Experience Quinn G. and Fiona at the Gala Show
The triple World Champion DV mare Quinn G. and Olympic rider Fiona Bigwood will be part of Dansk Varmblod’s spectacular gala shows.
Fiona Bigwood and Quinn G. with the mare after her third World Championship win last year in Verden. Photo: Ridehesten.com
It’s quite a scoop by the show committee – Olympic rider Fiona Bigwood (GBR) will participate in a spectacular performance during Danish Warmblood gala shows on Friday and Saturday evening with the triple World Champion Quinn G. The impressive mare, now 8 years old, is well on her way in her dressage training towards Grand Prix. Quinn G. has gained fans worldwide after her three wins at the World Championships, first under Betina Jæger and the last two years under her owner Fiona Bigwood. The pair will be part of a very special performance in this year’s gala shows, and the audience can look forward to their presentation and interpretation of one of the many fairy tales featured in the gala shows, which this year have the theme: Fairy Tales.
10 and 10 from Cathrine
It was Dennis Fisker who rode Quinn G. to victory in the Suitability Test, and a few months later the talented mare was purchased by Helgstrand Dressage. This meant that Betina Jæger and Quinn G. together began their journey toward the World Championships final at Danish Warmblood Young Horse Championship in Herning back in 2023. At that time, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour was the test rider in the final. – “This is really a horse I would fall for if I tried her. She is ‘bright’ in her mind, easy on the reins, and holds her neck beautifully. She always offers me the right thing. Easy to control. As Cathrine said, in rideability, she could give nothing but 10, and the same score was given for her potential. Looking back after winning World Championship gold three years in a row, yes, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour’s assessment of the mare held true all the way.”
Betina and Quinn G. won the Young Horse Championship with an exceptional 973 points. They were naturally selected to represent Danish Warmblood at the World Championships in Ermelo that same year, where they gained international fans after a confident victory in the final.
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour as test rider on Quinn G. in Herning, and later the same year Betina Jæger and the DV mare won gold at the World Championships in Ermelo. Photo: Ridehesten.com
Sold to England
Fiona Bigwood visited Helgstrand Dressage to try horses and immediately fell for Quinn G., who got a new home with Fiona in England. Fiona is well known in Denmark, as she came here at the age of 19 to train with Hasse Hoffmann at Søholt for three years. There she met rider Anders Dahl, and together they have three children. Fiona has been part of the British national team at several championships. She won Olympic team silver with Atterupgaards Orthilia, who was sold the following year to national rider Agnete Kirk Thinggaard.
Fiona has extensive experience in training and riding Grand Prix horses, but no experience in riding championship classes for young horses. Therefore, Quinn G. went to the stable of Fiona’s trainer Carl Hester, and it was Olympic gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin who took the reins of the then 6-year-old Quinn G. Their partnership resulted in 96.8% at their first performance together. After a video of a training session (not Quinn G.) was released, Dujardin was suspended and could not ride Quinn at the World Championships. Carl Hester was supposed to take over the mare, but a few weeks before the championship he was unable to, so Fiona had to ride her herself.
Hear her talk about their final ride in a video interview from Ermelo, where they won gold.
Helene Geervliet – This is my life
Quinn G. is by Quaterhit/Fassbinder and bred by Helene Geervliet, who runs Stutteri G. near Lynge on Zealand. Helene was born in the Netherlands but raised in Denmark, surrounded by horses throughout her childhood and youth. A career in publishing led to many years living in Italy and Spain, and only in her mid-40s did she return to Denmark. In 2001, Helene began her journey with horse breeding, and in 2014 she moved Helene and her horses to the farm in Lynge. Carsten Vesterskov is the daily manager at the stud. He also discovered that Quinn G.’s dam Fyrstin Laura e. Dassbinder/Lauries Crusador xx, bred by Hanne Lund and Henrik Hansen, was for sale. Quinn G. was the mare’s first foal.
In the January 2025 edition of Ridehesten magazine, a portrait of Stutteri G. was featured.
Helene Geervliet, breeder of Quinn G., pictured here at the UVM award ceremony and at a press conference following the 2025 victory. Photo: Ridehesten.com
Quinn G. in breeding
While the triple World Champion has been busy with her riding career, she has also become the mother of two foals by Vitalis born last year. The foals were born via embryo transfer and surrogate mares. Both foals are registered in Dansk Varmblod. Quinn G. was approved in RDH at her 3-year-old stallion inspection. Even then, she was a big mare at 176 cm.
Fiona Bigwood is also presenting a 3-year-old stallion for approval in Danish Warmblood. The stallion, BPS Gamechanger, is by Glamourdale/Don Juan de Hus out of the Grand Prix mare Donna Bella, who is the daughter of Fiona’s Olympic mare Atterupgaards Orthilia e. Gribaldi.
Quinn G. greeting one of her foals. The two foals resemble each other, and both are registered in Danish Warmblood. Photo: private
Danish Warmblood Stallion Licensing in Herning will take place from March 4–8, and the two spectacular gala shows will be held Friday and Saturday evening.
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