‘It takes a village’: The US beat their own Paralympic record to win team gold in Aachen
Kate Shoemaker’s Vianne produces the highest score of the championships, Fiona Howard completes a remarkable turnaround and chef d’equipe Michel Assouline already has one eye on LA 2028 – how the US claimed a record-breaking team gold
Pre-competition favourites, the US have won a commanding team gold medal at the World Para Dressage Championships on a total of 236.135 – higher even than their record-breaking 235.567 total at the Paris Paralympics. Germany were second on 229.875, while the Netherlands finished third on 227.639.
Fiona Howard and the 13-year-old stallion Diamond Dunes led a stacked grade II field, posting an unassailable 79.3% to give the US a flying start to the team competition on day one (21 August) – a massive improvement from their 75% in the individual test.
“He felt great today, even from the first trot around the arena, and he really put his whole heart in there,” Fiona said. “I’m just so proud of him and so happy that we could do this for the team.”
With no LA 2028 Paralympic qualification required as hosts, she was clear the pressure hadn’t lifted: “As a team, we’re all competitive, but we also really want each other to succeed. We put so much work into this that we all want to fight for those medals.”
Fiona Howard and Diamond Dunes at the 2026 World Para Dressage Championships in Aachen.
Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing – an individual gold medallist earlier in the week – took second on Poesie 143 with 77.73%, and Denmark’s Katrine Kristensen third on Goerklintgaards Quater with 76.17%. “It was so fluent, and he trusted me totally – his trot was even better than the first test,” Katrine said. “This is a good start to our team score, and now I can cheer my teammates on.”
The US claimed grade I too, Marie Vonderheyden and Fan Tastico H, living up to his name with a personal best of 76.38%. “I’m so happy and proud of him, but I love that I gave a good score for the team — it’s important to be there for your teammates and help each other,” Marie said.
Rixt van der Horst and Eisma’s Royal Fonq NOP topped grade III once again for the Netherlands, scoring 78.47%. “He was on fire today – a really nice, constant and harmonious test,” Rixt said. “There are a lot of nations with a chance of a medal, so I was feeling the responsibility with my score.”
Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Joergensen took second on Blue Hors Zackorado (77.07%) – competing alongside his mother, Line Thorning Joergensen, in grade IV. “It‘s amazing to share a competition like this with my mum – she’s probably my biggest partner in all of this,” he said.
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The hosts take silver
Grade V opened day two, with Germany’s Regine Mispelkamp adding 75.74% to the team effort on Highlander Delight’s – Germany looking to secure the runner-up spot behind a US side that already looked out in front after day one.
Britney de Jong and Caramba 74.61% locked in the Netherlands’ total on 227.639. That left grade IV, and two German riders still to come who could leapfrog the Dutch. Either Helen Brandt (Vulkan Vegas IB) or Anna-Lena Niehues (Vive l'Amour) needed at least 74.17% to get Germany’s total above the Netherlands’.
Helen went first but fell short, scoring 73.3% – leaving it to Anna-Lena Niehues, whose Vive l’Amour produced a standout test, her paces shining throughout. Despite a mistake in the medium walk, she scored 76.41%, securing silver for Germany.
“It's great for the team,” Anna-Lena said. “The canter work was very good, the simple changes too. It’s always important to be good – but for the team it's more important.”
The highest score of the championships
Kate Shoemaker on her exceptional mare Vianne needed to score better than 71.96% to guarantee gold – which, having scored a new world record 78.89% to win gold in the individual test earlier in the week, seemed a sure bet.
But a little bit of jeapordy was injected into the situation when, as she was entering the arena, the rider before her, Spain’s Carla Onrubia Roman, fell from her horse Valerio.
"She came off, right where we needed to pass each other,” Kate said. “I’d never had the experience of a loose horse next to me. Vianne looked over there, as if to say ‘Are you both okay?’ and Michel [Assouline, the US chef d'equipe] said, ‘Quick, get in the arena’ and I was like ‘Yes sir!’
“I was so proud of Vianne in that moment — she just went into the ring and got on with it. It meant a lot that she had that much confidence in me, with all that excitement going on, to still put in a really good test.”
They scored 80.46% – the highest score of the championships so far, and just shy of Vianne’s own grand prix B world record of 80.72%.
The 10-year-old mare combines exceptional expression with harmony, flowing from one movement to the next, apparently unbothered by any of it. Even after the final halt, amid the applause, she stopped to scratch her face on her leg for a good few seconds before leaving the arena – utterly unfazed by the occasion.
“I’m just flabbergasted – it’s incredible,” Michel added. “Paris was already historic for us, and to come here and set a record team score on the biggest stage in the world for equestrian sport – it’s just incredible. I’m so honoured to be with them, and very proud to be surrounded by such incredible athletes. It takes a village to get the best finish possible.”
Looking ahead, he was already thinking about the road to LA 2028. “I’m still very confident we have a system in place that works,” he said. “We’ve worked hard on putting a strategy together with strong foundations, so I have a solid roadmap.
“It’s going to be an important Games for us because it’s a home Games – but that brings its own pressure too, because the team at home will expect even more. Horses aren’t machines – but I have full confidence it’ll be okay, and that we can show the world it can be done outside of Europe too.”
Final team results
As hosts, the US had already secured their Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic team quota regardless of result – so it was the next seven placed nations who claimed Paralympic tickets in Aachen: Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Great Britain, Italy, France and Sweden.
- United States – 236.135
Fiona Howard (Diamond Dunes) 79.3% · Marie Vonderheyden (Fan Tastico H) 76.38% · Rebecca Hart (Floratina) 73.533 (discard) · Kate Shoemaker (Vianne) 80.46% - Germany – 229.875
Heidemarie Dresing (Poesie 143) 77.73% · Regine Mispelkamp (Highlander Delight’s) 75.74% · Helen Brandt (Vulkan Vegas IB) 73.3% (discard) · Anna-Lena Niehues (Vive l’Amour) 76.41% - Netherlands – 227.639
Annemarieke Kobel (Doo Schufro) 73.71% (discard) · Tessa Baaijens-Van De Vrie (Happy Grace) 74.57% · Rixt van der Horst (Eisma’s Royal Fonq NOP) 78.47% · Britney de Jong (Caramba N.O.P.) 74.61% - Denmark – 225.867
Katrine Kristensen (Goerklintgaards Quater) 76.17% · Sandra Lynge Eriksen (Inzurgenzy Firfod) 72.63% · Tobias Thorning Joergensen (Blue Hors Zackorado) 77.07% · Line Thorning Jorgensen (Suarez) 70.41% (discard) - Great Britain – 222.379
Jemima Green (Fantabulous) 74.03% · Mari Durward-Akhurst (Athene Lindebjerg) 74.58% · Sophie Wells (MSJ Gold Standard) 73.76% · Nicola Naylor (Humberto L) 70.16% (discard) - Italy – 220.808
Massimiliano Chiantore (Fashion Girl) 71.46% · Sara Morganti (Bond Girl 18) 74.08% · Francesca Salvadé (Escari) 75.27% · Federica Sileoni (Leonardo) 67.67% (discard) - France – 219.818
Vincent Brunet (Drazic) 65.46% (discard) · Chiara Zenati (Zeus de Malleret IFCE) 71.47% · Vladimir Vinchon (Pegase Mayenne) 75.22% · Alexia Pittier (Sultan 768) 73.14% - Sweden – 219.106
Renee Claesson-Ribring (Zapp VS) 70.6% (discard) · Pam Svane (Raja) 72.7% · Lena Malmström (Fabulous Fidelie) 73.97% · Lotta Wallin (Questionmark) 72.43% - Norway – 211.878
Jens Lasse Dokkan (Dockland V) 69.71% · Ine Nyhuus (Aagaardens Lia) 70.93% · Mira Antonsen Hjelle (Atterupgaards Dora) 71.24% · Christina Marcussen (Zorro Hoejris) 69.61% (discard) - Belgium – 207.883
Emma Vercammen (Odin) 69.4% · Barbara Minnei (Freiherr von Nymphenburg) 69.67% · Francesca Vanhoeck (Fastlane vant' Beekhof) 64% (discard) · Kevin van Ham (Eros van Ons Heem) 68.82% - Austria – 206.828
Julia Sciancalepore (Heinrich IV) 70.96% · Pepo Puch (Royale Choice) 70.17% · Thomas Haller (Haller's Hermine) 65.57% (discard) · Julia Mitterhuemer (Showgirl) 65.7% - Canada – 205.622
Roberta Sheffield (Nardando) 67.1% · Jody Schloss (El Colorado) 71.92% · Eleonore Elstone (Szecrecy HP) 66.61% · Laura Hall (Istrano) 64.65% (discard) - Singapore – 204.292
Gemma Rose Jen Foo (Mona Lisa) 68.92% · Laurentia Tan (Hickstead) 72.88% · Hui'en Hilary Su (Gambler) 62.5% - Brazil – 203.891
Flamarion Pereira Da Silva (Don Furitello) 63.23% (discard) · Cleberson Leopoldino Antunes Palhano (Fronterizzo Da El Comandante) 66.08% · Sergio Froes Ribeiro De Oliva (Novidade VD) 71.33% · Rodolpho Riskalla (Franziskaner 13) 66.47% - Spain – 203.070
Felix Gomez González (Merlin) 68.23% · Maria Del Carmen Lopez Garcia (Bribon de Ymas) 62.17% (discard) · Iker Beitia Astondoa (Belizzo) 66.351 · Carla Onrubia Roman (Valerio) 68.49% - Ireland – 201.811
Jessica McKenna (D.C.I Cerruti) 66.7% · Katie Reilly (Keystone Dawn Chorus) 69.73% · Rosemary Jean Gaffney (Norabel) 65.38% - Czech Republic – 199.083
Marcela Lochovska (Viola) 65% · Anastasja Vistalova (Don Athello 3) 68.54% · Vladimir Votrel (Ruby Beatle) 65.54% - Poland – 193.990
Mariusz Woszczek (Zachwyt - Nad Wigrami) 63.37% · Agata Weigt (Discovery 64) 65.97% · Dominika Paczek (Quentino) 62.24% (discard) · Maciej Bigaj (Be My Love) 64.65% - Japan – 193.933
Soshi Yoshigoe (Vior) 66.43% · Sho Imaba (Dallas) 66.5% · Junichiro Okawa (RH’s Totally Joker) eliminated · Toshifumi Jo (Elmero) 61% - Hong Kong – 186.567
Lok Yee Louie Lam (Jockey Club Felaini S) 63.07% · Fleur Schrader (Jockey Club Todays Special) 59.23% · Tin Chi Timothy Tsang (Jockey Club Cethegus M) 64.27%
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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).