn on his heels with 70.302%. However int he Kur to Music Alexander made the difference by winning the test with 74.150%. His overall total was 2 percentage points ahead of the silver medalist.

Alexander Yde Helgstrand on Inspiration PF

"The journey with Inspiration has been mega cool," Alexander told Ridehesten. "We have known each other for a year now, and I have learned a lot, but I feel that it is only now that we are really getting to know each other. It just takes time, but he is a really sweet and genuine horse. A real friend."

Long-time Danish U25 team rider Thea Bech became the reserve champion aboard her 17-year old KWPN bred Dionisos (by Spielberg x Sir Sinclair). The pair was third in the first round with 69.884% and third in the freestyle with 72.525% but their overall total put them on the silver medal earning step of the podium. This is Bech's second silver in a row after getting bronze in 2023, placing fifth in 2022, and sixth in 2021.

Ida Bjørn and the 11-year old Danish bred Hussmann's Jackson (by Johnson x Belissimo M) moved from fourth place at last year's championship to the bronze medal position this year. They were second in the short Grand Prix (70.302%) and fourth in the freestyle (71.925%).

Results - 2025 Danish Dressage Championships - Randbol

Under 25

1. Alexander Yde Helgstrand - Inspiration Pf - 70.326 74.15 --- 144.476
2. Thea Bech - Dionisos - 69.884 72.525 --- 142.409
3. Ida Bjørn - Hussmanns Jackson - 70.302 71.925 --- 142.227
4. Sara Aagaard Hyrm - Atterupgaards Cooper - 67.884 73.275 --- 141.159
5. Frederikke Gram Jacobsen - Rgs Finest Alegra - 68.047 71.5 --- 139.547
6. Maria Mejlgaard Jensen - Midsummer Jazz - 65.837 68.375 --- 134.212
7. Lea Andreassen Torabi - Jivago De Massa - 65.186 65.775 --- 130.961
8. Laura Kjær Rohmann - Zugar Ray - 67.233 63.475 --- 130.708
9. Sofie Kjærgaard Wettendorff - Hacker - 65.023 65.125 --- 130.148
10. Carl-christian Sædder Savola - Laissez-faire E - 64.14 64.25 --- 128.39
11. Pernille Korsgaard Madsen - Bitter Lemon - 61.605 61.525 --- 123.13
12. Sophie Blume - Atterupgaard's Laurits - 60.512 62.525 --- 123.037
13. Frederikke Gram Jacobsen - Ryvangs Zafina - 64.977 0.0 --- 64.977
14. Anders Sjøbeck Hoeck - Zauber Deyk - 63.372 0.0 --- 63.372
15. Maria Mejlgaard Jensen - Antango - 63.256 0.0 --- 63.256
16. 162 Ida Kirstine Bjørn - Hotson - 61.837 0.0 --- 61.837

Seniors

1. Cathrine Laudrup-dufour - Mount St John Freestyle - 79.22 86.125 --- 165.345
2. Carina Cassøe Krüth - Heiline's Danciera - 72.02 76.875 --- 148.895
3. Andreas Helgstrand - Jovian - 71.36 75.225 --- 146.585
4. Anna Toosbuy Rasch - Everian L - 70.04 74.2 --- 144.24
5. Nadja Aaboe Sloth - Favour Gersdorf - 69.58 74.325 --- 143.905
6. Anna Zibrandtsen - Quel Filou Old - 66.72 71.375 --- 138.095
7. Kenneth Damgaard - Uno Day Sun - 68.52 67.525 --- 136.045
8. Rikke Dupont - Grand Galiano - 71.6 64.4 --- 136.0
9. Camilla Lunderskov - Donnerhall's Son Ii - 65.62 69.15 --- 134.77
10. Julie Dyrgaard - Ryvangs Damon Dione - 64.24 64.5 --- 128.74
11. Michala Damm Frydenberg - Wildcard - 62.24 65.0 --- 127.24
12. Mathilde Koefoed-nielsen - Blue Hors Odin Unik - 63.36 63.875 --- 127.235
13. Cecilie Dybro Jensen - Zagori - 61.5 64.9 v126.4
14. Jonas Rasmussen - Bastardos - 65.24 0.0 --- 65.24
15. Julie Gasbjerg - Red Rose - 62.42 0.0 --- 62.42

Complete results: Under 25 - Seniors