What motivates you to take on this job?

I had the privilege to go through the youth program that FEIF had to offer during the years that I was a young rider. The events taught me so much about the Icelandic horse and our way to work and live with them. Over the years, I was able to make international friendships and feel the great bond of community that exists in the Icelandic horse world. As I grew up, I also got to know a lot of people doing valuable honorary (youth) work and the sweat and passion they put into this work. This feels like a good time for me and my generation to hand on the knowledge and experience that we were able to benefit from and to bring our sport to the next level of professionalism through dynamic youth work.

What do you want to achieve during the time of your office?

My aim is to spread the passion for the Icelandic horse in an international environment to the next generation of young riders. In my opinion, education is the key to better understanding the welfare and social licence to operate with our horses. In educating young riders, we are creating role models for the next generations. By spreading the passion for the Icelandic horse we can keep the young talented riders of today in our sport for a lifetime. 

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m a mother of two young children and together with my husband I run an Icelandic horse farm in Switzerland near Zurich. We offer all the services that horse farming has to offer, teaching, training, breeding and lodging horses. Youth work is a very important task in my everyday life as we teach youngsters from 7 years of age. Our customers are beginners right up to world championship riders – so literally any level. What is more, we educate young people to become the riding teachers of tomorrow up to FEIF Level 2 at our farm. In addition to my horse related education, I’m a trained social worker and worked with teenagers in secondary schools before living and working with Icelandic horses full time.