25 January 2022

Academy Dressage & Jumping is a training program for aspiring young riders aged 12 to 21 – but also for their parents, as an adult relative is allowed to participate.
– It is an equally important training for the parents. They gain new experience, a lot of knowledge, and they make connections. After the training, they can guide the young people in a completely different way, says Kristian von Krusenstierna, coordinator of the Academy’s dressage program.

He says that both parents who had absolutely no knowledge of the sport and parents with very extensive knowledge have been involved.
– Everyone is equally positive and happy about the training, says Kristian von Krusenstierna.

Now is the last chance to sign up – the deadline is January 30th. Sweden’s largest online training program kicks off for the fourth year in a row with a digital meeting. In total, there will be 15 digital and four physical training sessions throughout the year.

For the third year in a row, horse riders are also allowed to participate.
– That both dressage and show jumping riders are involved in it makes the Academy even stronger. A large part of the content is the same, but when it comes to branch-specific lectures, we can take some ideas from each other. That can be beneficial, says Kristian von Krusenstierna.

One of the Academies’ ambassadors is the trampoline coach and expert commentator Lotta Björe. Without her knowledge, some of her students missed out on their training.
– You can see that these students are getting a good package; they become much more well-rounded. They get so many things with them that they might not have been aware of ten years ago, things like exercise physiology, how to maintain a sponsor, how it works with horse owners and so on. They get a platform to stand on, says Lotta Björe.

Another effect is that students who attend the jumping training program get in contact with jumping riders who are active.
– The students see Fredrik Spetz and Emma Emanuelsson competing and then maybe they dare to come forward and ask for advice or ask if they can go on the course with one of them. It becomes very inviting.

16-year-old Liv Dagertun is one of the hopeful riders who have started their first year, and she will be going into her second year. Her short-term goal is to qualify for the Swedish Championships.
– I have gained a huge amount of information and lessons. Something that was new to me was the mental aspect, and I have appreciated the veterinary aspect that is not always part of the experience as a rider, says Liv Dagertun.

She and mom Sofi Dagertun live in Luleå, so they have appreciated that a lot of things happen digitally due to the distances.
– But we appreciate the physical meetings. What Academy has given me as a mother is a sense of security. I know that I have someone to ask and already then it feels more secure, says Sofi Dagertun.
What she brings with her is the importance of discipline and planning.
– I have realized that every part counts and what you can do as a parent is primarily planning, before the competition, during the competition and after the competition. We are also working more on prevention now, to avoid injuries to both the horse and the rider.

Sofi Dagertun wants to recommend that others take the course.
– It has been really interesting. It’s a fantastic setup and the idols are really the coordinators.