Lövsta Future Challenge International Dressage Tour kicks off season 4 at World Cup Herning

This week marks the start of the fourth season of the Lövsta Future Challenge International Dressage Tour. In collaboration with Gothenburg Horse Show, World Cup Herning, and Jumping Amsterdam, the tour offers young U25 riders the chance to compete in some of Europe’s most prestigious arenas – the very same venues that host the FEI Dressage World Cup™.

Eight riders, including two Danish riders are set to compete in Herning. Swedish rider, but Danish based Cecilia Bergåkra, is returning to the tour for the second consecutive year. Last season she competed with IZack, a partnership that has since earned both a Swedish Championship silver medal and a place on the Swedish B-team. This year she brings My Friend (born 2011, by Friendship–Troll, bred by Carina Edin & Stiven Wiklund, owned by the Bergåkra family, CEO Equestrian & Carina Edin).

“Riding the international LFC Tour with IZack gave us invaluable experience and confidence stepping into senior Grand Prix competitions. It has also helped me in developing Maya further, and I’m really looking forward to creating new memories with both horses as the season opens in Herning,” says Cecilia Bergåkra.

After the 2023 competitions in Herning, Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén, founder of Lövsta Future Challenge, summed up her impressions:

“It’s fantastic to see such great interest in our tour. The level of both horses and riders is very high – most of them are already competitive in international Grand Prix.”

And she was right. Several riders who have competed in the LFC International Dressage Tour have since progressed to senior international Grand Prix. In the CDI3* Grand Prix Tour, five of the 17 riders are former LFC participants — three Danish, one German, and one Swedish. The CDI3* also includes a former winner of the Lövsta Future Challenge National Tour for Young Grand Prix Horses, while the World Cup class features two previous finalists.

Germany’s Moritz Treffinger is among the World Cup starters; after earning his first international U25 placing in Herning in 2023, he now returns to compete in the World Cup:

“I’m really looking forward to competing in the World Cup! Taking part in the LFC international competitions has given me so much valuable experience of riding in the big arenas, but above all, it’s been fantastic to watch and learn from the top riders up close. I’ve taken every opportunity to follow their training sessions, ask for advice, and be inspired.”

Show Director Casper Cassøe is looking forward to welcoming the U25 riders back to Herning:

- "It is a great pleasure for us to once again be part of the Lövsta Future Challenge. We are very excited about this collaboration and the valuable opportunities it creates through the tournament. Support from engaged partners like Lövsta is absolutely crucial for the continued development of our sport.

The Lövsta Future Challenge provides talented U25 riders with a platform to compete at an international level — an essential step in their future journey. We see tremendous interest in the series from riders, trainers, and spectators alike, and we look forward to another inspiring edition in Herning."

The tour keeps its format, with competitions held at World Cup Herning in October, Jumping Amsterdam in late January, and the Gothenburg Horse Show in February.

You can find the program and tickets for World Cup Herning here.