Olympic dressage champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl is out of contention for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen (11 to 23 August).
On Sunday (28 June), Jessica shared the news that her current top ride, Times Kismet (“Kiss”), would not be contesting the selection trial for the German team in Hagen this week (1 to 5 July).
“I would have loved to take part in the second selection trial for the World Championships in Aachen next week, which makes the decision not to travel to Hagen an especially difficult one,” said Jessica.
“Together with Kiss’s owners, we have consciously decided to give her the time she needs. This is Kiss’s first grand prix season, and she has exceptional talent. Precisely because of that, it is important to us to develop her with patience and a long-term perspective.
“With every competition, we continue to grow and learn. Over the summer, we want to stay committed to this path, without added pressure, but with a clear focus on her long-term development.”
She added: “In competitive sport, it is often tempting to seize every opportunity. But responsibility sometimes also means letting an opportunity pass when you are convinced it is the right decision for the future.”
The 11-year-old mare is Jessica’s sole ride at international grand prix, so her withdrawal means Jessica is also out of the running for a place at her home world championships. Jessica’s former top ride TSF Dalera BB, with whom she was crowned Olympic champion in Tokyo and Paris, retired from competition in August 2024, and she sadly lost rising star Diallo BB to sudden illness at the start of the year. She has others coming up in her string, including Dancier Gold FRH, but none at this level yet.
Jessica and Times Kismet finished 10th in the grand prix at the German championships (3 to 7 June), but had to withdraw from the special and go into quarantine after the mare’s stable neighbour, Quick Decision FRH (ridden by Jessica’s brother, Benjamin Werndl), was diagnosed with a fever. Diagnostic tests came back negative for Quick Decision FRH, Times Kismet and Mondrian – Quick Decision’s other stable neighbour at the event, who was also taken into quarantine as a precaution.
Jessica posted on 5 June that Times Kismet and Mondrian were doing very well, and that Quick Decision was doing “pretty well” and his temperature was dropping. On 8 June, Benjamin said Quick Decision’s illness was “fortunately nothing serious”, that vets thought it was a minor viral infection that should pass as quickly as it came, and that the horse’s fever came down on its own.
Ingrid Klimke out of contention
Ingrid Klimke is also out of the running for the dressage World Championships.
Ingrid and Vayron NRW were part of the German side that won team gold at the 2025 Europeans, but on 18 June Ingrid said that the gelding “is not yet fit enough” to compete in Hagen.
The pair also missed the selection trial at the German Championships last month, and so are out of contention for the worlds squad.
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