Carolina Villanueva Suarez: Turning Dreams Into Reality

What started with a pony, an iPod Touch and a few homemade videos has grown into a career that has taken Mathilde Labat far beyond the stables.

At 24 years old, Swiss showjumper Léon Pieyre has already found himself involved in the sport in more ways than one. And what better place to sit down with him than the CHI de Genève? A Genevois at heart, Léon grew up coming to this show with friends from his pony club, watching from the stands and dreaming of one day riding in the arena himself. Today, he competes in the U25 classes, while also helping shape the show through his role on the Sport and Entertainment Commission and Centenary Committee.

Welcome back to Beyond the Stables, the podcast shining a light on the next generation of top-level showjumpers, hosted by Alysée and Olivia. In this episode, recorded in Geneva, we step beyond our usual showjumping world and into the fascinating world of eventing with German eventing rider Calvin Böckmann. At just 25 years old, Calvin has already competed at the Olympic Games, reached 24th in the world rankings, and was recently crowned Under-25 Eventing World Champion alongside his horse Altair. So, what does it really take to compete in eventing at the highest level while still under 25? In this episode, Calvin takes us behind the scenes of his life as a professional eventing rider. He talks about competing at the Olympics while writing his bachelor's thesis, his training programme, his horses, competition pressure, and the unique lifestyle that comes with competing at the highest level of equestrian sport. We also discover the person behind the athlete. Calvin is thoughtful, incredibly driven and, in his own words, a bit of a “nerd” although we would probably describe him as impressively meticulous and deeply passionate about everything he does. Whether you already follow eventing, are passionate about showjumping and horses, or are discovering the discipline for the first time, this conversation offers a fascinating look at what it takes to reach the very top of international equestrian sport. So, let’s take you back to Geneva and introduce you to Calvin Böckmann. Before we get into today's conversation, we want to introduce you to EQUUSIR, our partner for this episode. Calvin and Altair have just become the first Under-25 Eventing World Champions, and an achievement like that is about so much more than performance alone. It is also about understanding how your horse is feeling, how they recover, and what they need to keep showing up happy, confident and ready to do their best. That is why Calvin has chosen EQUUSIR, and why we are so excited to be working with them on this episode. What we really like about their approach is that it is centred around listening more closely to the horse and supporting them as a whole: their body, their mind and their nervous system. And, as you will hear throughout this episode, this is something Calvin really cares about. Because for us, and for Calvin, the most special thing is not simply having a high-performance horse. It is having a happy, healthy horse who genuinely wants to do it with you. If you would like to better understand and support your horse, make sure to take a look at EQUUSIR. Episode Partner: EQUUSIR

This week on Beyond the Stables, we sit down with Robin Muhr during the FEI Jumping World Cup™ at Equita Lyon. Robin talks us through his journey in the sport, from growing up in a horse family in the south of France to competing at some of the biggest championships. We look back at his Olympic Games with Galaxy, the moments that have shaped his career so far, and what he's learned along the way. We also chat about life outside the ring, the people who have influenced him, and the routines that help him perform at the top level. As always, Beyond the Stables is about getting to know the person behind the rider. Robin's laid-back sense of humour made this one a lot of fun to record, with plenty of laughs alongside an honest conversation about life in elite showjumping. If you enjoy showjumping, equestrian sport, and hearing from riders competing at the highest level, we hope you enjoy this episode !

This week on Beyond the Stables, we're joined by Íñigo López de la Osa Franco, Monaco's rising showjumper. We caught up with Íñigo at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Madrid to talk about his journey through the sport. Born to a Spanish and Italian family before choosing to represent Monaco, he's already competed under three flags and is now competing at the highest level of international showjumping. In this episode, we chat about his first years in the sport, making the step up to five-star competition, training in the Netherlands, and his move to France to ride with the Delestre family. We also get into his training routine, fitness, recovery, and what life looks like outside the ring. As always, Beyond the Stables is about getting to know the person behind the rider, and Inigo's sense of humour definitely comes through in this one. If you enjoy showjumping, equestrian sport, the Longines Global Champions Tour, and hearing honest conversations with the next generation of top riders, we hope you enjoy this episode.