By Alice Collins for Wellington International
Wellington, Fla. – March 20, 2026—Now in its seventh year at AGDF, the Lövsta Future Challenge Developing Grand Prix Horse Final saw its champion’s blanket awarded—fittingly—to one of the series’ own architects. The ever-popular program drew a record 51 entries across its five qualifiers in 2026.
Swedish Olympian Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén rode the nine-year-old gelding So Perfect (Sezuan x Sir Donnerhall) to the title with 71%. Canada’s Lindsay Kellock Duckworth stood reserve champion on Enterprise Farm Equestrian, LLC’s Kensington with 70.184%. Adding a third flag to the podium, Dawn White-O’Connor (USA) finished third with 68.974% on Leon.
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén & So Perfect. Photo ©Centre Line Media
The final, in which horses performed the FEI Young Horse Grand Prix test, took place in the main arena and offered a prize pot of $15,000. The series is open to horses from eight to 11 years old. The class encourages riders to bring their up-and-coming international quality horses out in an ornately dressed arena and championship-type atmosphere without the pressures of a CDI. All qualifying rounds held throughout AGDF 2025 used the FEI Intermediate II test, so the final was a step up.
“It was so great that I could ride in this, to participate in the series and also promote it,” said Vilhelmson Silfvén, who has only been riding the nine-year-old So Perfect since buying him from Helgstrand Dressage in June 2025. “Initially, we started the developing young horse classes in Sweden in 2011 because we saw how popular they were in Germany. Then we wanted to give something back to the place we live in the winter.
“A lot of very good horses came out this year. You can see that they’re young, they’re green—but they’re supposed to be. They’re getting to learn the atmosphere and the routine. I’m so pleased with So Perfect this season. He’s very green, and he’s never done these classes before. Being able to ride in the big ring, he gets more secure every week.
“I’m just enjoying the ride with him,” continued Vilhelmson Silfvén. “I want to be careful with him. I want to do the right things to get him the right experiences. How he was tonight, especially in the prize-giving, saying, ‘Look at me!’, that feeling is wonderful.”
Watch The Winning Test
Vilhelmson Silfvén and her long-time collaborator, Lövsta Stuteri’s owner Antonia Ax:son Johnson, announced that they will donate Vilhelmson Silfvén’s prize money and funds totalling $6,000 to Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center to facilitate the running of a summer camp for children in care.
A grooms prize was awarded to each of the caregivers of the top three horses. Vilhelmson Silfvén’s groom Emilia Hallerskog was handed a check for $1,000, with both Kellock Duckworth’s groom Brianna Larkin and White-O’Connor’s groom Francisco Tomas each picking up a $750 prize.
Reserve champion Kellock Duckworth gave birth to her second child just five months ago, but still felt that the 11-year-old Kensington (Vivaldi x Sir Sinclair) was on top form in the final, even though she had a break from riding him.
Lindsay Kellock Duckworth & Kensington. Photo ©Centre Line Media
“It was his second time in the stadium, and he brought his A-game for me,” she said. “He’s the best partner I could ask for. He’s kind of picking me up as we go along, so I’m super proud of him. It’s great to be able to go in there with a developing grand prix horse and not feel the pressure but still be able to check in with everything like the piaffe and the one-times and see where they’re at in this environment.”
White O’Connor, who piloted Four Winds Farm’s nine-year-old Leon (Decor Ferdinand x Rubiquil), echoed the sentiments, adding, “It’s a great class to get him in there with more atmosphere than just showing in the national rings. It’s a good bridge into the bigger classes.”
Dawn White-O’Connor & Leon. Photo ©Centre Line Media
Antonia Ax:son Johnson of series sponsor Lövsta Stuteri said: “We’ve been doing this here for seven years, but Tinne had this vision over 20 years ago. We were just trying to find a way to bridge the gap to the unbelievably difficult grand prix level—that’s where it all started.”
Click for full results of the Lövsta Future Challenge Final.
Tinne Vilhelmson Silfvén & So Perfect are presented as winners of the Lövsta Future Challenge Developing Grand Prix Horse Final by Antonia Ax:son Johnson (left) and Judge at C Janet Lee Foy (right). Photo ©Centre Line Media
Competition in AGDF 11 continues on Saturday, March 21, with the first of two senior big tour classes, the Diamante Farms CDI3* Grand Prix Special, starting at 10am ET, and the Modon FEI Nations Cup CDIO3* Grand Prix Special starting at 2.25pm ET. Week 11, Nations Cup week, marks the last international dressage show of the 2026 AGDF, with Week 12 featuring national classes. Click here for the 2027 dates. For more information, results, and to watch all the classes in the International Arena live or on catch-up, visit www.wellingtoninternational.com.
