Bengtsson has steadily matched Zuccero against the top for several years. The pair was part of the team that took the European Championship gold in Milan 2023 and participated in the Olympic Games last summer. Earlier this year, Zuccero showed its class when Bengtsson led the horse to victory in a grand prix over 1.60-meter hurdles in Abu Dhabi.
The plan was for the pair to compete in the European Championship this summer.
Weishaupt new rider
But owner Holsteiner Verband wanted to sell, and from now on, Zuccero will compete with German rider Max Weishaupt in the saddle, writes Tidningen Ridsport.
Weishaupt is participating in his first season of the Global Champions Tour, where he will compete in the same team as his brother Phillip Weishaupt.
Rolf-Göran Bengtsson will turn 63 in June and believes he won't have time to bring forward a new horse of international class.
If he's sold, it's the end of my career, I won't have time to bring up a new horse before I'm too old, so it's with him that I could continue for a few more years, Bengtsson said to the equestrian federation earlier this year.
"RGB" – one of the best
He tells Sydsvenskan that his career at the elite level is probably over.
Yes, I don't have a horse now for what concerns the big sport, and it takes time to get a new horse up to the big classes. Now we'll see how it goes with Caillan and how much he can do. He's the one who competes in the biggest classes of the horses I have. Then I have some younger horses, but "that's it"."
Rolf-Göran Bengtsson is one of Sweden's top show jumpers. The Germany-based veteran has participated in six Olympic Games and was a reserve in the gold team in 2021. Among his top merits are individual Olympic silver in 2008, team Olympic silver in 2004, European Championship gold in 2023, team European Championship bronze in 2013, individual European Championship gold in 2011, individual European Championship bronze in 2001, and team European Championship silver in 2001.
He has been ranked world number one and has won the Global Champions Tour.
