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“The Swedish team is experiencing a bit of a generational change among the horses, and unfortunately it occurs for many of our riders at the same time,” the Swedish Chef d’Equipe Henrik Ankarcrona tells World of Showjumping as he looks towards a big year in 2026 with the Olympic qualification cycle for Los Angeles 2028 beginning at the World Championships in Aachen this August. “Additionally, there's still a gap between our top horses and riders and the up-and-coming combinations. It's not easy to fill the gaps left by the likes of King Edward and All In.”

In October 2016, the Swedish Equestrian Federation appointed the then 37-year-old Ankarcrona as their new Chef d’Equipe. Since then, the Swedes have gone on a serious championship success roll; under Ankarcrona’s guidance, the Swedish senior jumping team won Olympic team gold in Tokyo in 2021, were crowned World Champions in Herning in 2022 and claimed European team gold at the 2023 European Championships in Milan. However, despite huge success at major championships and two seasons in the Longines League of Nations™-series (LLN), Sweden failed to qualify for the LLN for 2026.

“Even though we have been hugely successful, we never had so many horses or riders,” Ankarcrona points out. “Our championship teams have been reliant on the same pairs.”

The Longines League of Nations™-series – a concept where the ten best nations in the world based on the Longines League of Nations™ Ranking are eligible to compete – was introduced by the FEI in 2023. During the first two seasons, Sweden ranked 9th in the world and competed in the LLN, but fell out of the series after ranking 11th at the end of 2025.  

“It means that we have access to less shows,” Ankarcrona says when asked what dropping out of the LLN means for the Swedish team. “We will do our best to have other shows in order to prepare for the World Championship, and I think we will manage fine. If we go a little bit back in history, our situation is actually not as dramatic as it may seem at a first glance. Many people were shocked to see us end up outside of the LLN, but we have always been ranked at the edge; now we just went from rank nine to eleven.”

Many people were shocked to see us end up outside of the LLN, but we have always been ranked at the edge; now we just went from rank nine to eleven

“Going into 2022 – when we were preparing for the World Championship in Herning – we were also not qualified for what was then called Division 1 of the FEI Nations Cup-series,” he points out. “Therefore, I'm not worried about not being in the LLN now. Naturally, I would like to be in, but I only want to go to shows when I have enough horses and riders to perform.”

Outside of the Longines League of Nations™, Ankarcrona has used the Longines EEF Series – a Nations Cup series at three- and four-star level – as well as the standalone five-star Nations Cups as a tool in building the future five-star Swedish team. “I think the Longines EEF Series is fantastic,” he says. “I think it's one of the most important products we have for developing horses and riders for the top sport. Additionally, we have the standalone Nations Cups, which however, are very difficult to get access to. Before, there were maybe 8-10 countries for these shows, and now there are 15-20 nations who want to get in – so it is difficult. That's a big challenge for me right now, getting invitations to these shows. This also leads to the fact that even though we have many shows in the FEI calendar already, it actually feels like there is always room for more.”

At the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, the Swedish team came in as the title defenders, and finished eight, a position they also reached at the 2025 Europeans where they had another team gold to defend.

“I had actually hoped for more in 2024, while last year I was clearly focused on building,” Ankarcrona reflects. “Considering the horses, the combinations and the form we were in, I couldn't expect much more. Last year, it was important to build new pairs for 2026, for the World Championships, and hopefully I have a few more now ready to go. Getting back to LLN is a priority, and when I have combinations that are performing, we will be qualified again. It goes hand in hand with the individual performances, so I don't have to think so much about that. When other countries are better than us, then they should be in – the concept is very simple. Sweden is still a small country with not so many horses and riders as many other nations, so the moment we're not performing, which we were not last year, then we are out.”

Getting back to LLN is a priority, and when I have combinations that are performing, we will be qualified again

“All our riders are working hard as always, and they have new horses coming up. Last year, the up-and-coming riders and horses got a lot of opportunities in Nations Cups and at championships,” Ankarcrona continues. “For example, at the 2025 Europeans, the only combination who had done a championship before was Wilma and Cicci, while Petronella had done a championship but not with the same horse. The other horse-and-rider combinations in A Coruña were completely new to championship level. For me, last year was a good year to build towards 2026.”

For 2026, Ankarcrona has a simple goal; qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. “Earning the quota place for Los Angeles at the World Championships in Aachen is my main ambition for the year,” he says. 

As per the qualification system for LA28 published by the FEI, there are 20 team quota places available for LA28, one going automatically to the hosts. The top seven ranked teams from Aachen 2026 will qualify for Los Angeles, as will the top three from the 2027 Europeans and the top three teams from the 2027 Pan American Games. Four additional team places, for Olympic Groups C, F and G, are allocated based on the FEI Olympic Ranking.

Earning the quota place for Los Angeles at the World Championships in Aachen is my main ambition for the year

“That's the most important goal for this year and something I really would like to accomplish. I know that we will have another chance in 2027, but I would like to get the qualification done straight away. This means we have to finish in the top seven, or maybe even in the top eight, depending on where USA will end up,” Ankarcrona continues.

“I hope that when we're getting closer to Aachen and I have the team ready, we can even aim higher than the 7th place,” Ankarcrona points out. “However, for now, it's all about qualifying. For Los Angeles, I hope to have a strong team that has a podium finish as a goal. We all know that 2028 is still pretty far ahead and a lot can happen. Ultimately, I want to go to a major championship with the aim of a podium finish – and for this, we need combinations that are ready.”  

“Well, in a way it's the same, and on the other hand, very different,” Ankarona says when asked how he would compare where the Swedish team currently is at to the situation ahead of the 2022 World Championships. “Going to Herning, we had Olympic team gold in the bag a year earlier, and we were aiming to have the same horses at the start line. We did everything we could to keep them fit and sound, and we were happy to add Jens to the team. We knew going in, that if the horses were fit, we could aim really high. If I could ever experience Herning again, I would take it, but I'm not sure anything like that will happen again – it was such an amazing show for us.”

Being a leader for a team that can ride a championship in Aachen is a privilege

“Now, four years later, I have more experience, which is a good thing, and all the riders have four more years of experience as well,” Ankarcrona continues. “However, we will not have the same kind of horsepower in terms of the time our horses and riders have been together. If you think about what Malin, Peder and Henrik had with Indiana, All In and King Edward, there is no way we can build something like that in half a year. In that sense, our situation is very different. However, so is every championship, and the conditions in Aachen will not be the same as in Herning.”

“Being a leader for a team that can ride a championship in Aachen is a privilege,” Ankarcrona concludes. “It's a dream for every rider and team to go to Aachen for a major championship. I'm really looking forward to it. However, we have a lot of work to do before getting there.”

24.2.2026 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.