DRESSPROD

The 2026 World Dressage Championships got underway at 8:20 a.m. today. The schedule for today and Wednesday features the Grand Prix, split into two groups; tomorrow's final standings will determine the team rankings. The stakes are high for the 19 nations fielding teams: they are vying to finish among the top six—excluding the United States—thereby securing qualification for the Los Angeles Olympic Games. Data specialist David Stickland recently highlighted the scores needed

While French dressage will be represented this week in Aachen by the four combinations selected by the FFE, French breeding will also be prominently seen through no fewer than three horses, enough to form a theoretical team, all bred by Sylvain Massa. Three horses, three riders, three nations… and a single breeding farm. In Aachen, where the world’s top combinations are gathering this week for the World Championships, the Massa stud farm boasts a truly unique level of represe

A quelques jours des Championnats du Monde d'Aix la Chapelle, les Etats-Unis viennent encore de procéder à un changement dans la composition de l'équipe qui défendra ses couleurs : après la sortie de Jordan Laplaca & Gold Play ce sont cette fois Genay Vaughn & Gino qui ont été remplacés. Finaliste de la Coupe du Monde en 2025 où ils terminaient 14 èmes, Genay Vaughn & Gino portaient cette saison les couleurs américaines sur la Coupe des Nations de Hagen : ils signaient alors

The World Breeding Championships for Young Horses continue in Verden. Following yesterday's sensation—Charlotte Dujardin's Secret Agent—this Saturday was highlighted by the 6-year-old final, which was won by Dannebrog. Winners of the Preliminary test, Betina Jaeger and Faustino G could easily have seen the gold slip through their fingers. Highly elastic, fluid, and active at the trot, and performing walk half-pirouettes that were clearly superior to those of many other compet

Following the 5- and 6-year-olds, it was the turn of the 7-year-olds to take to the Verden arena this morning—a category that often offers a glimpse of future stars of the discipline. Notable among them is the standout horse Glamourdale. Forty-one combinations competed. Although she was on the British shortlist for the Aachen World Championships with Braveheart, Charlotte Dujardin will not be joining the senior British team this year. Nevertheless, this morning she laid the g

2026 World Breeding Championships for Young Horses, Day 2: while the afternoon is dedicated to the 6-year-old Small Final, the morning belonged to the 5-year-old generation—a category heavily dominated by Germany. Well-educated without being overly exuberant—as can sometimes be the case—that is how one might describe Einfach Imposant B, today’s winner of the 5-year-old preliminary test with Kira Laura Soddemann. The 39-year-old rider is competing in her first championship in

Since this morning, the world's best young horses have returned to Verden—the home of the Hanoverian studbook—for their respective World Championships. A total of 45 horses appeared before the judging panel comprising Monique Peutz Vegter, Kurt Christensen, William Warren, and Juan Carlos Campos Escribano. For a change, the Danish horse leading the World Championship is not owned by Andreas Helgstrand. However, the "G" suffix is ​​no stranger to the event. Like Quinn G—a trip

With the Aachen World Championships just a week away, the United States has also made a change to the lineup of the team that will represent the country: Jordan Laplaca and Gold Play are out. Selected for the first major event of his career, 38-year-old Jordan Laplaca will ultimately miss out on the World Championships. Despite winning the Wellington CDI 3* in February, the Nations Cup Special in March, and the Ocala Grand Prix in April—as well as representing the USA at the

There has been a second twist in the Dutch selection for the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses. Following the withdrawal of Pjethro due to his sale to the United States, another horse is now being replaced: Lord Charmeur, who was set to compete under the German rider Janina Tietze representing the KWPN. It is therefore the Spain-based rider Moisés Jover Azuar who will compete with Rendez-vous. This gelding—sired by Kjento out of an Olivi mare and bred by Chr. de F

Although fielding a four-pair team, Brazil has made a few last-minute adjustments to its squad for the World Championships in Aachen. Originally entered with Lizarran, Nuno Chaves de Almeida will ultimately compete with his other mount, Noga. At just nine years old, Noga will be one of the youngest horses competing at the World Championships in Aachen; this Lusitano—sired by Rubi and previously shown by Frederico Mexia de Almeida at the 2023 World Championships for six-year-o

Just days before the start of the World Championships in Aachen, there is a shake-up at the top of the discipline: Belgian rider Justin Verboomen has yielded the world number one spot to Denmark's Cathrine Laudrup Dufour. Ranked 31st last month, Cathrine Laudrup Dufour has achieved a fantastic feat by reclaiming the top spot in international dressage. She commented today: "It is a tremendous honor to head into the World Championships in Aachen as the world number one. Freesty

Initially ridden by Daniel Bachmann Andersen—with whom he began competing at age five and won the German "Louisdor" circuit final for top young Grand Prix horses—Blue Hors Veneziano was sold two years ago to the German rider Carina Scholz. The chestnut now has a new rider. Also seen under the saddle of Agnete Kirk Thinggaard—daughter of the owner of Blue Hors Stables—in the spring of 2019, the Oldenburg (by Vivaldi out of a Donnerhall mare) subsequently moved to Laura Kristin

Before some of the world’s top dressage riders gather in Aachen from August 11 to 23 for the 2026 World Championships, the dressage community had already converged on the same venue twenty years earlier, in 2006—hosting a championship that remains one of the most memorable in the discipline's recent history. Two decades later, certain links connect these two editions. While the 2006 Championship saw 17 teams entered but only 16 actually start, 14 nations are expected in 2026.

He generated a great interest when he was licensed in Vechta, only to subsequently keep a relatively low profile; four years after being crowned Oldenburg licensing champion, Incredible is embarking on a fresh start. The seven-year-old stallion has been acquired by the Oatley family and will now continue his competitive career under the saddle of Lyndal Oatley—news first reported by Eurodressage. Bred in 2019 by Andrea Bechheim of Gestüt Reichshof, this son of Indian Rock and

Having already undergone an initial adjustment a few days ago (see HERE), the German squad for the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses sees an other change with the withdrawal of Silvia Busch-Kuffner and St. Anima from the 5-year-old division. Selected by the German Federation for the first major event of their respective careers—which was also set to mark their international debut—Silvia Busch-Kuffner and St Anima will ultimately not be traveling to Verden next wee

Like Germany, the Netherlands has made a change to its squad for the World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in the last few hours: the stallion Pjethro (video)—previously owned by Van Olst Stables and slated to compete in the 6-year-old division with Sadie Smith—will not participate in the event due to his sale. Pjethro, the first KWPN-approved son of Kjento, had previously been campaigned by Charlotte Fry; the chestnut, bred by A. Beeren, finished second in the Dutch

As Verden prepares to host the World Championships for 5-, 6-, and 7-year-olds next week, the host nation sees a change in its 6-year-old squad lineup with the withdrawal of Johanna Wadenspanner and DSP Valentin (video) After finishing 12th in the World Championships for 5-year-olds last year, the 36-year-old rider and the gelding (by Vitalis out of a Don Schufro mare) will not be returning to the event, as they have ultimately been replaced by Sofie Stollberger and Bonbonito

Dutch dressage has just gained a new pair preserved for the top level and in particular the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics: Mauro Turfhorst, ridden by Dinja van Liere, now benefits from the N.O.P. suffix. Dutch Small Tour Champion in 2025, Mauro Turfhorst subsequently benefited from the N.O.P.T. suffix. The letter "T" designates the "talent status" awarded by the Dutch Federation for promising horses. Reserve Champion of the Netherlands at the Grand Prix level this year, this son

Like Belgium, France and Austria, the Polish Federation yesterday unveiled the composition of its team for the World Championships in Aachen: Sandra Sysojeva & Maximą Bella Aleksandra Popławska-Ślązak & Sambalito Hubert Jankowski & Guerlain Roy First & Infinity Win T

Like Belgium and France, the Austrian Federation today unveiled the composition of its team for the World Championships in Aachen: Ulrike Prunthaller & Fleur TSF Peter Gmoser & Dante's Daiquiri Felicita Simoncic & Four Legends Bettina Kendlbacher & Broadmoars Don Alfredo The Austrian team will be accompanied by Christian Steiner as team manager.