Olympic showjumping champion Christian Kukuk’s travelling groom Sofie Karlsson has been working with the German rider for 9 years and is among the most revered grooms on the worldwide circuit. So what are Sofie’s horse care suggestions?
Sofie was born in Sweden and has ridden all her life however moved to Holland after she left faculty.
“I realised that additional south in Europe, the game is larger and extra established,” she says. “It was at all times a dream of mine to maneuver overseas, so once I left faculty, I moved to Holland and was there for a yr and a half.
“I then moved to Ludger Beerbaum’s stables, the place Christian was primarily based, and I’ve been there ever since.”
She says she has learnt that “much less is extra” relating to the cautious administration of those equine athletes.
“It’s a must to do a number of work, however I feel the horses are often happiest once we preserve it easy,” she explains. “We strive to not do an excessive amount of round them and allow them to be horses. Hopefully, this helps them be in good condition for the competitors.
“Moreover, when the rider is feeling good, the horses really feel this and really feel good themselves. They react to the power of the individuals round them. Success feeds success, so generally when one horse begins to change into profitable, the remainder of the horses enhance as nicely.”
Sofie Karlsson’s horse care suggestions: “I nonetheless be taught every single day from the grooms round me”
Sofie’s high tip for aspiring grooms is “watch and be taught as you go”.
“I nonetheless be taught every single day from the opposite grooms round me,” she says. “It’s a powerful job however you get to expertise issues that not many different individuals get to expertise. I bear in mind once I was sitting within the crowds at horse exhibits, I by no means imagined that I’d be a part of something like this.”
Amongst her costs are Christian’s gold medal-winning companion Checker 47, his latest CHI Geneva winner Chageorge, who she describes as “very gifted” with a “promising future”, his London World Champions Tour runner-up Simply Be Light and Tokyo Olympic stallion Mumbai. She describes steady star Checker 47 as “a really sturdy persona”.
“He doesn’t prefer it when it will get very crowded round him,” she says. “He actually depends on one or two individuals.”
The 11-year-old mare Simply Be Light will be fairly spooky and is one other “sturdy character”.
“She could be very unbiased,” says Sofie. “She is so in her world that she does not likely let individuals in.”
A ardour for horses – and Bayern Munich!
Sofie attributes a lot of Christian Kukuk’s success within the ring to arduous work behind the scenes.
“He’s very dedicated to the horses,” she reveals. “It’s his solely ardour, other than FC Bayern Munich!
“He’s extraordinarily centered on and devoted to his profession. He has been capable of be taught from Ludger Beerbaum and his recommendation has been invaluable. Nonetheless, I feel he would have been profitable anyway.”
Life on the street as a world showjumping groom will be hectic, however Sofie says she enjoys attending the Majors, together with the forthcoming Dutch Masters, CHIO Aachen, Spruce Meadows Masters Event and CHI Geneva.
“The Majors are unbelievable – they at all times go a step additional and do further to make sure that all the pieces is nice for the grooms, riders, and horses,” she says. “These are additionally the exhibits with essentially the most historical past and so they have such lengthy traditions. The entire organisers be sure that each little element is pretty much as good as it may be for us and the horses, and this makes a giant distinction.
“As Christian is German, the CHIO Aachen is one thing very particular. Normally, once we get to those exhibits, it feels completely different. It’s actually a singular feeling if you end up round these arenas.”
With due to Rolex Grand Slam.
You may additionally be keen on:
Simply the tonic: successful the accumulator at HOYS – after a confidence hit at Dublin – was the right increase, says Jodie Corridor McAtteer.
Credit score: Peter Nixon
Kevin Staut in motion at Spruce Meadows and groom Mathilde Schmidt.
Credit score: Ashley Neuhof / Rolex Grand Slam
German showjumper Richard Vogel in motion on United Contact S, who’s sorted by groom Felicia Wallin.
Credit score: FEI
Credit score: Future
Keep in contact with all of the information within the run-up to and all through the key exhibits and occasions throughout 2025 with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe at this time for all that you must know forward of those main occasions, plus on-line stories on the motion because it occurs from our professional crew of reporters and in-depth evaluation in our particular commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Arrange your limitless web site entry now
H&H showjumping editor
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her position as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the globe reporting from exhibits and interviewing riders, connections and people concerned behind the scenes. Since becoming a member of H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on each topic throughout the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to steady administration — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She additionally has first-hand expertise of working within the equestrian business as a using teacher and yard supervisor.
