Victoria Goff reflects on the current strength and depth of the Swedish showjumping team
The Swedish showjumping team has been riding on a high these last few years, enjoying the sort of run of form that some nations can only dream of, collecting an impressive string of World, European and Olympic medals including team gold and individual silver at last summer’s Tokyo Games.
Aside from their championship achievements, one of their most impressive performances was winning the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Great Britain in 2019. Surprisingly, it was the first time the nation had ever won the Edward Prince of Wales Trophy at Hickstead, and they did so it utterly dominant style.
Having produced three clear rounds in the first round, fourth team member Rolf-Goran Bengtsson didn’t even have to jump. In the second round, Fredrik Jonsson had just one fence down, while Angelie von Essen and Peder Fredricson produced double clears to secure victory for the Swedes. Once again Rolf-Goran, a former European champion, didn’t even have to come forward as the victory had already been secured. “We’ve got super-strong jockeys here – Rolf-Goran Bengtsson is one of the best riders in the world and we didn’t even have to put him in,” said Swedish chef d’equipe Henrik Ancarcrona afterwards.
Angelie von Essen was one of seven riders to produce a double clear at Hickstead and take home a share of the €50,000 bonus prize on offer at each leg of the Nations Cup series. “I wanted it so badly for the horse to do a double clear, because he’s been so close so many times, and it worked,” said Angelie, who is based in Cheshire with fellow showjumper Richard Davenport. “I love to come to Hickstead and it feels a little bit like home.”
It was a remarkable season for the Swedes, who also won the home leg of the Nations Cup series in Falsterbo just a few weeks before their Hickstead victory, and also finished third in the series final in Barcelona. One rider who was a lynchpin of all three victories was Peder Fredricson, the world number one rider. “To win in a place like this that’s so historical, and to see this trophy with the Swedish name on it, makes me really proud," said Peder following the Hickstead win.
Such is the strength and depth of the Swedish team, Peder was the only one of the winning Hickstead quartet who rode Tokyo Olympics, alongside team mates Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Henrik von Eckermann – though Rolf-Goran Bengtsson was travelling reserve for the Games.
Peder’s formidable partnership with the brilliant H&M All In saw the pair take individual silver in Tokyo, missing out on gold to Ben Maher by just a fraction of a second. “All the top riders want to take the gold medal but today it was Ben’s day, he did a great round and that’s the way it goes, it’s really small margins,” said Peder, who had also finished in the silver medal position in Rio, behind Nick Skelton and Big Star.
But there was no missing out in the team competition in Tokyo when Sweden saw off the USA to claim the gold medal for the first time in almost 100 years. With the two teams tying on faults, a third jump-off round decided who would claim gold, and it came down to the wire – with Peder’s cool headed clear netting the win. “It’s unbelievably satisfying to get this gold. And my horse deserves it also for the way he jumped,” he said.
Peder and H&M All In were also crowned the 2017 European Champion on home soil in Gothenburg, as well as winning team silver. Peder was part of the silver medal-winning team at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Tryon 2018, and a few weeks after Tokyo he won the individual bronze at the Longines FEI Jumping European Championships in Riesenbeck. Last year he also won the Longines Global Champions Tour title, and in November he won the FEI Best Athlete award to crown what was a superb year.
When Peder hit the number one spot on the Longines World Rankings back in October, it was the first time he had held the position. “Finally! I can almost not believe it’s true, I’ve been close so many times before,” he said. “To be number one on the world ranking is a goal I set a couple of years ago. It has at times felt like climbing the highest mountain in the world and I’ve almost reached the summit several times, but always fallen down. It feels amazing to finally reach the top and to be able to put down the flag. I dedicate this to my whole team. To reach number one takes more than just good horses, you have to have good horse owners, good grooms and a very dedicated and hard working team on the ground.”
Peder Fredericson facts …
This article first appeared in July 2022
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