Second place twice: Charlotta Rogerson shows brilliant results at CHI Basel
Image: Keystone
Bonheur de la Vie is also interested in the show ribbons
Image: Keystone
Walking the path together: Charlotta "Kiki" Rogerson and Bonheur de la Vie.
Image: Keystone
Want to make "Rogerson Equestrian" a brand: Kiki Rogerson with her showpiece horse Bonheur de la Vie
Image: Keystone
Stable work is also part of the job
Image: Keystone
Second place twice: Charlotta Rogerson shows brilliant results at CHI Basel
Image: Keystone
Bonheur de la Vie is also interested in the show ribbons
Image: Keystone
Walking the path together: Charlotta "Kiki" Rogerson and Bonheur de la Vie.
Image: Keystone
Want to make "Rogerson Equestrian" a brand: Kiki Rogerson with her showpiece horse Bonheur de la Vie
Image: Keystone
Stable work is also part of the job
Image: Keystone
Swiss dressage, which has been overshadowed by its former glory days in recent decades, sees Charlotta "Kiki" Rogerson as a beacon of hope. She will be in the spotlight at the CHI Basel.
12.01.2026, 09:54
SDA
Since CHI Basel 2026 at the latest, the name Rogerson has also been firmly established internationally. At the World Cup tournament in the St. Jakobshalle, Kiki, as everyone calls her, made Swiss dressage history. With the gelding Bonheur de la Vie, the woman from central Switzerland rode to 81.290 percent in the freestyle, higher than any Swiss rider before her in a World Cup freestyle. Second place behind Isabell Werth, but a victory for the local sport. She had already finished second in the Grand Prix on Thursday. Basel becomes a symbol: for the breakthrough, for proof that Swiss dressage is once again knocking on the door of the world's top riders.
However, the name Kiki Rogerson should not only stand for results in dressage sport, but also for harmonious, fine riding. First and foremost, the 27-year-old sees herself as a businesswoman who finances her sport herself and runs her own business. Secondly, she wants to establish the name Kiki Rogerson as a brand in dressage sport. And thirdly, "as the icing on the cake", so to speak, sporting success also has its appeal.
Her own company
About the businesswoman: Kiki Rogerson's company has been entered in the commercial register since 2023. She provides equestrian services, in particular the training of horses and riders, the rental of horse boxes including care and the presentation of horses at competitions, plus the purchase, sale and brokerage of horses.
"I ride at least ten horses a day and then give lessons," she told Keystone-SDA at the CHI Basel. A sober description of an everyday life that starts early and ends late. Her working days often last more than twelve hours, driven by the desire to make every horse a little better, and herself as well. She manages no fewer than 18 boxes: "I have one employee who grooms, prepares and cares for my horses. The other three to four grooms are responsible for stable duties and take the horses to the paddock or out to pasture," she says, describing her team.
Kiki Rogerson is not relying on a single trump card, but is aiming for a broad presence at world level. The eight-year-old mare Nice Touch is also expected to have a great career. This four-legged friend is also family-owned and is likely to stay with her.
The name Charlotta Rogerson should mean one thing above all in the future: uncompromising sporting quality. Precision, perfection and daily work form the foundation of her work. The fact that she is pursuing this path without financial safety nets is part of her story. "I'm also a businesswoman. I make a living from it," she says. Passion and livelihood go hand in hand for her.
Creating a brand
About the "Rogerson Equestrian" brand: top international sport not only demands success, but ideally also identity. Kiki Rogerson knows this and is not afraid to strive for this role.
The former gymnast has the appearance, looks and stylistic confidence to become a credible ambassador for her sport. "I want to make dressage sport more visible and get young people excited about it," she emphasizes.
The sporting career
Her sporting success began early on. Kiki Rogerson was born in Hamburg and grew up in Switzerland in a horse-loving family. Her mother is German, her father English. Horses are part of everyday life. As a child, she sat on a pony and combined riding with apparatus gymnastics and vaulting. Until the age of 12, she did competitive gymnastics at BTV Lucerne. A school for body awareness, discipline and mental strength, from which she still benefits in the dressage arena today.
After completing her compulsory schooling, she moved to Germany, completed her A-levels there and ventured straight into equestrian sport. She spent four years training, living and helping out at the stables of her current trainer Oliver Oelrich. She later trained as a rider with Klaus Balkenhol.
She moved into the national spotlight for the first time in 2021. Kiki Rogerson rode Famora into the top ten at the U25 European Championships in Hagen. The mare opened the door to top international sport for her, leading her to the elite squad and a Swiss quota place for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Even if this starting place ultimately did not go to her, Famora remains a key part of her career.
A new chapter began in 2025 with Bonheur de la Vie. Victories and podium places came quickly, this leap in performance would not have been possible with Famora. At the German Masters 2025 in November, Charlotta Rogerson became the first Swiss rider in four decades to win the Grand Prix Special. Basel 2026 finally marks the highlight for the time being.
Aachen casts a shadow ahead
How far it can still go: The result in Basel would have put Kiki Rogerson in the top 6 at the 2025 European Championships. That whets the appetite for more. "We can still improve everywhere," she says. "In Basel, the piaffe were not what they could be."
On the other hand, it is important to confirm what has been achieved. "We struggled with the flying changes at first," she says. These are something personal. It takes time for a horse to recognize the help you give. "Now in Basel, the changes were a strength, as were the passages."
The 14-year-old horse should lead her into the freestyle final of the top 15 at the World Championships in Aachen this summer and carry her all the way to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. An ambitious but achievable goal for a dressage rider who will be ranked 47th in the world at the start of 2026.
