The eight-strong British para dressage squad shortlist for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany (11-23 August) includes Paralympic gold medallists Sir Lee Pearson and Sophie Wells.
We’re expecting confirmation of the four definite entries in mid-July, and form-wise, there are no real surprises in the nominated entries. Three of the four combinations from last summer’s Europeans are among the entries – the exception is grade I rider Gabriella Blake, whose Europeans ride Strong Beau retired in April.
The other three are Mari Durward-Akhurst with Athene Lindebjerg, Jemima Green with Fantabulous and Nicola Naylor with Humberto L.
The stakes for selection are higher than usual. The worlds are the principal qualification route for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics – the seven highest-placed teams, hosts USA aside, secure their tickets in Aachen – so this is no championship at which to experiment.
A nation of Britain’s standing should make that cut, but they finished fourth at both last summer’s Europeans and the Paris Paralympics, just outside the medals each time, and on that form, nothing can be taken for granted. Expect the selectors to name their strongest possible side.
Mari and the vastly experienced 19-year-old Athene look all but certain of a place – European bronze medallists last summer, and seemingly on better form now than they carried into those championships.
Jemima Green and Fantabulous, breakout stars of the Europeans with double, and unexpected, individual grade II bronze, have gone from strength to strength this season. Their grand prix B scores – the test that decides team placings – have been up around two and a half percentage points on the form they carried into Ermelo.
Nicola Naylor poses the selectors an enviable problem: she is one of only two athletes on the list – with Sophie Wells – nominated with two horses, and this season there has been precious little between them.
Humberto L, her grade IV partner from Ermelo, and the younger Moulin Rouge have shadowed each other all spring, the latter edging both grands prix and the freestyle when they met head to head at Wellington in June. But on grand prix B, the season’s figures lean back the other way, Humberto L averaging around 73.1% across his internationals to Moulin Rouge’s 72.6%.
The pick of the chasing group is Sir Lee Pearson. The 14-times Paralympic gold medallist and home-bred Breezer, who Lee rode at the Tokyo Paralympics and the 2022 worlds, have averaged just under 73% in the grand prix B at CPEDIs this spring.
Among the international averages of the nominated entries this season, that puts them fourth, behind only Athene, Fantabulous and Humberto L.
Behind them, it tightens: Moulin Rouge is a fraction off stablemate Humberto L, and Sophie Wells’ current stronger grade V mare, MSJ Gold Standard, only a touch further back on 72.4%, a little over two points adrift of Fantabulous. Sophie’s other ride, LJT Egebjerggards Samoa, is on 71.3%, and Erin Orford’s LJT Nutbush on 71.1%.
So at the moment, with the team built from the three best grand prix B scores and no more than two riders per grade, the strongest side on current form would be the three combinations from Ermelo – Mari, Jemima and Nicola – plus Lee.
These averages rest on just two or three spring internationals apiece, so a single test can shift the order, which is what makes the final domestic international, Hartpury (1-5 July), worth watching. For the able-bodied team, it’s likely to have little bearing on selection; for the paras, with places this tight, it could be decisive – and it’s the chasing pack who have the most to gain.
British para dressage squad shortlist for the 2026 World Championships
The full list of nominated entries, by classification grade and then in alphabetical order by athlete surname, is:
Grade I
Mari Durward-Akhurst with 19-year-old mare Athene Lindebjerg
Owners: Diane Redfern, Nick Durward-Akhurst and Romilly Hart
Breeder: Ulla and Kristian Bech
Breeding: by Gribaldi, out of a mare by Diamant
Grade II
Jemima Green with eight-year-old gelding Fantabulous
Owner: rider
Breeder: Rainer and Angelika Alhers
Breeding: by Foundation 2, out of a mare by Fürst Romancier
Sir Lee Pearson with 14-year-old gelding Breezer
Owners: Jenson Guest, David Pearson, Linda Pearson and rider
Breeder: Sir Lee Pearson
Breeding: by Bacardi
Grade III
Erin Orford with 14-year-old gelding LJT Nutbush
Owners: Carl Hester, Anne Barrott, Rowena Luard and The Lady Joseph Trust
Breeder: Mr A Gregory
Breeding: by Negro, out of a mare by Sion
Grade IV
Nicola Naylor with 14-year-old gelding Humberto L
Owners: Rosalind Emery Kay and rider
Breeder: J Lamers
Breeding: by Cachet L, out of a mare by Haarlem
Nicola Naylor with nine-year-old mare Moulin Rouge
Owner: rider
Breeder: P Buwalda
Breeding: by Ferdinand, out of a mare by Dorado
Grade V
Sophie Wells with 10-year-old mare LJT Egebjerggards Samoa
Owner: The Lady Joseph Trust
Breeder: Anders Green Hansen
Breeding: by Blue Hors St Schrufo, out of a mare by IPS Gribaldi
Sophie Wells with 10-year-old mare MSJ Gold Standard
Owner: Emma Blundell
Breeder: Mount St John Equestrian LLP
Breeding: by Governor, out of a mare by Fürstenball
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