From 21 to 24 September, the Young Riders Academy will gather in Sweden for its second Educational Seminar of the year, hosted at the Swedish National Federation Center in Strömsholm, with the final day taking the riders to SLU in Uppsala.
Following the first Educational Seminar of the season, the Swedish session continues one of the Academy’s key missions: helping talented young riders develop not only as athletes, but as complete professionals ready to face every aspect of a career in international show jumping.
Across four intensive days, the riders will take part in a multidisciplinary programme combining physical preparation, business and economics, young-horse development, equine science, horse management and veterinary.
The programme will bring together experts from different areas of the sport. Emma O’Dwyer will focus on physical preparation, while Sven Holmberg, Py Jägerden and Axel Vibe will address economics, young-horse development and evaluation, hoof care and shoeing. The scientific and practical programme will continue with Isabelle and Jens Fredricson and Karin Morgan, offering the riders different perspectives on the training, management and wellbeing of the sport horse.
A strong focus will also be placed on science and horse welfare. On the final day, the group will travel to SLU in Uppsala, where Sara Ringmark will lead a session on equine nutrition and Marie Rhodin will focus on lameness detection, followed by a visit to the University Equine Clinic.
Alongside the technical programme, the seminar will once again dedicate space to the riders’ personal and professional development. Valentina Ottaviani, Sven Holmberg and Giulia Romeo will hold individual meetings with the participants, while Giulia Romeo will also lead the Academy’s Social Media Challenge, encouraging the riders to work on communication, creativity and the way they present themselves beyond the competition arena. Book presentations will also form part of the programme.
“Talent is only the starting point. Our aim is to give these young riders the knowledge, curiosity and awareness they need to grow into complete professionals, capable of understanding not only their sport, but everything that surrounds it.”
Eleonora Ottaviani, President of Athenaeum and Young Riders Academy
For Sven Holmberg, the Strömsholm seminar is another opportunity to prepare riders for the realities of a professional career:
“A rider today needs to understand much more than what happens in the arena. Horse management, economics, teamwork and decision-making are all part of building a sustainable career at the highest level.”
Sven Holmberg, Sport Director, Young Riders Academy
The Young Riders Academy operates under the patronage of the European Equestrian Federation (EEF), in cooperation with the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) and with the support of Rolex, continuing its commitment to supporting the next generation of international show jumping.
Four days in Sweden, one shared goal: learning, growing and preparing for the future of the sport.