Biography


The talented young Swede Ludwig Svennerstål confirmed at the London Olympics 2012 that he meant business, when he as the youngest rider at the Games, at 21 years old, qualified to compete in the individual finals with his Hanoverian gelding Shamwari. The Swedish team finished just outside the podium in 4th place. Ludwig has since consistently delivered at the highest level, ranking amongst the top 10 in the world on multiple occasions as well as winning CICO***Nations cup and being placed at Badminton, Burghley and Luhmühlen.

ludwigsvennerstal

Ludwig’s ambition to become established on the international stage was realised in 2013, when he won a Team Silver Medal at the European Championships in Malmö, Sweden, with his Olympic horse Shamwari. The horse and rider combination had their eyes on an individual medal, but after two poles came flying down during the final show jumping phase, they had to settle for a team silver and an individual 10th placing.

This strong performance together with 11th place at Luhmülen CCI**** with his other mount King Bob, and 8th place at Burghley CCI****, were major reasons why Ludwig was nominated and the winner of the prestigious international award as Shearwater/ERA Rising Star Award in 2013 at the Event Riders Association’s annual ball.

The award is given to a young rider who has caught the eye of the judges and made their mark on the international circuit with numerous impressive results, and the decision in giving Ludwig the award was unanimously agreed up on by the jury.

Born in Stockholm, 24 August 1990, Ludwig started riding in a local riding school, Östermalms Ridskola, in Stockholm at the age of 7, and three years later he got his first pony, which he shared with his little sister Ellen. He quickly outgrew the pony, and at the early age of 12 was already riding his mother´s horse, Wirginia, who became his first competition partner. At 15, Ludwig moved on to his second horse, Thelma, with whom he won several medals at national and international championships, including Individual Silver and Team Gold at the Young Rider Nordic Baltic Championships and Team Silver at the Junior European Championships.

In 2009, Ludwig finished high school at Enskilda Gymnasiet in Stockholm and told his family and friends that he wanted to be part of the Swedish Team at the Olympic Games in London 2012.

His friends were laughing, but Ludwig was determined and focused on the task. He brought his top horses Shamwari and Alexander to England and trained for three years with Chris Bartle, British International event and dressage rider, winner of Badminton Horse Trials in 1998 and European Team Gold Medallist in 1997. With the guidance of Chris, Ludwig won his place on the Swedish Team who finished in 4th place at the Olympic Games in London 2012 and a Team Silver medal at the European Championships 2013.

After a brilliant couple of years with Chris, Ludwig moved his horses to double Olympic Gold medallist and eventing legend Mark Todd in 2014 and kick started the season with a great performance at Badminton 2014 to finish in 8th place with Alexander. In 2015 Ludwig finished 14th in Luhmulhen CCI**** and was placed at both Aachen CICO*** and Chatsworth CIC*** with multiple horses and in 2016 Ludwig won the Nations Cup CICO*** in Strzegom with King Bob, beating the current  World Number One, European and Olympic Champion just over a month away from the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. This secured Ludwig’s selection to his second Olympic Games and his 7th consecutive Championship for Sweden. At Rio de Janeiro Ludwig partnered the young but talented Aspe, who at only 8 years old was the youngest horse at the Games. They finished on a respectable 26th place just outside the individual final. Learning from the disadvantages of riding an inexperienced and young horse at such a difficult competition, Ludwig is now making great efforts to have a strong team ready for Tokyo 2020 in pursuit of an individual Olympic medal.

Results

  • 2017 – Le Lion d’Angers World Championship for Young Horses CCI**7yo 5th Box Leo
  • 2017 – Strzegom European Championships 15th Paramount Importance, Team Silver
  • 2017 – Hartpury CIC*** 3rd El Kazir SP
  • 2017 – Gatcombe CIC***ERM 2nd Balham Mist
  • 2017 – Burgham CIC* 1st Fialotta
  • 2017 – Burgham CIC** 2nd El Kazir SP
  • 2017 – Bramham CCI*** 14th Paramount Importance
  • 2017 – Houghton Hall CICO*** 12th Stinger, 22nd Paramount Importance
  • 2017 – Rockingham CIC** 3rd Box Leo
  • 2017 – Ballindenisk CCI*** 6th Balham Mist
  • 2017 – Ballindenisk CCI** 2nd Stinger
  • 2017 – Ballindenisk CIC** 1st Box Leo
  • 2016 – Blenheim CIC***8/9yo 11th Paramount Importance
  • 2016 – Bicton CIC** 5th Win and Love
  • 2016 – Bicton CIC* 5th Stinger
  • 2016 – Olympic Games Rio de Janeiro 27th Aspe, 8th with the Team 
  • 2016 – Strzegom CICO*** 1st King Bob, 10th Aspe
  • 2016 – Houghton Hall CCI* 5th Box Leo
  • 2016 – Saumur CCI*** 18th Aspe
  • 2016 – Chatsworth CIC* Silver Skymaster 1st, Box Leo 3rd
  • 2016 – Ballindenisk CICO*** 5th Southway
  • 2016 – Ballindenisk CCI** 3rd Paramount Importance
  • 2016 – Ballindenisk CIC* 7th Silver Skymaster
  • 2016 – Belton CIC** 1st Master Ping, 6th Franzipan
  • 2016 – Burnham Market CIC** 2nd Master Ping, 13th Paramount Importance
  • 2016 – Burnham Market CIC*** 14th Southway, 15th Aspe
  • 2015 – Le Lion d’Angers World Championship for Young Horses CCI**7yo 15th Aspe
  • 2015 – Weston Park** 14th Balham Mist
  • 2015 – Bicton CIC** 7th Aspe
  • 2015 – Aachen CICO*** 19th King Bob
  • 2015 – Luhmühlen CCI**** 14th King Bob
  • 2015 – Bramham CCI***u25 9th Franzipan
  • 2015 – Tattersalls CCI* 4th Aspe, 12th Salunette
  • 2015 – Chatsworth CIC*** 13th King Bob 14th Franzipan
  • 2015 – Chatsworth CIC* 2nd Aspe
  • 2014 – Top 10 world ranking
  • 2014 – Badminton CCI**** 8th
  • 2014 – Belton CIC*** 9th
  • 2014 – Hartpury CCI* 6th
  • 2013 – Top 10 world ranking
  • 2013 – Burghley Horse Trials CCI**** 8th King Bob
  • 2013 – Gatcombe CIC*** 11th King Bob, 14th Shamwari
  • 2013 – European Championships 10th Shamwari, Team Silver
  • 2013 – Barbury CIC** 3rd Shamwari, 6th Catania
  • 2013 – Luhmühlen CCI**** 11th King Bob
  • 2013 – Belton CIC*** 6th Alexander, CIC** 4th Catania
  • 2013 – Burnham Market CIC** 4th
  • 2013 – Fontainebleau CICO*** 7th Alexander
  • 2012 – London 2012 Olympic Games 20th Shamwari and 4th with the team
  • 2012 – Aachen CICO*** 11th Shamwari
  • 2012 – Houghton Hall International CICO*** 4th Alexander, 13th Shamwari
  • 2012 – Central Scotland CIC** 1st Shamwari
  • 2012 – Belton CIC*** 5th Shamwari
  • 2011 – Blair Castle European Young Rider Championships 21st Shamwari
  • 2011 – Bramham U25 CCI*** 11th King Bob
  • 2011 – Chatsworth CIC*** 5th Alexander, 10th Shamwari
  • 2011 – Burnham Market CIC*** 2nd Shamwari
  • 2011 – Burnham Market CIC** 6th Livingstone
  • 2011 – Hartpury CCI** 4th Shamwari
  • 2010 – Pardubice European Young Rider Championships 19th King Bob
  • 2010 – Burgie CCI* 1st Livingstone, 5th Alexander
  • 2008 – Thirlstane CH-EU-J-C1* 22nd Thelma
  • 2007 – Avenches CH-EU-J-C1* 16th Thelma, Team Silver
  • 2006 – Ypäjä Nordic Baltic Championships J/YR Individual Silver, Team Gold Thelma