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With the 12-year-old mare Carabella vd Neyen Z (Carrera VDL x Lux Z), Norway’s Oda Charlotte Lyngvær opened her Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2025/2026 season by placing 9th on home soil in Oslo. The two picked up a further 17 points in A Coruña, Spain, where they took the runner-up spot back in December. With two legs left in the Western European League, the 35-year-old mother of two currently ranks 23rd on the overall standings and is on the cusp of a childhood dream – participation in a FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, open for the 18 best from the Western European League.

“I was 24 when I jumped my first 1.40m class, and I was 34 when I rode my first World Cup,” Oda tells World of Showjumping about her journey in the sport. “It is possible to reach the top, it just might take some time.”

Oda grew up as a horse-crazy child, and started riding at the age of three at the local riding school just outside of Oslo, Norway. “I’m not from a horse background at all, and from a home where a lot of financial support wasn’t possible. As a child, I always went to watch the World Cup show in Oslo – and that's where my dream started. As an eight-nine-year-old, I said, ‘one day I'm going to ride here’.”

I’m not from a horse background at all, and from a home where a lot of financial support wasn’t possible

“For me, the World Cup-series is something that I grew up with, and it's where my love for the sport started. To tune in on the TV on a Sunday to watch it was really a tradition. You see the best horses and riders, but you also see some new pairs that get a chance and I really like that,” Oda says about the unique nature of the World Cup.

After riding ponies and competing in eventing – because traveling with friends who did eventing was the only way to get to the shows – Oda eventually switched to horses and jumping. “It was not so easy to find money to buy horses,” Oda recalls. “I worked, finished school and tried to make ends meet. When I was 19, I got a job for a rider in Sweden, so I moved there. I could work with what I loved and I was happy with that! At some point, my Swedish trainer, who had contact to Emile Hendrix, encouraged me to move to the Netherlands – and here I am, 11 years later.”

Today, Oda is a mother of two, and works full time for Stal Hendrix. “At the moment I split myself a little bit in two; I try to do the top sport for a bit, while I still also focus on developing young horses. My main job is developing horses for Stal Hendrix’s market. I have 13 horses on my list and I ride at least eight a day.”

It takes a lot of planning; we have to look for solutions and work together

“It's for sure not always easy,” Oda says about combining being a mother and riding at the highest level. “I'm very lucky to have a lot of help. The kids have grown up to understand that when I am away, it's not for nothing – it is for the benefit of all of us. It takes a lot of planning; we have to look for solutions and work together.”

Another challenge is working for one of the most accomplished trading stables in Europe. “When you are motivated as a rider and your passion for the sport drives you, it can be tough to see the horses get sold. However, this is what brings the food to our table, and it is the job I signed up for. I feel very proud to be able to produce our horses and see them go to good homes and be successful with their new riders,” Oda says.

“This season, we said we would start with Oslo and then see from there,” Oda tells about her approach to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2025/2026-season. “Carabella jumped clear in Oslo and got a good placing, and then she was second in A Coruña. When Carabella goes well, we go a bit with the flow and then we see – that is how we have always taken things with her. It would be nice to go my first final this season, but I'm not going to push her. She's my only horse for this level, and it's important for me to keep her sound and healthy for as long as possible.”

I do what I do because I really love the sport and the horses

“When we found Carabella, we knew she was a good mare and that she was going to be a perfect horse for me to at least do the two- and three-star Grand Prix classes with and take the pressure off the younger horses,” Oda continues. “That was the idea, and that she ended up doing all of this has been a surprise. That I actually am able to ride all these classes has also surprised me. Having her has opened a door to maybe producing even more horses on this level. However, it's not easy to find the right horses.”

“If we end up qualified for the World Cup Final, then for sure we will do that,” Oda tells about her plans for the rest of the season. “If not, then we will start thinking about the outdoor season and looking at maybe giving it a chance for the World Championships in Aachen.” 

“I do what I do because I really love the sport and the horses,” Oda concludes. “Many people run from show to show, but that would not be for me. I love to ride my horses; I enjoy riding the young horses at home and feeling them learn something new as much as I enjoy doing a big class at a five-star show.”

10.2.2026 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.