European Championships in Herning in 2013 with Jojo AZ, 15th European Championships in Rotterdam 2019 with Rossetti, Olympic Games 2021 in Tokyo with Kontestro, 6th place European Championship 2021 GPFS in Hagen, numerous international Grand Prix wins and placings
participation in the Olympic Games
ambitious, purposeful, balanced
when I see that my horses and I are making progress
when I made an error of course in Aachen
Morning person
Work
my life
laziness, lies and ignorance
Me as I am going to be in ten years time… to ask myself for advice.
Actually, leave everything as it is!
Ride the Olympics, make a pilot’s licence
When I was a child, my mother impressed on me that you have to fall off a thousand times to become a good rider. I did my best, but soon found out that maybe horse-riding was not my cup of tea after all. For falling off is neither cool nor enjoyable. However, back then, my mother’s will was stronger than mine and so I returned to riding (and falling off).
I think it was my third attempt when my parents decided to quickly buy me a good pony before I would fall off again and decide to finally give up on horse-riding – in a straight line to finally reaching the painful number 1000.
My first pony taught me a lot. Thanks to this pony, riding really became my passion. He also showed me how truly difficult it is to be a good rider, though. I spent hours straightening him, getting him to bend and flex … bigger, smaller, higher, lower, trying to get him on the bit or into any correct direction at all. (I apologise, Micaela Lidh, for the countless hours you had to spend in the arena with me – thank you for never giving up!)
My pony also taught me how to be humble by always bucking me off whenever I thought I had made some progress.
The “painful 1000” were not off the table yet! Nevertheless, I realised at the time that it was this challenge exactly that would turn my passion into my later profession.
When we started to be successful a few years later, we had to sell my best friend all over the world to be able to finance my switching from pony to horse. I would like to thank my parents for the incredible support they gave me. For pointing out ideas and possibilities to finance my own equestrian sport in the future. And for making it clear that it would not always be easy.
To be given the opportunity to turn my passion into my profession, combining business and pleasure, makes me incredibly happy. Of course, it is always difficult to have to sell the best horse under saddle to be able to fulfil other dreams. And yet, to have the chance to accompany great horses on their way and watch them later under the best riders in the world is something very special!
During my time as a young rider I realised that I had to leave my comfort zone to become better and more self-reliant. Thus, I moved to Germany. The German approach seemed to be different from the Finnish one… In any case more pain-free, but also stricter: the yard had to be spotless first before you could even think of riding.
After working at the training yard of Katrin Bettenworth for a few years, I returned to Finland. There, I was provided with a horse and started with part-time studies.
After a few years in Finland, when I had started my BBA, I was offered a job in England. Here, I got the opportunity to train with one of the best riders in the world: Kyra Kyrklund and her husband, Richard White, taught me an incredible lot about riding, horses, horsemanship and many other things. I am infinitely grateful to them to this day.
After a while, I nevertheless decided to move back to Germany – the number one equestrian country – to become self-employed and be able to compete with other top-class riders in Europe.
At first, I knew hardly any people in Germany and the beginnings were tough. One person to give me fantastic support was Patrik Kittel, who is one of my closest friends to this day. He is an excellent rider and a great person! In Patrik, I have someone I can always ask for help and advice.
After some time I was given a small bay gelding to train that became the first horse I sold after having become self-employed. He was also the first horse I trained together with Jochen Arl, a trainer and well-known horse broker. The cooperation of Jochen and me grew into a strong partnership that has produced quite a few world-class sales horses. It was through Jochen, who also became a close friend, that I met Senta.
My partner and my compass in life! She always points me in the right direction and is always there for me!
In 2015, a dream came true. Senta, the horses and I found a new home at Gut Bertingloh. Here, we have the perfect conditions for an exquisite selection of sales horses and for the training of our clients.