On Thursday next week, Ankarcrona will select the five riders who will compete in the championship in A Coruña, Spain, July 16-20.
Henrik von Eckermann will likely be the only remaining rider from the team that won Olympic Games and World Championship gold in 2021 and 2022 – but not on the super horse King Edward, with which he has had great success over several years.
Nor is Iliana, with which he competed in the World Cup final in Basel, a contender.
He is probably a given anchor in the team if nothing unexpected happens. He has a bunch of horses to choose from, says Gretzer.
Well-known names are missing
Out of the running are three riders with enormous international experience: Malin Baryard Johnsson, Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, and Jens Fredricson. And it is far from certain that double individual Olympic Games silver medalist Peder Fredricson will get a place in the team that will defend the European Championship gold from Milan 2023.
So who will join Henrik von Eckermann? Maria Gretzer, former national team rider and national team captain, believes that Amanda Landeblad will make her championship debut on For Killy.
She has been very consistent since last season and feels even more stable now.
On Midsummer Eve, the third leg of the League of Nations will be decided. Sweden has had a rocky start and is ninth out of ten teams. At the same time, the competitions in Rotterdam are the last chance for some riders to convince for the European Championship.
In addition to Landeblad, Petronella Andersson, Wilma Hellström, and Erika Lickhammer van Helmond will compete.
It will be very important. As national team captain, you want to see teams that produce consistent results and do not make any mistakes. You also look at how they handle water obstacles. There will certainly be spectacular water combinations at the European Championship, says Gretzer.
"Not ruled out"
She does not dare to do Ankarcrona's job and select a team, but guesses that both Andersson and Hellström (who were part of the gold team in 2023) are clearly contenders.
Since the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the Swedish show jumpers have only missed the podium – individually or in teams – in two championships. The Olympic Games in Versailles last summer were a major failure.
Is the golden era over?
Such a team as we had at the Olympic Games and World Championship, when they took gold in both places, we will probably have to wait a while for. But those who go to the European Championship are not ruled out. At the same time, we should not saw them off if they do not take a medal. We have to tone down and maybe be a little more humble for a few years, says Maria Gretzer.
But she adds:
At the European Championship in Milan, I thought that if they take a bronze, we will really beat the drum and celebrate. And then they went and won. It shows that it is possible with a partially new team.
For almost ten years, the Swedish show jumping team has celebrated triumphs in championships. They have won a total of ten medals in seven out of nine Olympic Games, World Championships, or European Championships.
Olympic Games 2016 in Rio de Janeiro: Peder Fredricson, silver individually.
European Championship 2017 in Gothenburg: Peder Fredricson, gold individually, silver in teams.
World Championship 2018 in Tryon: Silver in teams.
Olympic Games 2021 in Tokyo: Gold in teams, Peder Fredricson, silver individually.
European Championship 2021 in Riesenbeck: Peder Fredricson, bronze individually.
World Championship 2022 in Herning: Henrik von Eckermann, gold individually, gold in teams.
European Championship 2023 in Milan: Gold in teams.
