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Evelina Tovek – who since 2017 has been training with current world number one Henrik von Eckermann – is putting her professional riding career on hold as she moves back to Sweden to join the family business.

With Dalila de La Pomme (Taran de la Pomme x Diamant de Semilly), Tovek was part of Sweden’s winning team in the CSIO5* Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen in 2019, and with Castello 194 (Cristallo 7 x Lifestyle) she topped the CSI5* Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Rome in 2017.

“After seven incredible years abroad, the time has come for a new chapter in my life,” Tovek shared on social media. “I’ll be returning home to Sweden to be more involved in our family business. To compete at the top level in my sport requires full dedication, and in the beginning, I won’t have enough time to fully focus on both the sport and the business. This has been an extremely tough decision, as this sport has been my life for so many years. However, I am also eager to grow and learn within the family business that my father started from scratch 30 years ago.”

While Tovek’s 12-year-old gelding Moeboetoe vd Roshoeve (Der Senaat 111 x Poleander) and the 14-year-old gelding Winnetou de La Hamente Z (Winningmood x Socrate de Chivre) have been sold to Liechtenstein’s 21-year-old Jennifer Hochstaedter, the 14-year-old mare Azaria Dinero (Mylord Carthago x Drakkar Des Hutins) will in the future be ridden by Henrik von Eckermann. “I can see them fit together, and I am so excited to follow them,” Tovek told World of Showjumping.

“It has been an incredible journey. I am deeply grateful for the time spent surrounded by wonderful people, extraordinary horses, and a fantastic team,” Tovek said as she expressed her gratitufe for von Eckermann, his wife Janika Sprunger and their team at CYOR Stables where she has been based. “A very special thanks to my show groom Emmanuelle who has been by my side and cared for our amazing horses for the past five years. Without a great team supporting me, none of this would have been possible.”  

“It means a lot to me that even if Evelina puts her career on hold, the Tovek-family continues supporting mine,” von Eckermann told World of Showjumping. “Their support with Toveks Mary Lou was invaluable for me when I first started on my own, and I will always be thankful to them for that. With her positive attitude, Evelina has been a joy to work with for all these years and I wish her all the best in her new challenge. I am very grateful to get an opportunity to ride such a talented horse as Azaria Dinero.”

25.10.2024 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.