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. In total, 89 pairs were entered back then, though only 83 proceeded to the final test; participation is set to be lower this year, with 72 pairs on the entry list.

As is so often the case, Germany dominated that edition. Led by Isabell Werth, Heike Kemmer, Nadine Cappelmann, and Hubertus Schmidt, the team secured the world title ahead of the Netherlands and the United States. France—led by the tireless Alain Francqueville and represented by Dominique d'Esmé & Roi de Cœur, Karen Tebar & Falada M, Constance Ménard & Lianca, and Hubert Perring & Diabolo Saint Maurice—finished in a respectable seventh place; at the time, only the top three nations qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Karen Tebar and Dominique d'Esmé even advanced further in the competition by qualifying for the Grand Prix Special.

On an individual level, the Grand Prix brought to the fore a Danish rider who has since made a name and a reputation for himself: Andreas Helgstrand. Partnered with the unforgettable grey mare Blue Hors Matine, he caused a sensation with a test scoring 76.333%, finishing ahead of Heike Kemmer and Bonaparte (75.792%) and Anky van Grunsven, who placed third with Salinero (75%). However, the championship gradually swung in favor of German experience. In the Grand Prix Special, Isabell Werth, riding Satchmo, took the win with 79.480%, ahead of Anky van Grunsven (77.800%) and Andreas Helgstrand (76.560%). The Freestyle test then delivered a completely different outcome, as Anky van Grunsven and Salinero reclaimed their supremacy to clinch the title with a score of 86.100%, finishing ahead of the sensational duo of Helgstrand and Blue Hors Matine (81.500%) and Isabell Werth with Satchmo (80.750%).

The 2026 edition will also feature several nods to that era. Isabell Werth, a medalist back in 2006, will be competing once again—confirming her remarkable longevity at the highest level—this time with Wendy de Fontaine. The same applies to Ashley Holzer, the only other rider from the 2006 edition who will be competing again, this time with Hawtins San Floriana.

Another nod to 2006 is the presence of Swiss rider Estelle Wettstein. Twenty years after her mother, Marie-Line Wettstein—who finished 31st in the Grand Prix at the time with Le Primeur—competed, it is now her daughter and her horse Quaterboy who will fly the Swiss flag on the world stage. ...a passing of the torch that perfectly illustrates the family legacy often found in international dressage.

The 2026 World Championships are thus set to launch a new cycle, featuring several pairs capable of contending for the titles. Isabell Werth—a perennial force at the highest level—will once again face a new generation of rivals: Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale, who embody the power of British dressage; Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, back at the top with Mount St John Freestyle (who is likely competing in one of her final major events, though one could easily picture her lining up for the 2027 European Championships in Randbøl); and, above all, the captivating duo of Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus, who have not only won the public's hearts but have also propelled Belgian dressage into a whole new league. More than just a championship, Aachen will serve as the stage for a clash of visions, schools, and generations—all sharing the same goal: securing one of the six spots that offer direct qualification for the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

crédits photos : Wendy de Fontaine FEI Stefan Lafrentz - San Floriana FEI Shannon Brinkman