Working Students

Anna Dahlberg

Anna Dahlberg, 28 years old from Gothenburg, Sweden, came to Mette as a working student in 2002. She really enjoyed her time at Mill Creek working for Mette and always wanted to return. In 2004 Anna went to study at the Equine Studies Program at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences at Flyinge (www.flyinge.se). Flyinge was established in 1661 and is the National Stud Farm of Sweden. In 1994, it became a University of Equine Studies. Flyinge has a history of innovation and expertise. As an equestrian education centre, Flyinge provides a solid theoretical and practical foundation for a career as a professional instructor and/or horse trainer, in stable management, in equine-related industries or in consultancy. Flyinge was also for many years the training center for Olympic dressage rider Kyra Kyrklund. Today it is the training center for Olympic show jumping rider Peter Eriksson, the World champion in driving, Marie Karle, the Olympic Eventing rider Pia Pantsu and the World Equestrian Games dressage rider Susanne Gielen.

After two years at Flyinge, Anna graduated with honors and with a diploma as a stable manager. She was such a talented student, that after finishing school, Flyinge offered her a scholarship to study riding with a specialization in dressage at the Ehrengranath Academy. This gave Anna the opportunity to stay for one more year at Flyinge. The Academy's goal is to preserve the best traditions of horsemanship. Anna got to ride many talented young horses, as well as some of the approved stallions. The time at Flyinge gave her a lot of experience in running a professional barn. It also taught her how to run and organize events, such as breeding championships, stallion tests, international dressage and jumping shows and many other type of events. In addition, Anna is a certified trainer in Sweden with a C-trainer license and has obtained a diploma as a groom by passing the Swedish groom examination.

During the three years Anna spent at Flyinge she also had a couple of her own horses to train and compete with. As a result, she qualified her two young horses for the Breeders Trophy at Flyinge and the Scandinavian Open at the Falsterbo horseshow, two major championships for young horses in Sweden. Anna also showed many young horses at the 3,4 and 5 year old tests in Sweden. At the 4 year old test for dressage, in 2005 she and her horse Don Juan (by Don Schufro) had one of the highest qualifying scores in the country.

Since 2007 Anna has worked as Mette’s assistant and she is very happy to be part of Mette’s staff. "To be working for Mette is the best opportunity I could ever wish for," Anna says. "Mette is the most inspiring person I ever met and I'm so thankful for everything I have learned from her. Mette is very hardworking and working for her is all about teamwork. We all work for the same goal which makes it so much fun every day."

Anna continues, "Through my job I get to be part of the daily barn routines and training of all the horses, everything from young horses up to the highest level in dressage. I get to be part of the teaching as well as to follow clinics with other top world class dressage riders/trainers that Mette traines with. I travel together with Mette and her horses to many big FEI shows around the US, and a lot of times I also have horses to show myself. "

In 2009, Anna had the opportunity to have Mette's former Grand Prix horse Basquewille as her schoolmaster to ride every day at home and she competed him successfully up to Intermediare I.

"This is my dream and Im so lucky to be part of Mette Rosencranzt Dressage," says Anna.

Mette's working students