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“Moving back to Sweden felt like a step back at the time, but it also reminded me about why I love doing what I do,” Amanda Landeblad tells World of Showjumping. “I don’t love riding only because I love showing; just being in the stable every day with the horses is something that I cherish, I enjoy mucking out and hacking in the fields… I just love the whole lifestyle around horses. Being based in Sweden means that it is always quite a long trip to go anywhere, but I hope that I can keep doing the top sport and keep developing from here – that is my plan.”

Landeblad moved back to her native Sweden in 2015 after working for Eric van der Vleuten and Erik Berkhof in the Netherlands for four years. And, while the decision to relocate to her home country might have seemed like taking a step back at the time, it has catapulted the now 33-year-old to her biggest success yet. Working for Jacobsbergs Stuteri in Björnlunda, outside of Stockholm, Landeblad got the ride on the feisty chestnut mare For Killy (Otangelo x For Pleasure) and the two have grown up the levels together. Currently ranked 318th on the Longines Ranking, Landeblad and For Killy were part of the Swedish team that took a home win in this year’s CSIO5* 1.60m Agria Falsterbo Nations Cup. This summer, they also did their CHIO Aachen-debut, delivering a clear in the first round of the CSIO5* 1.60m Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup.

“For sure it's always special to win on home soil,” Landeblad says. “Falsterbo was also the first time I was on the team with Wilma [Hellström], who is my best friend. It was a really, really great day. We compete so much individually in our sport that being part of the team is always very special.”

Landeblad has now worked for Jacobsbergs Stuteri for nearly six years. “We don't run a sales stable, we really want to focus on the sport,” she explains about the operation run by Lottie Tham. “It is great for me that we can keep the horses, with the idea that when they are older, we can breed with them. That is also the reason why I only have mares.”

“The youngest horse in my string is seven, and I have seven horses in total that I show,” she continues. “We are a team of four in the stables and everybody does a little bit of everything. At the stables, we also have cows and sheep and all kinds of animals, which is nice. I am training a lot by myself, but I also get help from Jens Fredricson. Even though we don't live so close to each other, he is always just one call away. He has been a great help for me.”

Prior to moving to Björnlunda, Landeblad had her own business at home – two hours away. “For about two years I had four horses from Lottie in my stable, and then they asked if I wanted to come here instead and ride all the horses that they had.”

At home was where Landeblad originally got her love for horses from; her mother Kerstin was taking lessons at the local riding school, but never had her own horses. “When me and my sister Matilda were about 8 and 10, we got our own ponies. Until then, we rode at the same riding school as our mum. When I was 10, I was fortunate to get a ride on a good pony that a friend of ours had. This pony – Maxi Power – had jumped the Swedish Championships. She was 20, and they wanted her to slow down, but she wasn’t so keen to do that. Therefore, I got the chance to ride her and compete a little bit. I think that was the moment when I fell in love with the sport and the competition aspect of it.”

In her twenties, Landeblad spent time in the Netherlands, working first for Eric van der Vleuten and then at Erik Berkhof’s Margaretha Hoeve.

“I learned so much during my time at Van der Vleuten’s,” Landeblad says. “They are such great horse people. I had never seen somebody on a high level up-close like that. Maikel was riding Verdi at the time and it was really great for me to see all that went on, from the planning to training. I actually didn't show so much when I was at their stable, I was mostly riding at home with Eric. However, it was a huge learning experience to see their routines and schedules.”

With the now 14-year-old For Killy, Landeblad has taken the biggest leaps in her career, going from 1.40m classes to five-star level. “I started to ride her over five years ago when I moved to Jacobsbergs Stutteri,” Landeblad explains. “She is a really special mare. She is very sensitive and she is not so social with humans, she chooses her people. However, she loves being with other horses and she is in the field every day with two of my other show horses. She goes in the field every day, all year round. She loves hacking out as well; she likes being outside, so we do that a lot.”

“It has taken quite a long time to build up this relationship,” Landeblad continues to tell about For Killy. “Today, I feel like she would do anything for me. The difficulty with her is that she gets quite excited when it's loud. At the shows, I might get issues with her getting too tense when we need to go into the ring, but once she is in, she always does her best.”

2023 was a big year for Landeblad and For Killy. “Our first time jumping on the senior team was at the three-star Nations Cup in Drammen last June,” she tells about their journey together. “We did well there and then got more opportunities. I rode my first five-star Grand Prix last year in Falsterbo and then I got the chance to compete at Hickstead two weeks later. For Killy is actually from the UK, and it was great meeting her breeder there. We placed third in the Longines King George V Gold Cup and it was special because her breeder Danny Dunne had not seen For Killy since she was sold.”

“I think the last piece of the puzzle for us was that we got Josefine Carlsson, my show groom, in our team,” Landeblad says. “Having her has really helped me; she is so good with the horses and we have grown into an amazing team. I believe that having her has not only helped me, but mostly the horses and everything has just fallen into place. Before Josefine, I actually didn't have a show groom. As a rider, I believe that it is really important that me and her have a good relationship and that there are clear routines with the horses. For a horse like For Killy especially – who is so sensitive with everything – it has been crucial to have Josefine and to keep her day-to-day routines. I think that without her input, all of this would never have happened.”

As a younger rider stepping up the levels, Landeblad has managed to clear the many hurdles that stand in the way, from finding the right support to gathering enough experience. “It's always hard to find good horses and an owner who believes in you,” she points out. “Additionally, it is difficult to get into the big shows. I am grateful for all the possibilities that I have gotten through the Swedish Equestrian Federation, because being a part of the team at the Nations Cup shows has been my only chance to compete at these events. Otherwise, I would have never been able to get in; that is one of the biggest challenges for any rider lower on the ranking.”

“You need experience to get better,” Landeblad continues. “However, it is hard to gain experience because it is so difficult to enter the five-star circuit. I did not have any prior experience on this level before For Killy. We actually built all this together because she didn't have the experience, either. Having a spot on the team and getting into all these big shows has meant everything.”

For anyone trying to make it to the top, Landeblad has a clear message: “It takes time,” she says. “You need to be patient. It is understandable that many people want to have success fast, but that is not how it goes. You need to have patience and you need to keep working and really try to learn from riders that are better than you. If you are at a big show, go to the practice arena and watch other riders, see how they work, pay attention to how they jump their horses. Just keep your eyes open to see everything that you can learn from; you can never learn too much.”

“I think it is really important to compete as much as you can at the international shows to get all the experience possible,” she continues. “We have quite nice shows in Sweden but I think you should go abroad – if you can. As an example, the EEF three-star Nations Cups have been a great chance for U25 riders.”

The Swedish team has dominated the international showjumping scene for the past few years, and for Landeblad, being part of a squad that includes her childhood idol has been incredible. “I grew up watching Malin, pretending to be her when we were playing with our imaginary horses in our backyard – and now I get to compete with her,” she tells. “I think the strength of the Swedes goes back to the grass root level, and the riding schools we have in Sweden. Also, we have these great shows like Falsterbo and Gothenburg where we get to see the top riders and horses up-close and personal. I believe that is inspiring.”

Having good relationships within the team is another strong point for the Swedes, Landeblad explains: “Everybody really tries to help each other to get better. For me, it has been invaluable to ride alongside riders like Henrik, Malin and Peder who are so experienced, and they really want to help others improve. We don't just go in the ring and show together; it is really important that when you ride in a team, you are not only riding together, you need to be a team.”  

After enjoying her most successful two seasons yet, Landeblad is not done dreaming. “I would love to ride the Europeans next year,” she tells about her goals for the future. “This year, I hope I get to do the Longines League of Nations Final in Barcelona, and some more World Cups. Last winter, we actually only did two – and For Killy was clear and placed in both, so I hope that we could get a few more this year and maybe have a chance for the World Cup Final in Basel,” she concludes.

12.9.2024 No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.