Who is Ellesse Jordan Tzinberg
Ellesse Jordan Tzinberg was born on December 17, 1991, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has an American/Australian father and Filipino/Spanish mother. She starting riding at an early age of 6, began competing at age 8, and launched her international career at the age of 23 in Europe.
The young Ellesse first sat on a horse at age 4. Her father had acquired a young, unbroken, off-the-track-thoroughbred who quickly became part of the family. Hacking around without any fear the 18 hand gentle giant, it soon became clear that equestrian and horses were to be a large part of Ellesse’s life.
At 12 years old, Ellesse became the highest ranked dressage rider in the FEI World Dressage Challenge “under 14” age group in her region in Asia. She maintained this title for the next 3 years earning an invite each year to ride and train in germany and compete in the FEI finals at the prestigious Horses & Dreams event at Hof Kasselmann.
At 14 years old, Ellesse’s showjumping career began to develop with her dressage as she compete in the KL Grand Prix 2 years in a row. At 15, she earned the victory of Young Rider World Cup champion in Asia and continued to earn several other showjumping and dressage championships around her region.
In 2008,16 year old Ellesse left the nest to live in the USA where she was awarded a NCAA equestrian scholarship at Kansas State University where she compete on their English Varsity team.
January 2009, Ellesse suffered a devastating car crash on the midwest ice, totalling her car and her physical ability. Months of rehab, rest, and treatment were needed eventually resulting in her moving west to San Diego, California where she received pristine care and rehabilitation while she earned her university degree at the University of San Diego.
In the summer of 2010, while walking the streets of Paris, Ellesse was scouted and offered a modelling contract to work as a professional, agency-represented model. After a full season, Ellesse signed with Wunder Model Management Los Angeles where she stayed at and worked full time while studying as a commercial/print/runway model.
After 4 years of putting her equestrian career on hold, Ellesse returned to the sport initially “just for fun”. By luck, the very green mare she had found showed exceptional talent to be a jumper. So, with trial and error and recalling old jumping lessons, Ellesse was able to bring up the fiery mare until she joined the team at Hegewisch Stables, Del Mar, CA.
For the next couple years, Ellesse competed the mare up the levels in several competitions with a base in San Diego and Thermal, California. Finally bringing her up into the Grand Prix ring at HITS Thermal, Ellesse sold the mare earning her a comfortable earning and new found passion for the sport.
In 2014, Ellesse made the decision that in order to be successful and rediscover her dressage career, she had to be in Europe. Selling everything in California except some clothes and her 2 jack russell terriers, she left behind the beaches and headed to Skane, Sweden to be at her new base with Charlotte and Rasmus Haid-Bondergaard- husband and wife team very well known for their training and success in dressage. Ellesse set her goal to ride for the Philippines at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The young Ellesse first sat on a horse at age 4. Her father had acquired a young, unbroken, off-the-track-thoroughbred who quickly became part of the family. Hacking around without any fear the 18 hand gentle giant, it soon became clear that equestrian and horses were to be a large part of Ellesse’s life.
At 12 years old, Ellesse became the highest ranked dressage rider in the FEI World Dressage Challenge “under 14” age group in her region in Asia. She maintained this title for the next 3 years earning an invite each year to ride and train in germany and compete in the FEI finals at the prestigious Horses & Dreams event at Hof Kasselmann.
At 14 years old, Ellesse’s showjumping career began to develop with her dressage as she compete in the KL Grand Prix 2 years in a row. At 15, she earned the victory of Young Rider World Cup champion in Asia and continued to earn several other showjumping and dressage championships around her region.
In 2008,16 year old Ellesse left the nest to live in the USA where she was awarded a NCAA equestrian scholarship at Kansas State University where she compete on their English Varsity team.
January 2009, Ellesse suffered a devastating car crash on the midwest ice, totalling her car and her physical ability. Months of rehab, rest, and treatment were needed eventually resulting in her moving west to San Diego, California where she received pristine care and rehabilitation while she earned her university degree at the University of San Diego.
In the summer of 2010, while walking the streets of Paris, Ellesse was scouted and offered a modelling contract to work as a professional, agency-represented model. After a full season, Ellesse signed with Wunder Model Management Los Angeles where she stayed at and worked full time while studying as a commercial/print/runway model.
After 4 years of putting her equestrian career on hold, Ellesse returned to the sport initially “just for fun”. By luck, the very green mare she had found showed exceptional talent to be a jumper. So, with trial and error and recalling old jumping lessons, Ellesse was able to bring up the fiery mare until she joined the team at Hegewisch Stables, Del Mar, CA.
For the next couple years, Ellesse competed the mare up the levels in several competitions with a base in San Diego and Thermal, California. Finally bringing her up into the Grand Prix ring at HITS Thermal, Ellesse sold the mare earning her a comfortable earning and new found passion for the sport.
In 2014, Ellesse made the decision that in order to be successful and rediscover her dressage career, she had to be in Europe. Selling everything in California except some clothes and her 2 jack russell terriers, she left behind the beaches and headed to Skane, Sweden to be at her new base with Charlotte and Rasmus Haid-Bondergaard- husband and wife team very well known for their training and success in dressage. Ellesse set her goal to ride for the Philippines at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
After feeling what it was like to have almost everything I loved taken away from me, I want more than ever to be successful in this sport
In 2015, with a big goal and very little time, Ellesse debuted her international dressage career in U25 Grand Prix level with her horse Pavarotti. She continued to compete in several international CDI events at Grand Prix level including top events like CDI Perl, CDI Kaposvar, CDI Zakrzow and CDI Rosendaal.
In 2016, together with her coach and family, they made the decision to head to Wellington, Florida (the winter equestrian capital) where she was the first rider from Asia to compete in the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. There, she also became the first rider to place and ribbon at the festival in the CDI Grand Prix events. Additionally, Ellesse achieved her personal best score in a kur during the Global Dressage Festival National Grand Prix Kur class where she won and earned 78%.
Returning to Europe in spring 2016, Ellesse continued to compete in international CDI events including Hagen, Odense, and Falsterbo where she was in the top 5 in both the CDI5* U25GP and U25 Kur. She also competed in the Swedish championships in Stromsholm where she qualified for the U25 Championship Finals.
The summer of 2016 brought the young grand prix rider a big moment to remember where she won her first Grand Prix at the Everlovs Midsommer Dressage Fest. Later that summer, Ellesse was top 3 in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Kur at the Varberg International Summer Horse Show.
In October, 2016, Ellesse acquired the Grand Prix horse Triviant, a horse very well-known both for his quality and unique personality. With Triviant added to her team of Pavarotti (her first Grand Prix horse) and Quintessential (her 2014 Gelding that she bred), Ellesse has her eyes set on developing her competition career in dressage and continuing to add to her team of high-quality, unique horses.
In the very early months of 2017, Ellesse competed both Triviant and Pavarotti in Wellington, Florida and in the highly-respected Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI series in the big tour classes. Both horses, achieved fantastic results, many many ribbons including first place ribbons and Ellesse ecstatically received personal bests and scores in the 70s on both geldings. Among these results, it was the first time in Adequan Global Dressage Festival History that the Philippines flag waved proudly in the Top 3 of a CDI event when she came third with Triviant in the CDI3* Grand Prix Kur final.
Ellesse is working towards improving her scores in Grand prix international CDIs and national shows in the near future as well as developing and progress with future talent. Long time goals such as qualifying for championships were achieved in 2018 as she not only qualified for 1, but 2 international championships in Dressage. In April 2018, Ellesse was one of the Top 18 finalists to be qualified for and compete in the FEI World Cup Finals Paris. Later that year following several placings and wins at international CDI Grand Prixs around North American, Ellesse qualified and competed at the 2018 World Equestrian Games Tryon with her own Triviant 2. With these goals achieved, Ellesse is more determined and inspired than ever to continue her pursuit of success by qualifying for more future championships (especially an Olympic Games), to continue working with such spectacular animals and to help others reach their dreams in equestrian sport. Additionally Ellesse will be looking to grow her already strong young team of horses for herself as well as take on special sale horses and clients!
Currently, Ellesse and her horses are based in Wellington, FL and do travel around the North American, Canadian and Europe circuit in the summers. Ellesse and her fiancee, Henrik Gundersen, work together closely with her dressage horses and his showjumpers and Ellesse gets additional guidance and help from top trainer Rune Willum.
In 2016, together with her coach and family, they made the decision to head to Wellington, Florida (the winter equestrian capital) where she was the first rider from Asia to compete in the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. There, she also became the first rider to place and ribbon at the festival in the CDI Grand Prix events. Additionally, Ellesse achieved her personal best score in a kur during the Global Dressage Festival National Grand Prix Kur class where she won and earned 78%.
Returning to Europe in spring 2016, Ellesse continued to compete in international CDI events including Hagen, Odense, and Falsterbo where she was in the top 5 in both the CDI5* U25GP and U25 Kur. She also competed in the Swedish championships in Stromsholm where she qualified for the U25 Championship Finals.
The summer of 2016 brought the young grand prix rider a big moment to remember where she won her first Grand Prix at the Everlovs Midsommer Dressage Fest. Later that summer, Ellesse was top 3 in both the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Kur at the Varberg International Summer Horse Show.
In October, 2016, Ellesse acquired the Grand Prix horse Triviant, a horse very well-known both for his quality and unique personality. With Triviant added to her team of Pavarotti (her first Grand Prix horse) and Quintessential (her 2014 Gelding that she bred), Ellesse has her eyes set on developing her competition career in dressage and continuing to add to her team of high-quality, unique horses.
In the very early months of 2017, Ellesse competed both Triviant and Pavarotti in Wellington, Florida and in the highly-respected Adequan Global Dressage Festival CDI series in the big tour classes. Both horses, achieved fantastic results, many many ribbons including first place ribbons and Ellesse ecstatically received personal bests and scores in the 70s on both geldings. Among these results, it was the first time in Adequan Global Dressage Festival History that the Philippines flag waved proudly in the Top 3 of a CDI event when she came third with Triviant in the CDI3* Grand Prix Kur final.
Ellesse is working towards improving her scores in Grand prix international CDIs and national shows in the near future as well as developing and progress with future talent. Long time goals such as qualifying for championships were achieved in 2018 as she not only qualified for 1, but 2 international championships in Dressage. In April 2018, Ellesse was one of the Top 18 finalists to be qualified for and compete in the FEI World Cup Finals Paris. Later that year following several placings and wins at international CDI Grand Prixs around North American, Ellesse qualified and competed at the 2018 World Equestrian Games Tryon with her own Triviant 2. With these goals achieved, Ellesse is more determined and inspired than ever to continue her pursuit of success by qualifying for more future championships (especially an Olympic Games), to continue working with such spectacular animals and to help others reach their dreams in equestrian sport. Additionally Ellesse will be looking to grow her already strong young team of horses for herself as well as take on special sale horses and clients!
Currently, Ellesse and her horses are based in Wellington, FL and do travel around the North American, Canadian and Europe circuit in the summers. Ellesse and her fiancee, Henrik Gundersen, work together closely with her dressage horses and his showjumpers and Ellesse gets additional guidance and help from top trainer Rune Willum.
