The feisty Norwegian Fjord is our September Breed of the Month on YourDressage! Did you know that dressage riders who choose a registered Fjord as their dressage mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program? The Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry and the Norwegian Fjord Horse Alliance Inc. are participating organizations!
By Alexandria Andrasko
I have always loved horses, and I like to think it’s woven into my DNA. My grandpa grew up on a Belgian horse farm in Germany, coming to the US in his late teen years. Fjords entered my life when my grandparents passed away, and I saw one for sale who shared a birthday with my grandma. It was kismet.
Flinka crashed into my life. Her sale ad was a simple email, with photos of a two-year-old Fjord, and we bought her sight unseen.
Our story was not love at first sight. She was not an affectionate mare, and she would rather strike out than have anything to do with people. We had a vet recommend that we breed her to calm her down some, and that is how Sterling came to be.
While Flinka was pregnant, I would sit in her stall every night for hours, and eventually, she came around. We found out the way to her heart was never leaving her – and sugar cubes.
I was there when Sterling was born. My husband and I slept on an air mattress outside her stall, and he entered the world rather quickly with, thankfully, no complications.
Flinka and I began our dressage journey at HITS Chicago. We debuted at First and Second Level, and she came home with nine blue ribbons, winning every class she entered. A year later, we earned the Third Level scores for my USDF Bronze Medal, again winning every class.
In the summer of 2023, we went out at Fourth Level. She surpassed my expectations once again, winning every class she entered.We finished earning my USDF Silver Medal in 2024 and had started to rack up many high-point ribbons and year-end placings.
We really found our niche at the National Dressage Pony Cup, winning the Fourth Level and Prix St. Georges (PSG) National Championships in 2024, and a year later, the Intermediate 1 and FEI Freestyle Championships.
Andrasko’s Sterling Asmundr (Sterling) made his debut at Third Level in 2024. He had an average of 68% at Third Level, shattering the stereotypes against the breed.
He has since gone on to win Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards at every level since. Sterling has beautiful changes and a natural ability to sit and push from behind. He has earned me my scores for my Silver Medal with Distinction and continues to surpass every milestone Flinka has laid down.
In the winter of 2025, I received a Facebook message from someone at Breyer Horses asking if we would share our story. They are always looking for horses that have great stories, high achievements, and unique breeds. And I believe we have all three.
Then, a few weeks after I shared our story, we had a Zoom call, and I was told Flinka had been selected to be made into a Breyer in 2026. The joy and realization that I would have a model of her was unreal. I don’t think it will ever truly sink in.
We spent the 2026 winter season competing in Wellington, Florida, with Katrina Hiller Dressage. Flinka again won every FEI pony test we entered. It was such a dream to pilot this horse around the Global Dressage Festival, and it really cemented how far we have come on our journey. Everyone from Olympians to bystanders had smiles on their faces as Flinka passed them. I think she is such a great reminder to everyone that dressage is for every horse and everybody.
It finally came time to head to Lexington, Kentucky, for BreyerFest 2026. I have never been to BreyerFest, so I did not know what to expect. It blew us away. I had a line of people for three days straight lining up to meet Flinka. We received artwork, pottery, friendship bracelets, and handwritten notes saying how much this horse meant to everyone. We performed dressage demos each day, and it was the most surreal experience. I think I signed about twenty thousand Flinka Breyer models, and I will never grow tired of seeing her being carried around by thousands.
Flinka has now helped me achieve my USDF Bronze and Silver Medals, as well as my Bronze and Silver Freestyle Bars. She’s also helped me earn half of the scores required for my Gold Medal and Gold Freestyle Bar. Our next chapter is the Grand Prix, which I hope to debut next year. Sterling is schooling much of the Grand Prix as well. My hope is to keep developing him, and earn in the scores needed to compete at a CDI.
It has not been the easiest journey; we have struggled against the stereotype that these horses do not belong at the FEI level. Flinka and Sterling will never be 17-hand horses with long legs. But, they will be the most honest and kind horses you will ever meet. I can take these horses to any environment, and they never once looked at something twice.
My advice to everyone is to find your community and a trainer that uplifts you. It took me a few tries to find the perfect fit, but you will know when it clicks. Get a trainer that advocates for you and your horse, and who has been where you want to go.
My hope is that our story inspires everyone with that non-traditional horse or pony to start showing and putting themselves out there. Adult Amateurs are the backbone of dressage in this country, and I want everyone to love showing their heart horse as much as I have.
