Aachen, Germany – June 26, 2025 – With five female riders and four mares, girl power shines to represent Sweden in the European Showjumping Championship, all of them chosen by team captain Henrik Ankarcrona presented on Thursday. An exciting team with riders and horses that we have a lot of faith in for the future, says Henrik Ankarcrona.
Five Swedish crews have been selected for the European Championship, which will be held July 16-20 in La Coruña in Spain:
- Petronella Andersson (SWE) & Opaline de W&S
- Wilma Hellström (SWE) & Cicci BJN
- Amanda Landeblad (SWE) & For Killy
- Erika Lickhammer van Helmond (SWE) & I. Comme Tessa VHL
- Angelie von Essen (SWE) & Voila DK Z
Sweden comes to this year’s European Championship as reigning champions. But it is not just a title that must be defended. This year’s European Championship is an important piece of the puzzle in team building ahead of the upcoming World Championship and Olympics.
- “My strategy and objective has always been to build a wider peak with more riders at the absolute highest level. Then these riders must also get the chance at the biggest competitions,” says Henrik Ankarcrona.
Petronella Andersson (SWE) and Wilma Hellström were both at the Europena Championship in Milan 2023. But for Amanda Landeblad, Erika Lickhammer van Helmond and Angelie von Essen, this year’s EC will be the international championship debut at senior level.
With the World Championship around the corner, which is also an Olympic qualifier, I want more riders with a championship routine. We have riders like Peder Fredricson and Henrik von Eckermann in the national team, but they don’t need more championship routine. For me, the European Championship is a chance to strengthen the national team in the longer term and then I want to give these riders the opportunity to ride a championship, says Henrik Ankarcrona, and continues:
Petronella and Amanda have both made strong efforts in the national show jumping in recent years and have horses of great quality. Wilma and Cicci are a well-known crew to many and we know what they are capable of, here is the plan for the top form to come at the EC. In Tessa, Erika has a horse with a lot of capacity that is about to blossom, it will be exciting to see them in a championship. Angelie has been around for a long time and in Voila she once again has a horse for the big classes.
Since the European Championship in Milan 2023, the rule applies that all five riders who are selected can also ride in the championship. Four riders are part of the team and one rider starts individually. – A great plan that I myself helped push forward. For me as the federation captain, it is very valuable to also be able to give a fifth rider the experience of doing a full championship, says Henrik Ankarcrona.
Source: Press Release from Svenska Ridsport Forbundet – Swedish Equestrian Federation
Photo: © Petter Arvidson / Bildbyrån
