Recovered from 'Horror Bacteria,' Jörgen Westholm Returns to Elitloppet with Two Horses

Swedish harness racing trainer Jörgen Westholm is set to compete in the Elitloppet, one of the world's premier harness races, with his horses Jobspost and Dream Mine. This marks a significant return for Westholm, who has dedicated years to developing his stable and achieving this milestone.

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Elitloppet is like a football final in the Champions League.

Westholm's journey to this point has been fraught with challenges, most notably a severe health crisis in mid-February. He was struck down by a dangerous bacterial infection, described as a "horror bacteria," which caused a high fever and intense pain, leaving him unable to move and hospitalized for two weeks.

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My team has done a great job.

Despite the debilitating infection, which formed a cyst near his tailbone, Westholm has been undergoing an eight-week course of antibiotics. While he has been cleared to train his horses, he is not yet fully recovered to drive them in competitive races. He continues to manage his health while focusing on his horses' performance.

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I am satisfied, but it took time, I have done everything myself.

Westholm, who became the youngest professional trainer in Swedish trotting at 24, has built a state-of-the-art training facility. His stable achieved a record earnings of over 31 million Swedish kronor in 2025, and has already earned over 7.6 million kronor in 2026. He views the Elitloppet as the pinnacle of the sport, comparable to a Champions League final in football.

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I am not a person who dwells on things and wants to look back. Now it's focus on the future and my horses that count.