Vivi & Christian Vang Lauridsen (& Holger) - photo: H2R
Back in June H2R went visiting Vivi and Christian Vang Lauridsen (CVL Horses) to get to know a bit more about their everyday and business.
Vivi and Christian are based at North Sealand, Græsted with just a short drive to one of the best sandy beaches in Denmark, named Tisvilde.
Both Vivi and Chrisitian has a lot of experience but originally from seperate parts of the horse world. Vivi comes with all her experience from the dressage world, while Christian brings his experience mostly from the racing horses and also the jumping horses. Together they have build up a very successful sales stable in order to develop and educate top dressage horses, and has over the years sold horses to clients all from over the world, recently most “famous” international Danish World Champion, Marshall Bell.
Entering the farm around 10 in the morning a lot of activity was going on. Vivi was teaching in the dressage arena, while Christian was in the saddle of his young jumping horse in the nearby jumping arena. During the week Vivi has as full schedule as possible teaching clients from outside and at the same time teaching own riders riding young talented CVL horses. This week was particular busy as Vivi had four combinations getting ready for Nordic Baltic Championships.
The daily routine at the stable is with full activity during the morning including riding and field time for all horses, and when it´s lunch time all horses are having a rest at the stable, like the way of doing it for the race horses, tells Christian.
When having a cup of coffee and nice pastery (shared with Holger) Vivi was teaching a client and both riders Michala Damm-Frydenberg and Henrik Palm Toft were busy in the arena riding talented young horses. When talking about development and education of the horses, both Vivi and Christian are very focused on the correct education, meaning building up the horses in a schedule fitted into each horse. As Christian tells: “We never focus on young championships, as we find it difficult to ask ex. 4 year old or 5 year old horses to be able to show their best in such a young age. They are often much more mature body wise and from their mindset towards 6 year old.”
Marshall Bell & Daniel Bachmann Andersen enjoying the moment with their team during European Championships 2021 in Hagen - photo: H2R
During the last couple of years they have made a successful coorporation with international top rider Daniel Bachmann Andersen. The relationship between Vivi and Daniel goes back to where Daniel started his riding career as a pony rider, and at that time taking lesson from Morten Thomsen, former husband of Vivi. Typically Daniel takes over the reins, when the horses has got their solid basic education and are about 6 or 7 years old. “The major plan for the horses moving to Daniels place is to educate them at Grand Prix level and of course with the eyes of a potential sale”, says Christian Vang Lauridsen.
In between riding horses for Vivi and Christian, Michala is training her own Laissez Faire L with guidance from Vivi - photo: H2R
Breeding
Over the years Vivi has been breeding from some of the successful mares been in the sport. At the moment a sister of Zippo M.I. by Florencio has been producing some really nice offspring, currently with a lovely black filly by Iron.
As Vivi and Christian also loves to purchase a few foals or youngsters each year, they have two properties for the youngsters, next door where Vivi each morning brings her coffee to the stable watching their behavior during the morning feeding.
Rider Michala Damm-Frydenberg ready with another CVL horse for training, flanked by Christian Vang Lauridsen - photo: H2R