Horse & Hound’s ultimate dressage World Championships form guide
Who’s riding which horse and what it means for medals: your complete form guide for all the dressage entries at the 2026 World Championships in Aachen
Welcome to Horse & Hound’s expert form guide featuring all 92 dressage World Championships entries. Exclusively available for H&H subscribers, I have analysed the recent performances of all the horses and riders entered for Aachen to give you the full picture ahead of the competition.
We will be running H&H’s exclusive live reports service throughout the dressage World Championships, starting with the first day of grand prix action on Tuesday 11 August, including analysis of the action and interviews with the riders moments after their tests, so make sure you join us to keep abreast of the latest news as it happens.
In the meantime, check out the full dressage World Championships form guide below, and keep it on hand when you’re watching the dressage this week.
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Name 🟣 Debutant |
Name, age colour sex, breeding, (sire x dam sire), owners |
An explanation of this horse and rider’s recent form. |
Becky Moody, 46, GBR 🟣 |
Jagerbomb, 12, |
A 76.43% grand prix average this season tells only half the story. This year’s two freestyles were outstanding – 85.31% then a personal-best 88.33% to win April’s World Cup Final. They’ve contested one special, scoring 77.58%, but were Britain’s best in that test at the Europeans in fifth. If any of the individual favourites falter, an individual medal isn’t out of reach. |
Countries are listed in order of their sporting country code.
Key to horse colour and gender
b = bay, db = dark bay, br = brown, bl = black, ch = chestnut, gr = grey
mare = m, gelding = g, stallion = st
Withdrawals and substitutions
This form guide was finalised on Monday, 3 August. Teams may make substitutions up to two hours before the first horse inspection. As a result, there may be some differences between this guide and the final confirmed start lists.
Dressage World Championships form guide
Australia
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Mary Hanna |
Ivanhoe, 13 db g, Desperado x Jazz, rider & her husband Rob |
The Australians lost their best horse in the build-up to Aachen when Jayden Brown’s Olympic ride Quincy B was withdrawn from contention and listed for sale. At six Olympics, no Australian woman matches Mary’s longevity — she’s the squad’s steadying hand. Competing exclusively in Australia this season, she’s averaging 69.14% in the grand prix. |
William Matthew 🟣 |
Faye 43, 11 ch m, Fürst Wilhelm x Aljano 2, Theresa Semler, Andrew & Katie William |
Isabell Werth’s former assistant rider, William impressed on his Olympic debut aboard Mysterious Star, scoring 69.95% in the grand prix. New ride Faye 43, in her first grand prix season, has already competed at championship-level venues — Aachen, Lier and Rotterdam — and just posted a personal best of 69.04% at Hagen, suggesting her ceiling is still rising. |
Warwick McLean 🟣 |
Le Special, 10 bl g, Grey Flanell x Sir Oldenburg, McLean Reitsport GmbH, Andrew & Manuela McLean, Helena & Per Westerlund |
Warwick was an international event rider before switching to dressage. His preparations were rocked when he and Le Special were involved in a serious multi-truck collision in May, though both emerged largely unscathed. They’ve since had two more grand prix starts, scoring 68.2% at Lier and 67.39% at Rotterdam, adding to an Aachen debut of 66.3%. |
Simone Pearce |
Will Marq, 10 b st, Rio Marq x Lanciano, Martin Fuchs |
Simone was the Australian team’s top scorer in Paris, on former ride Destano. Her new ride, Spanish-bred Will Marq — owned by fiancé and international showjumper Martin Fuchs — is in his second season at grand prix and the pick of the team. A three-time grand prix winner — picking off a few big names en route — he’s not once dropped below 70% this season. |
Austria
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Peter Gmoser |
Dante’s Daiquiri, 12 bl m, Dante Weltino x Avagon, rider |
Veteran Peter hasn’t been on a championship team since the 2011 Europeans — where he was 35th in the grand prix on Cointreau 10 (67.49%). A rare recall, with Austrian stalwarts Victoria Max-Theurer and Stefan Lehfellner missing selection for the first time in years. He’ll aim to score similarly to 2011 — and has been a steady mid-to-high 60s scorer all season. |
Bettina Kendlbacher 🟣 |
Broadmoars Don Alfredo AWO, 13 ch g, Destano x His Highness 2, Broadmoor KG |
A first senior championship at last summer’s Europeans ended in 36th in the grand prix (68.48%), bang in line with their season average — they’ve stayed a consistent, high-60s combination ever since. We’re estimating the special cut-off will be between 69% and 70%, so Bettina and Broadmoor KG will need to be on top form to make a coveted top-30 spot. |
Ulrike Prunthaller 🟣 |
Fleur TSF, 14 b m, Kentucky x Birkhof’s Grafenstolz TSF, Trakehner Gestüt Murtal |
Despite a long international career, this will be Ulrike’s first championship — seemingly frozen out after a feud between her former employers and then-Austrian federation president Elisabeth Max-Theurer. She has an 11-start grand prix average around 68.7% this season, and her scores have been on a clear upward curve, climbing to a 70% win in June. |
Felicita Simoncic 🟣 |
Four Legends, 16 db st, Wynton x Ferro, rider’s father Michael Franz Simoncic |
A remarkable turnaround: weeks after finishing second on her senior grand prix debut at the Austrian Championships last October, Felicita suffered severe bruising to her head and spine in a fall from a different horse. She is now back in full health, and her 2026 grand prix average sits around 66.9%, making her the likely discard score for Austria’s team total. |
Belgium
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Jeroen Devroe |
Lestor, 10 b g, Ghandi x Painted Black, Elisabeth, Jan-Pieter, Johan Devroe & Denis Reusens |
Belgium finished just three points off the podium at the Euros last summer. It shouldn’t be that close again — if Jeroen, Larissa and Justin perform to season form, Belgium should get around a 224 total, some way shy of Denmark’s projected 231. The caveat is Jeroen: just one international grand prix this year with Lestor, 70.24%, leaves his form hard to call. |
Larissa Pauluis |
Flambeau, 16 b g, Ampère x Zeoliet, Caroline & Emmanuel Lepage & Jean & Marie Christine Pauluis |
Belgium’s clear second-best combination behind Justin and Zonik Plus, this veteran pair have been the picture of consistency this season — seven grand prix starts, all between 71% and 74.2%, headlined by a personal best of 74.2% at Neumünster in February. That reliability, more than any single big score, is what Belgium will lean on to anchor their team total. |
Justin Verboomen 🟣 |
Zonik Plus, 10 bl st, Glock’s Zonik x Hohenstein 4, rider |
Double European champions and Aachen favourites, they’ve been unbeaten since Crozet, scoring a freestyle personal best at Fontainebleau in April (of 91.86%) — Valegro’s 94.3% world record looks safe for a while longer. But a below-par 78.46% at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in March, and narrow wins over Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, hint this isn’t a one-horse race. |
Wim Verwimp |
Jedai De Massa, 12 b g, Don Juan De Hus x Galopin De La Font, Jorinde Verwimp, Eon Jin Chin & J-Tack Korea |
Likely Belgium’s drop score, Wim’s grand prix average of 69.5% this season trails his three team-mates, with a low of 64.63% in April the outlier. But riding Jedai De Massa, he edged out Jeroen Devroe to become Belgian champion in May, 32 years after his first title — don’t rule out another big performance, though qualifying for the special looks a stretch. |
Brazil
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Murilo Augusto Machado 🟣 |
Jorge VO, 12 gr st, Xama Dos Pinhais x Icaro SA, José Victor Oliva Jr |
Brazilian dressage has been in a bit of a mess recently. This is the first team they’ll enter at a major championships since 2018 — despite qualifying teams for the 2022 worlds and Paris 2024. But things look a bit more organised now; Murilo and Jorge VO have competed two grand prix this season (67.7%, 67.22%) but have never competed in Europe before. |
Nuno Chaves de Almeida |
Lizarran, 11 gr st, Zaire x |
Nuno rode teammate João’s Feel Good VO at the 2022 worlds, finishing 85th in the grand prix on 62.9%. Now riding Lizarran, he’ll be aiming for an improved showing and arrives in noticeably better form – with an average of 67.08% across four starts this season, trending upward, with a season-best 69.02% at Companhia das Lezirias CDI3* last month. |
João Victor Marcari Oliva |
Feel Good VO NRW, 14 b g, |
João is Brazil’s leading dressage rider – having competed at three Olympics and the 2022 worlds; where he finished 21st in the special on former ride Escorial. Feel Good VO scored 70.1% at the Paris Games; he then spent the 2025 season as an under-25 horse for Marta Fernandes, returning to João this winter. Another plus-70% score would be a great result. |
Manuel Rodrigues Tavares de Almeida Neto |
Hermes, 14 gr g, Rico x Noitibó, |
Manuel competed at the 2014 worlds in Caen on former ride Vinheste – although he may not want to be reminded of that, finishing 87th on 63.06%. He’s teamed up with Hermes this season, banking his second qualifying score for the worlds in May (66.15%). His grands prix range from 62.15% to 67.3% – he’ll hope to catch Hermes on a good day in Aachen. |
Canada
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Camille Carier Bergeron 🟣 |
Finnlanderin, 16 ch m, |
Three years on from her international grand prix debut, Camille – a former under-25 world number one – has settled into solid form with Finnlanderin. Their grand prix average this season sits at 69.2% across four starts, and her most recent competition brought her best scores of the season: 71.67% in the grand prix, 70.13% in the special. |
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu |
Jaccardo, 12 ch g, Jaccardo, |
Jaccardo made his international grand prix debut in August 2025 and his form since has been excellent: a 2026 grand prix average of 71.5% across four starts, with the special stronger still at 72.3%. A cast-in stall injury forced a late World Cup Final withdrawal in April, but he’s been back at full stretch ever since. |
Denielle Gallagher 🟣 |
Come Back De Massa, |
Denielle’s road to a championship debut has been a long one – shortlisted for two previous Olympics without selection, she’ll be relieved to finally go down the centre line. A former groom for US rider Ashley Holzer, Denielle and Come Back De Massa have been consistent this season: six grand prix starts, tightly bunched in the mid-to-high 60s, averaging 66.6%. |
Chris von Martels 🟣 |
Londonderown, 13 ch m, |
Two-time Olympian Chris has built his season nicely as it’s gone on – four grands prix in 2026, climbing from 63.07% in March to 68.7% at Lier CDI3* in May. The special has been his stronger test all year – capped off with a season best 70.79% at Verolanuova CDI3* in June – but they’re unlikely to make it that far in Aachen. |
Cyprus
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Gabriele H.-Kiefer 🟣 |
Cyprus Ophelia, 16 b m, |
Gabriele has carried the flag for Cypriot dressage for a while now, riding this horse at the past two Europeans – the first rider from her nation to do so. Last on 60% in 2023, she improved to 65.45% in 2025. The pair have Aachen experience, scoring 67% in the CDI4* grand prix there in May. They’ll be looking to improve on their previous championship score. |
Denmark
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour ⭐️ |
Mount St John Freestyle, |
Denmark’s banker. An 83.43% grand prix average, untouched all season, and top of the pile at the Europeans – expect the same here. But the real drama’s in the individual tests: twice denied by Verboomen and Zonik Plus at Crozet, 82.37% to 81.69% in the special, 89.96% to 89.82% in the freestyle, with barely a point in it either time. The rematch will be just as close. |
Carina Cassøe Krüth |
Heiline’s Danciera, |
The last combination left from Denmark’s gold-medal team at Herning 2022. A controversial pick, following an eight-month suspension over a welfare case, an appeal and subsequent return. On form, there’s little to go on – one qualifying score this year, 74.04% at Göteborg – though her Danish Championship win in May (75.91%) points to better form than that alone shows. |
Daniel Bachmann Andersen |
Flash Gordon 37, |
A new partnership still finding its feet – 73.53% across three grands prix, comfortable enough to make the special. One special (75.64%) and two freestyles (79.99% average) hint at more to come. Bad luck cost them at the Danish championships – eliminated from the freestyle after blood was spotted in the mouth, with an 80%-plus score trending at the time. |
Nadja Aaboe Sloth 🟣 |
Favour Gersdorf, 13 bl g, |
Nadja made her senior championship debut in Crozet, where 71.23% comfortably cleared the specials cut and counted towards Denmark’s team total – Rikke Dupont’s 70% was the discard. She’s on a consistent 72.17% grand prix average this season, but against three stronger team-mates, she’s currently the one projected to make way if scores hold. |
Dominican Republic
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Yvonne Losos de Muñiz |
Idwinaretto, 13 b m, Everdale x Glock’s Johnson, Idwinaretto Syndicate LLC & rider |
Yvonne retired former mount Aquamarijn after the Paris 2024 and skipped Wellington’s winter circuit for the first time in 11 years to focus on coaching. She now rides Idwinaretto – a former double individual gold medallist at the Central American and Caribbean Games – from her Gijon base in Spain. The pair have averaged 68% in the grand prix this season. |
Ecuador
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Julio Mendoza Loor |
Jewel’s Goldstrike, 15 ch g, |
Julio and Pan-American individual gold medallist Jewel’s Goldstrike have been competing in the US this season, including a sixth-place finish at the World Cup Finals in Texas. Their 2026 grand prix average of 71.6% is up on last year’s 70.83%, and is hovering on the fringes of the threshold for the top 30 who’ll go through to the special. |
Spain
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Borja Carrascosa |
Frizzantino FRH, 11 db st, |
Spain endured a frustrating Europeans, finishing ninth, with Borja and Frizzantino the only returning team combination. They squeezed into the special in Crozet, scoring 68.4%. Overall, their form this season hasn’t changed much, but they arrive in Aachen after personal bests in the grand prix (72.59%) and freestyle (77.7%) at Mâcon Chaintré CDI3*. |
Lucia Gallardo 🟣 |
Hip By Johnson, 14 b st, |
Team debutantes Lucia and Hip By Johnson competed at the London International in December, finishing eventual 14th (70.99%). They’ve been averaging almost 68% in the grand prix since but, like team-mate Borja, got a personal best last time out, scoring 70.66% in the special at Hagen CDI04*. They’re unlikely to make it that far in Aachen. |
José Antonio García Mena |
Gladiador Do Lis, 15 b st, |
José Antonio and Gladiador Do Lis have emerged as the team’s leading combination, topping Spain’s scores at the Nations Cup in Hagen (71.7%) and finishing highest of the worlds-bound squad at Fontainebleau Nations Cup (70.15%). José Antonio reached the special at Herning 2022 with Divina Royal (73.88%) and a repeat looks within reach. |
Severo Jurado López |
Flaconi W, 12 ch m, Foundation 2 x Breitling W, Brigitte & Wolfram Wittig |
Olympian Severo Jurado López returns to team selection after a three-year absence. Flaconi W is in her first season at grand prix, with three outings so far. She won the grand prix (71.52%) and special (71.85%) at Olomouc CDI3*, before scoring 69.57% and 71.64% at Rotterdam CDI4*. The pair finished just behind José Antonio García Mena in Hagen. |
Finland
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Stella Hagelstam |
Hagels Prince Nassak, |
Stella has had mixed luck at past worlds – hospitalised for eight days with meningitis after Caen 2014, then a late horse swap ahead of Herning 2022, finishing 41st on the leased Mount St John Kom Fairy Tale, available after Britain’s Amy Woodhead became pregnant. New ride Hagels Prince Nassak is still finding his feet at the level, averaging around 66.2%. |
Henri Ruoste |
Tiffanys Diamond, 14 b m, |
The leading lights of the Finnish team, Henri and Tiffanys Diamond look to have kicked on since a mixed Europeans – 16th in the grand prix, but a below-par 25th in the special. Granted, their 2026 campaign has been a light one, just a single CDI so far, but it brought a strong return at Hagen: 72.78% in the grand prix, then 72.98% in the special. |
Anu Sironen 🟣 |
Ypäjän Fioretto, 15 db g, Fürst Romancier x Sir Donnerhall, rider |
Championship debutante Sironen was based in Britain with famed Finn Kyra Kyrklund and her husband Richard White at their West Sussex base. She returned there this season to prepare for the worlds, competing at Hickstead, Wellington and Hartpury, as well as at home in Finland and at Aachen – five grand prix starts in all, averaging 66.15%. |
Ville Vaurio 🟣 |
Dante NL, 13 b g, De Niro x Alantas, rider & Stable Nova OY |
A tight, unspectacular grand prix campaign: four starts in 2026, bunched between 65.65% and 67.94% for an average of 67.14%. It puts him in the middle of the Finnish pack, though his spread is wider than Anu’s or Stella’s. All three look solid and consistent, offering a good base for Henri to build on – Finland will hope to beat their Euros total of 201.755 and 12th. |
France
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Alexandre Ayache |
Ruling Olivia, 12 db m, Olivi x Aletto, rider & Karim Barake |
No one does self-sabotage like the French: their best combination, Corentin Pottier and Gotilas Du Feuillard, have been left out amid an ongoing feud with team selector Jean Morel, all but ruling out a marked improvement on France’s 10th-place Europeans finish and Olympic qualification. Alexandre and Ruling Olivia are a steady mid-to-high 60s pairing. |
Pauline Basquin |
Sertorius De Rima Z, 16 db g, Sandro Hit x Voltaire, French Horse and Riding Institute |
An experienced pair, into a fifth straight championship after a disappointing Europeans last summer, where their grand prix score (68.59%) fell short of season norms. They’ve bounced back since – a 2026 average around 71% in the grand prix, and the freestyle in good health, with a season-best 80.47% at Bordeaux, making it that far again is the aim this time round. |
Bertrand Liegard 🟣 |
Ginger, 15 b m, Glock’s Tango x Don Primero, Annabel Moreau & SARL Ecurie Chauchard |
Bertrand took a patient path with Ginger, debuting her at grand prix only two years ago, after first riding her as a green seven-year-old. That careful build looks to be paying off: their 2026 grand prix average sits around 67%, a touch up on last year’s Europeans, where their 66.23% was France’s discard score – whether it is again this time looks a close call. |
Alizee Roussel 🟣 |
Bel Amour, 14 ch st, Bretton Woods x Donnerhall, rider & Regine Fimbel |
The only newcomer to the team from the Europeans, championship debutantes Alizee and Bel Amour replace Anne Sophie Serre and Jibraltar De Massa. A former rider for Paul Schockemöhle, Alizee brings a 2026 grand prix average around 66.9% – the weakest of France’s scores, although her best two scores have both come in the past three months. |
Great Britain
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Lottie Fry ⭐️ |
Glamourdale, 15 bl st, Lord Leatherdale x Negro, Van Olst Horses & rider |
The current individual world champions lead the British grand prix average this season with 79.62% across three starts – a sharp reversal of last summer’s sub-76% at the Europeans. Freestyle form is imperious – 88.87%, also across three starts. They haven’t ridden a special this season, but will be hoping to improve on a disappointing 75.29% at the Europeans. |
Carl Hester ⭐️ |
Fame, 16 b st, Bordeaux x Rhodium, Fiona Bigwood, Mette Dahl & rider |
Carl and Fame’s 76.75% grand prix average is second-best in the squad, just ahead of Becky and Jagerbomb – but the real story is consistency: eight international starts from Paris onward, never below 75.8%, topping out at 78.26%. At 16, Fame is still finding new levels too – June’s Wellington freestyle (85.21%) was his best mark in almost three years. |
Becky Moody 🟣 |
Jagerbomb, 12 b g, Dante Weltino OLD x Jazz, rider & Jo Cooper |
A 76.43% grand prix average this season tells only half the story. This year’s two freestyles were outstanding – 85.31% then a personal-best 88.33% to win April’s World Cup Final. They’ve contested one special, scoring 77.58%, but were Britain’s best in that test at the Europeans in fifth. If any of the individual favourites falter, an individual medal isn’t out of reach. |
Fiona Bigwood |
Donna Bella, 10 ch m, Don Juan De Hus x Gribaldi, rider |
Donna Bella’s rise has been rapid. After winning the grand prix at Hartpury CDI3* on 72.22% in March, Fiona earned a Nations Cup debut at Fontainebleau, where they scored a solid 71.63%. Successive grand prix personal bests of 73.13% at Hickstead and 74.61% at Wellington then sealed selection ahead of her championship rivals. |
Germany
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Katharina Hemmer 🟣 |
Denoix PCH, 14 ch g, Destano x Pik Noir, Nancy Gooding & Hubertus Schmidt |
This pair were debutantes at last summer’s Europeans, with Katharina the standout among the six scores that counted for Germany and Britain – the only one to beat her season’s average, jumping from 74.3% to 75.7% as Germany won gold by just 2.86 points. They’ve had a disrupted season but returned to form in the grand prix at Hagen, winning July’s selection trial with 77.02%. |
Raphael Netz 🟣 |
Great Escape Camelot, 15 db g, Glock’s Johnson x Turbo Magic, Theres Boss & Sonja Kristina Krall |
A protégé of Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, Raphael will make his senior championship debut, replacing Ingrid Klimke from Germany’s Europeans squad. Camelot missed the World Cup Final with a hoof abscess, but his grand prix average has been tight all season: 73.72% from four starts, none more than a quarter-point from the mean. |
Frederic Wandres ⭐️ |
Bluetooth OLD, 16 db g, Bordeaux x Riccione, Equitorus GmbH |
Frederic and Bluetooth have been a picture of consistency in the grand prix for three seasons, averaging in the mid-70s throughout and up to 76.83% so far in 2026, with all this season’s results in a tight band. They’ll be a key part of Germany’s gold-medal bid – keep an eye on how their head-to-head scores with Britain’s Carl Hester and Becky Moody stack up. |
Isabell Werth ⭐️ |
Wendy De Fontaine, 12 bl m, Sezuan x Blue Hors Soprano, Château De Fontaine & Madeleine Winter-Schulze |
One of the individual medal favourites, Isabell was a two-time individual bronze medallist at the Europeans last summer. Her grand prix and special form remains rock-solid this season, but the kür is where she looks vulnerable, trailing Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour, Justin Verboomen and Lottie Fry. With the home crowd behind her, though, never bet against Isabell. |
Greece
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Theodora Livanos 🟣 |
Robinvale, 19 b g, Rubinero 2 x Wittinger, rider |
Theodora makes her senior championship debut as one of the youngest riders in the field, though she has a wealth of international mileage, partnered with Robinv[...]e — one of the oldest horses in the field. The pair contested the under-25 Europeans and World Cup circuit together before stepping up; anything over 66% in the grand prix would mark a solid start. |
Hungary
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Diana Porsche 🟣 |
Imhotep, 13 ch g, Everdale x Vivaldi, rider |
Diana switched allegiances from Austria to Hungary in February and will partner Charlotte Dujardin’s 2022 worlds ride, Imhotep. She’s averaging just under 71% in the grand prix, nearly eight points down on Imhotep’s career average with Charlotte. She’ll need to clear that to reach the special, and with a horse of this pedigree, that should be the expectation. |
Pavlina Révész 🟣 |
Jiodinus PP, 12 b g, El Primero x Burggraaf, rider |
A first championship call-up for Pavlina after five years quietly building international experience. Jiodinus PP is a showjumping-bred gelding but they’ve been competing internationally since May 2025. Consistent mid-60s scores all season suggest Aachen will be about soaking up the experience rather than chasing qualification for the special. |
Indonesia
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Dara Ninggar Prameswari 🟣 |
Miestral D’Ferraria, 10 b g, Escorial x unregistered, Ana Sofia Valença Rodrigues |
Dara will be the first Indonesian rider to compete at a World Championships. Partnering the inexperienced Lusitano Miestral D’Ferraria, her grand prix scores this season have ranged from 56.63% to 66.7%, averaging 64.06% across five starts. For a combination still finding its feet on the international stage, clean, positive rounds will be the aim in Aachen. |
Ireland
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Kevin Acres 🟣 |
Ganesh, 15 b g, Jazz x Partout, Michelle Begley |
Kevin will be making his senior team debut, having left securing his place to the last minute. A second MER at Hartpury CDI3*, scoring 66.96% to finish 14th, arrived just before the team was announced. His grand prix scores have hovered in the mid-to-high 60s all season, so a solid team contribution in Aachen would be a fine result. |
Alex Baker |
Top Gear, 14 bl st, Totilas x Don Frederico, Elite Stallions |
Perhaps Ireland’s most exciting combination on their day, but a hard one to call. The pair have the lowest grand prix average of the four Irish combinations heading to the World Championships — 64.8% from six starts — and the widest spread of scores, ranging from a personal-best 67.48% last time out to a low of 61.28% the outing prior. |
James Connor |
Vanotti, 13 b g, Vitalis x Florestan I, Chiara Olper |
Hugely experienced, having competed at three previous World Championships, Milan-based James and Vanotti arrive with by far the busiest campaign of the four Irish combinations — seven grands prix across four countries this season, averaging 67.05%. They should provide the consistent scores the otherwise young team can orbit around. |
Jessica Dunn 🟣 |
Dan Its Carston, 13 b g, Durable x Clearway, Jennifer Whittaker |
Jess is Ireland’s top scorer going into the worlds, with a season-best 69.5% at Aachen CDI3*. It probably won’t be enough to help the team get one of the six quota spots available for Olympic qualification, but for this exciting combination, it’ll be valuable championship experience — with a more realistic tilt at LA 2028 likely to come via the 2027 Europeans. |
Israel
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Micah Deligdish 🟣 |
Carpe Diem De Massa, 14 gr st, Maestro JGB x Violino SDS, rider |
Florida-based Micah has long been a flagbearer for Israeli dressage and was part of the nation’s first team to compete at a Nations Cup. Her season with Lusitano Carpe Diem De Massa has been solid but unremarkable — a 65.12% grand prix average across seven starts. Some feel American scores don’t travel to Europe; Micah will hope to prove otherwise. |
Lithuania
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Justina Vanagait-Samuilė |
Nabab, 13 db g, Sir Donovan x Krack C, Jurga Girniute-Bogdaniene, Ramunas Bogdanas & rider |
Justina and Nabab withdrew from last summer’s Europeans without competing after a suspected virus among horses near her base. Aachen will mark their fifth senior championship. A well-travelled season — from Sopot and Doha to the World Cup Final in Texas — has yielded a 68.79% grand prix average, below our estimated cusp for the special. |
Luxembourg
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Nicolas Wagner Ehlinger |
Quater Back Junior FRH, 17 ch g, Quaterback x Bonheur, Soc Hippique et d’Élevage SA & rider |
Nicolas and Quater Back Junior FRH have contested the last seven championships over a more than decade-long career together. At last summer’s Europeans, they scraped into the special in 30th (68.88%), before climbing to 19th (70.56%) and then 18th in the freestyle (73.84%). Form remains consistent this season, but a deeper field makes a top-30 grand prix finish a tall order this time. |
Morocco
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Yessin Rahmouni |
Kind Of Magic, 11 ch g, All At Once x Jazz, Joy Nouvelle Geerts |
Two-time Olympian Yessin sold his Paris ride, All At Once, to Dutch under-25 rider Lara van Nek soon after the Games, before debuting Kind of Magic in November 2025. The gelding is still green at the level, but earned a wildcard to the 2026 World Cup Final, where the occasion got the better of him, scoring just over 64% in both the grand prix and freestyle. |
Mexico
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Carolina Córdoba Wolf 🟣 |
Isabella, 17 bl m, Gribaldi x Blue Hors Don Schufro, Pamela Franco & Claudio Zapata Stclliffe |
Mexico return to the World Championships after two decades away. Carolina has campaigned Isabella at the top level since 2023, but two of her best three grand prix scores have come this season: 66.24% at Herning, 68.5% at Tolbert, then a career-best 69.3% at Lier in May – a clear late-career upward curve for Isabella. |
Marcos Santiago Ortiz Diez 🟣 |
Waitoni, 15 ch g, Wynton x Weltmeyer, Vicente Lopez Abad & Barbara Margalef Fisher |
Based near Mexico City, Marcos Santiago and Waitoni – bought as an Aachen prospect – have been unbeaten domestically this season, sealing qualification with 68.3% and 66.54% scores at home CDIs. A recent step onto the European circuit at Sint-Truiden yielded a freestyle win, though his grand prix mark there (64.96%) was some way off his home form. |
Netherlands
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Dinja van Liere |
Mauro Turfhorst NOP, 9 bl st, Glock’s Zonik x Negro, Reesink Stallions BV & Stoeterij Turfhorst BV |
Traditional powerhouses, the Dutch haven’t reached a championship podium since the 2019 Europeans, and fifth looks to be their ceiling here. But with several exciting young horses, this is a team built for LA 2028. Mauro Turfhorst looks a superstar in the making, improving from 73.02% on his April grand prix debut to 75% at Rotterdam in June. |
Marieke van der Putten ⭐️ |
Zantana RS2 OLD NOP, 12 db m, Glock’s Zonik x Sir Donnerhall, Jacques Lemmens & Saskia Lemmens-Reijnen |
The Dutch anchors have come on leaps and bounds since last summer’s Europeans, where they finished 21st in both the grand prix (70.26%) and special (70.4%). They arrive in Aachen having set successive grands prix personal bests, including a 77.96% win at Rotterdam CDI4* – beating Becky Moody and Jagerbomb – before taking the freestyle on 84.58%. |
Rowena Wiegelaar 🟣 |
Don Quichot, 18 b g, United x Gribaldi, Nelly Wiegelaar & Kebie van der Heijden |
Rowena has partnered Don Quichot from juniors to, now, her second senior championship team. They were 31st at last summer’s Europeans with 68.84%. This season’s grand prix scores have ranged from 64.76% to a personal-best 70.72%, with steady improvement each time out – although it still looks like they will be the Dutch discard score. |
Thamar Zweistra |
Hexagons Mr Magnum NOP, 9 b st, Expression x Valdez, Perry Boogaard & Stal Hexagon BV |
Thamar had to pin her hopes on Mr Magnum after Europeans team horse Hexagons Luxuriouzz NOP was sidelined by injury earlier this season. He’s taken the promotion in his stride, posting two 71%-plus scores in his first – and only – international grands prix. NOP status, awarded to the Netherlands’ top prospects, soon followed – another rising star. |
Norway
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Isabel Freese ⭐️ |
Total Hope OLD, 14 bl st, Totilas x Blue Hors Don Schufro, Oivind Bache, Lone Boegh-Henriksen & Paul Schockemöhle |
Total Hope is bred in the purple, by Totilas out of European champion Weihegold OLD. His highlights are ninth in the grand prix at the Paris Olympics and becoming Norway’s first World Cup Final dressage medallist, finishing third in 2025. He seems to have peaked now, averaging just under 75% in the special, and close to 82% in the freestyle. |
New Zealand
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Wendi Williamson |
Don Vito MH, 13 ch g, Don Frederico x Anamour, rider & rider’s husband Jon Williamson |
An environmental engineer from Waimauku, Wendi has had Don Vito MH since the now 13-year-old was a foal. With the exception of a brief spell in Europe after the 2017 World Cup Final in Omaha, Wendi has campaigned exclusively across New Zealand and Australia – this season winning at home with 69.8% at Taupo, then a more modest 66.37% in Sydney. Aachen will be a rare trip north for the pair. |
Poland
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Roy First 🟣 |
Infinity Win T, 13 db g, Everdale x Jazz, rider & Uri First |
Born in Israel and now based in Belgium, Roy switched nationality to Poland via his father’s family roots in 2025, having previously represented Israel internationally. His 2026 grand prix form has been steady if unspectacular – six starts averaging 65.17%, ranging from 63.78% up to 67.41% – as he continues settling into life under new coach Domien Michiels. |
Hubert Jankowski 🟣 |
Guerlain, 15 bl m, Blue Hors Hotline x Painted Black, SLI BV |
Hubert and Guerlain narrowly missed selection for last year’s Europeans, so make their championship debut here. Their 2026 grand prix form (65.87% average) sits a touch below last year’s, spread across a busy international calendar – Rotterdam, Fontainebleau, Lier and more – though he’s shown he can hold his own at some of the sport’s bigger venues. |
Aleksandra Poplawska-Slazak 🟣 |
Sambalito, 16 b g, Samba Hit II x Classic Dance, rider’s mother Patricia Poplawska-Slazak |
Another championship debutante, Aleksandra sits on the management board of her family’s cosmetics business alongside her riding career. Her grand prix form has been consistent this season – four starts within two points of each other for a 66.2% average – though even a personal best would likely fall short of special qualification in Aachen. |
Sandra Sysojeva 42, POL |
Maxima Bella, 10 bl m, Millennium x Christ 3, Dominika Krasko Bialek, Piet Lenskens & rider |
You might remember Maxima Bella as a breakout star in Paris, finishing 15th aged just eight. She hasn’t kicked on as expected since – a more mechanical style out of fashion with today’s judges, perhaps. Grand prix form has plateaued in the mid-70s, and she’s rarely tested in the special. The freestyle remains the real strength – third at April’s World Cup Final on 80.77%. |
Portugal
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Maria Caetano |
Hit Plus, 14 b g, Bretton Woods x Peralta Pinha, João Augusto da Conceição Caetano |
Portugal’s most experienced campaigner heads a team three-quarters unchanged from last summer’s Europeans, where they were seventh as a team. Maria was 23rd individually in the special. This season’s grand prix average (71.92%) marks a real step up and the freestyle, a superb 78.15%, hints she and Portugal could push higher up the pack this time. |
Vasco Mira Godinho |
Marques Dos Cedros, 10 gr st, Disturbio x Rubi, Coudelaria Quinta Dos Cedros |
The one change from last summer’s Europeans, but Vasco brings championship pedigree, having competed at the 2018 worlds. He looks to be an upgrade on his predecessor in the team’s fourth slot – his grand prix average (69.99%) comfortably outscoring Nuno Palma Santos’ Crozet mark – though a top-30 special finish remains no better than a coin flip. |
João Pedro Moreira |
Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD, 10 bl st, Fuersten-Look x Don Kennedy, rider & Roberto Pedrosa Haras do Drosa |
João and Drosa Fuerst Kennedy were forced to withdraw last-minute from the Paris Olympics, but recovered to top Portugal’s grand prix and special scores as the Europeans. They won the grand prix at Aachen CDI3* this spring (71.41%), but their grand prix form has since settled just below the projected qualifying mark for the special, averaging 69.95%. |
João Miguel Torrão 🟣 |
Lirio MVL, 11 gr st, Zeus Do Lis x El-Negro, Sociedade Agricola Santana do Campo, Muralha Dos Sonhos Unipessoal LDA & Westaquaty LDA |
Once trained by Carl Hester, João rides Lirio MVL, the second Lusitano on the team alongside Marques Dos Cedros, but the 11-year-old stallion is still finding his feet at the level. His form (69.46% grand prix average) is the weakest of Portugal’s promising four, who on current form look around four to six points shy of the top-six cut-off for automatic Olympic team qualification. |
Singapore
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Caroline Chew 34, SGP |
Blue Hors Zatchmo, 17 b st, Blue Hors Zack x Donnerhall, rider’s parents Melanie & Tony Chew |
Singapore’s dressage flagbearer heads to Aachen with her mainstay Zatchmo, five years on from becoming the first Singaporean rider to compete at the Olympics – Tokyo in 2021. She was 56th in the grand prix (63.35%) at the Paris Olympics and form has cooled since her strongest season in 2024, currently averaging 65.8% in the grand prix. |
Switzerland
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Delia Eggenberger 🟣 |
Santa Maria, 11 bl m, Sandro Marinero x unlisted, Isabelle Ros |
Switzerland head to Aachen with three of their four Crozet combinations unchanged, aiming to improve on last year’s 11th-place finish. Delia’s form has settled into a reliable pattern – a 67.78% grand prix average this season, near-identical to her level heading into last year’s European Championships, where she finished in 45th place on 66.35%. |
Charlotte Lenherr |
Dettori, 13 bl st, Desperado x De Niro, Salvitiano BV & Sportpferde Lenherr GmbH |
Dettori endured an off-day at last summer’s Europeans, managing just 63.88% in the grand prix as the canter work – flying changes, zig-zags and transitions – fell apart. Heading into Aachen, his grand prix form has nudged up to a 69.4% average, with a place in the special a genuine possibility if the changes hold under pressure this time around. |
Charlotta Rogerson 🟣 |
Bonheur De La Vie, 14 db g, Bordeaux x Blue Hors Zack, rider & rider’s father James Rogerson |
Switzerland’s top scorer in the grand prix at Crozet last year (68.68%), Charlotta and this horse have kicked on significantly since – a 71.98% grand prix average this season, clear of our estimated cusp for special qualification. Reaching the freestyle looks a tougher ask, although two plus-80% scores earlier this season hint at real quality if they get the chance. |
Estelle Wettstein 29, SUI |
Quaterboy, 16 db g, Quaterback x Rubinstein Noir, Inèz Syz |
The most experienced of Switzerland’s quartet, Estelle has represented her country at five championships since 2018. However, she missed the 2022 worlds to help run her family’s stables during her father’s health issues, saying: “Our time to shine will come.” Quaterboy has been her long-time ride, with the pair averaging 66.73% in the grand prix this season. |
Sweden
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Patrik Kittel ⭐️ |
Touchdown, 14 b g, Quaterback x Sack, Sommarkvarn AB |
Patrik headlines a Swedish team built around a clear goal: a top-six finish and LA 2028 Olympic qualification. His form mirrors last year’s almost exactly – 73.16% average in the grand prix, with the freestyle remaining a huge strength (sixth at the Europeans, 81.14%). The special is the pinch point: just three places clear of the cut-off at Crozet, leaving little margin for error. |
Rebecca Mauléon 🟣 |
Johnnie Walker BCN, 12 b g, Glock’s Johnson x Dayano, Helene Frisk Dressage AB |
Team newcomer Rebecca will make her championship debut at Aachen. Team captain Stefan Jansson called the fight for the final spot a close one between her, Caroline Darcourt and Cecilia Bergåkra, but picked Rebecca for her “consistent and high results”. Her grand prix average has jumped over three points this season, to 69.56%. |
Maria von Essen 46, SWE 🟣 |
Invoice, 14 bl g, Jazz x Olympic Ferro, Alexanders Hovslageri & Häst AB |
Patrik gets the headlines, but at last summer’s Europeans, it was Maria who out-scored him in both the grand prix and special – he only nudged ahead in the freestyle, and only just. This season’s form (73.46% grand prix average) is a little up on last season’s and Sweden’s top-six push will lean on her as much as him. |
Therese Nilshagen 43, SWE |
Navarro, 10 bl st, Negro x San Remo OLD, Dressur퍼feder-Leistungszentrum Lodbergen GmbH |
There was a Swedish team stalwart on former ride Dante Weltino. New ride Navarro fills the void and early signs are promising – a grand prix average near 72% this season, the special a touch higher. Whether that’s enough to reach the freestyle is a genuine toss-up, so a kür might be worth having up their sleeve – she hasn’t debuted one on Navarro yet. |
Thailand
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Pakjira Thongpakdi 🟣 |
Definitely, 14 bl g, De Kooning x San Schufro, rider’s parents Dul & Subhanandh Thongpakdi |
History in the making: Pakjira helps anchor Thailand’s first-ever team at a World Championships, on a horse she bought unbacked as a three-year-old back in 2015. Based in Bilbao, Spain, she didn’t make her international grand prix debut on Definitely until April 2026, yet banked both required MER scores inside 10 weeks, right up against the deadline. |
Suphajit Vuntanadit 🟣 |
Wall Street JV, 19 ch g, Wie Weltmeyer x Starway, Suphakamol & Suphakit Vuntanadit |
The first of a sister double for the team. “Patty” was the first Thai rider to secure her qualifying scores – she and Wall Street JV have spent four years building towards this moment. Form has cooled since qualifying (sub-65% all season), but Wall Street has competed at big venues before with former rider Juliette Ramel and shouldn’t be fazed. |
Suphakamol Vuntanadit 🟣 |
Dreamboat BCN, 18 b g, Glock’s Voice x Metall, rider & Chuenhathai Vuntanadit |
Thailand’s original grand prix pioneer, “Pam” blazed the trail her sister and Pakjira have since followed. With only three riders, Thailand has no discard score – every result counts. Pam’s grand prix average (63.93%) trails Pakjira’s this season (66.4%). All three will likely finish towards the bottom of the standings, but simply being here is the real achievement. |
Turkey
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Rotem Jale Ibrahimzadeh 30, TUR 🟣 |
Hexagon’s Double Dutch, 18 ch st, Johnson x Hexagon’s Rubiquil, Ilay, Ishak & Tuna Ibrahimzadeh & rider |
Turkey’s only grand prix rider makes her worlds debut, three years after reaching grand prix level – and just one year after breaking new ground at the Europeans, where she finished 50th (65.11%). Her partner is self-declared “heart horse” and schoolmaster Double Dutch, nicknamed Bubbles, and their grand prix form stays steady in the mid-60s. |
USA
RIDER |
HORSE |
FORM |
|---|---|---|
Ashley Holzer 62, USA |
Hawtins San Floriana, 14 b m, San Amour I x Florestan I, rider & Diane Fellows |
With two years to go until the LA Olympics, America’s scattergun approach of buying big-name horses from Europe hasn’t delivered a top team – none of the highest-profile purchases have made it to Aachen. The closest exception is Ashley on Charlotte Dujardin’s former ride Hawtins San Floriana, who has been consistent, with a grand prix average above 68%. |
Jordan LaPlaca 38, USA 🟣 |
Gold Play, 11 b g, Grey Flanell x Sir Donnerhall II, rider & Nancy Hutson |
A refreshing contrast to America’s big-name European imports, Jordan has brought Gold Play up himself since the horse was four years old. A personal-best win in the special at Wellington CDI3* in March (71%) capped a breakthrough season, but grand prix form (68.35% average) sits some way below the predicted mark needed to reach the special in Aachen. |
Christian Simonson 🟣 |
Fleau De Baian, 16 ch st, Jazz x Ulft, Zen Elite Equestrian Center |
America’s rising star arrives without his top horse: Indian Rock. The World Cup Final runner-up has been rested rather than risked. Fleau De Baian – formerly Adeline Cornelissen’s – steps up, averaging a solid 69.12%. With a team elimination in Paris, the USA looked to have a chance to build momentum with Indian Rock. Now that’s gone too. |
Genay Vaughn 32, USA 🟣 |
Gino, 15 db g, Bretton Woods x Haarlem, rider’s mother Michele Vaughn |
The strongest of America’s four on season form – a 70.94% grand prix average – though she was the lowest-placed of the three team members competing at Hagen’s Nations Cup last time out, as the USA finished third. Viewers may remember them from the 2025 World Cup Final, where Genay recovered from a fraught grand prix to finish eventual 14th. |
Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).