World Cup Rider: “I’m a hardcore riding-school girl”

Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer has always been crazy about horses. She isn’t sure where the interest comes from. Her family is from an island outside Oslo and has no connection to horses at all.
“I rode at a riding school, and when I was eleven my parents bought my favorite pony from the riding school for me. It was a bit crazy because they had no trailer and no car that could tow one, so I had to ride the pony home. It took me two hours,” says Oda Charlotte, who turns 36 this year.

The family moved to an area with more horses, and Oda Charlotte began competing in eventing. She rode the Norwegian Championships and finished third. She sold that pony and used the money to buy a larger one, which she later competed at the European Championships in eventing with.
“But that pony was a bit difficult, and no one wanted to buy it, so I felt I hit a dip. Everyone else my age started riding horses, but I was still stuck with my pony,” Oda Charlotte explains.

Around the same time, Oda Charlotte graduated from upper secondary school but didn’t feel a calling to study. Since it’s difficult to make a living from horses in Norway, she moved to Sweden.
“I trained with Johan Lundh in Sweden, and he arranged a job for me with Claes Brudefors, where I stayed for a year. Then I started teaching at Harplinge Ridklubb. I was there for four years and it was a great time! I worked at the riding school, at H&M in Flygstaden, and ran my own stable.”

After four years, the door to new career opportunities opened again.
“Emma Rosenquist told me I should invest more seriously and arranged a job for me at Stall Hendrix.”

It took five years at Stall Hendrix before Oda Charlotte competed internationally for the first time. It was also at Stall Hendrix that she met the love of her life, Tim Hendrix. Today the couple has two children, Nova, who is nine, and Matheo, who is five.
“It’s hard to combine an elite career with being a mother, but I want to show that it’s possible. I feel I’m a better mother when I get to ride, and a better rider when I get to be a mother. With a lot of great support, it all comes together.”

The next milestone in Oda Charlotte’s career came in 2023, when the fantastic mare Carabella vd Neyen Z was purchased. It was love at first sight.
“We made our five-star debut in Oslo in 2024, and here in Gothenburg in 2025 I made my World Cup debut. I get goosebumps just thinking about that competition,” says Oda Charlotte, who finished fourth.

Since the successful debut in Oslo, Oda Charlotte and Carabella have delivered strong rounds. In this year’s World Cup, the pair has collected 24 points, meaning they will most likely need a placing to reach the final.
“I’ll do my best here in Oslo and in Helsinki. If I get to go, then I’ll go,” says Oda Charlotte.

When it comes to long-term goals, Oda Charlotte is cautious.
“Of course you dream of the World Championships, the Olympics and so on, but it’s difficult and a lot has to come together. I do this mainly because I love riding,” she says.