History
The idea behind Lövsta Future Challenge was created by Louise ”Lussan” Nathhorst and Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén. Antonia Ax:son Johnson supported the talent program through Lövsta Stud and the rest is, as they say, history.
LFC Dressage Final 2017. Photo: Bo Bennergård
A trip down memory lane
Lövsta Future Challenge has grown since the start 2011 and has become a renowned concept in the Swedish equestrian world, as the leading effort in supporting and growing the best young horses and U25 riders in both dressage and jumping. On a few occasions Lövsta Future Challenge goes international. We invite the top FEI ranked U25 riders to competitions we arrange together with some of the world’s best equestrian events. In 2020 Lövsta Future Challenge took the step over the Atlantic and launched a competition for young Grand Prix horses in the US.
Since the start, we have given both U25 riders and young horses the ultimate
opportunities and conditions to develop to their full potential as top international athletes. In cooperation with Sweden’s best show organizers, we have arranged a series of national shows with several qualifying competitions in different parts of the country, and finals at Gothenburg Horse Show and Sweden International Horse Show.
In the early years of Lövsta Future Challenge Dressage we had a difficult time getting riders to our classes and the average percentage was quite low. Since then the quality has increased a lot and to win a Lövsta Future Challenge Dressage qualification often requires a percentage above 70.
The combinations from Lövsta Future Challenge Dressage has moved on to successful international careers. The previous U25 rider Emelie Nyreröd represented Sweden in a European Championship and the horse Jimmy Choo SEQ was a part of the Swedish Olympic team 2016.
The show jumping enters Lövsta Future Challenge
During 2014 Lövsta Future Challenge extended it's talent program and included both young horses and U25 riders in show jumping. The finals are being held in the prestigious Scandinavium during Gothenburg Horse Show. The setting for Lövsta Future Challenge Jumping is a bit different from the dressage, however the core values are the same.
Between 15-20 U25 riders and about 160 horses participates in Lövsta Future Challenge on a yearly basis. We are glad to see that many of the participant riders and horses enters the big international arenas with an increased self confidence. Many of the established riders of the national teams today has participated in Lövsta Future Challenge Jumping U25, for example Evelina Tovek and Erica Swartz just to mention a few.
Peder Fredricson & Gamelus R - winners of SWB stallion Trophy. Here together with our project manager Emelie Broman Tegelberg. Foto: Roland Thunholm
Juan Matute and Quiantico won LFC International during FEI European Championships 2017. Photo: Malin Larsson
The international arena
2017, Lövsta Future Challenge went international for the first time, during the European Championship in Gothenburg. The best U25 riders in Europe in both show jumping and dressage was invited to compete and to be inspired from some of the best riders in the world.
In 2019 Lövsta Future Challenge International resurfaced at Stockholm Horse Week, part of the Longines Global Championstour. The competition was held at the olympic arena, Stockholm Stadion.
In 2020 we were able to host Lövsta Future Challenge International Dressage during Gothenburg Horse Show, where two of Sweden's top U25 rider faced international U25 riders.
So, in 2021 Lövsta Future Challenge International returned to Stockholm Horse Week and Longines Global Champiostour. This time, we went all in with show jumping, with international classes for U25 riders as well as the final for young horses.
US
In 2020 Lövsta Future Challenge took the step over the Atlantic and launched a competition for young Grand Prix horses in the US. The dressage tour is open for horses up to ten years of age. The tour will host eight national qualifiers that will award winners every week, and conclude during AGDF week 12 with a final in the International Arena. In 2022 tour for 7 year old showjumpers joined in and Lövsta Future Challenge are now proud to present a tour for young talents in both dressage and jumping. The common vision is to give young horses, in dressage as well as in showjumping the best possible conditions to develop towards top
international sports.