All the dressage World Championships live news as it happened

This live news service is now complete. Scroll down to relive the action as it happened.

Tuesday 11 August: grand prix dressage day one

Welcome to our live reports service from Aachen. I'm Carol Phillips, H&H’s website editor and I'll be bringing you all the breaking news from today's grand prix dressage action.

Our dressage editor Oscar Williams is on site in Aachen and has been up in the stands before the action begins. What a beautiful sight!

For those familiar with Aachen, you'll notice that the dressage arena is in the main arena this time, rather than in the normal dressage arena. This means potentially many more fans can watch, but it will be interesting to hear what the riders have to say about the atmosphere the compare to the normal dressage arena, which has been described as a "cauldron" with the stands being much closer to the arena than for the World Championships.

Our first combination into the arena will be Brazil's Manuel Rodrigues Tavares De Almeida Neto and Hermes at 8.20am German time (7.20am British time).

Hermes, is a 14-year-old grey gelding (Rico x Noitibó) and their grands prix scores range from 62.15% to 67.3%, so it will be interesting to see how they do here.

The forecast in Aachen for today is sunny, with temperatures up to 26 degrees. This is expected to rise in the coming days, rather like in the south of the UK. At least the recent heatwaves in the Uk have given the British horses and riders the chance to acclimatise.

After making a very respectable start to the test, unfortunately Hermes spotted one of the big screens, and looked quite concerned by it, which then affected the walk. But they got back on track, produced some very expressive and high piaffe steps. Both the two-time and one-time changes came off. But the horse is really trying hard despite being uncertain of the screens. I think Manuel will be letting out a big sigh of relief after that. Good job!

The first of the Irish combinations is Kevin Acres, who is making his senior team debut with Ganesh, a 15-year-old by Jazz. Kevin secured his place with a second MER at Hartpury CDI3*, scoring 66.96% to finish 14th, 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.

Manuel Rodrigues Tavares De Almeida Neto and Hermes scored 60.761

Ganesh has showed some tension in the walk and the hind legs jumped together at the end of the two-time changes. The one-times were clean. The canter pirouettes were small but lacking some energy. Kevin looks happy with that. That’s the first score for Ireland on the board: 66.298

First of the French riders is Betrand Liegard riding Ginger, who is a 15-year-old bay mare. 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 plan 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.

This mare is showing some good steps of passage. Some good steps and length in the extended walk but is losing the connection down the rein. The piaffe isn’t of the same quality as the passage. She has a nice frame in the canter work, but is lacking a bit of reach and expression. Changes were all clean, but could have been more uphill. More good passage steps on the final centre line. Looking very relaxed as they leave the arena. That's a score of 65.637 for France.

The first Spanish rider is in the arena – Team debutantes Lucia Gallardo with HIP by Johnson – the early scores are looking a step up from the previous pairs we've seen. This horse has athletic paces. Although they didn't ride enough steps in the first piaffe. A tricky moment in the canter zigzag. One-time changes are clean but lacking a bit of ground cover. Very uphill in the canter pirouettes. And Lucia gives him a nice pat as they walk out of the arena looking relaxed. They score 68.37.

Currently in the arena is Robinvale, ridden by 25-year-old Theodora Livanos for Greece. 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 19-year-old Robinvale — who was bred by the Pidgleys. 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.

Individual rider for Greece, Theodora Livanos riding Robinvale, scored 65.714

Oscar caught up with Ireland's Kevin Acres after his test – here's what he had to say: “I’m so happy. He was very good. He's quite a hot horse so there was a lot to contain and a lot of atmosphere. I really did enjoy it, and couldn’t be happier with him.”

On being second into the arena, Kevin said: “I don’t mind – I always think to myself, someone has to go first, someone has to go second, so if you have to do it, just try to do a good job of it. It was nice to get it done and dusted before the heat sets in. I really enjoyed it, it was great fun – especially for my first world championships.

“It’s such an iconic place, it's a real dream to ride in this arena, to be at this show. Everyone wants to ride at this show. It's a great privilige to be able to do it.”

A championships debutante aged 52, Finnish rider Anu Sironen was based in Britain with Kyra Kyrklund and her husband Richard White at their West Sussex base. She returned there this season to prepare for the worlds with Fioretto, 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%. Here they scored 65.373% as the first score for Finland.

In the arena we have 71-year-old Mary Hanna for Australia. Mary is riding 13-year-old Ivanhoe.

With six Olympics under her belt, no Australian woman matches Mary’s longevity — she’s the squad’s steadying hand. Competing exclusively in Australia prior to the World Championships this season, she’s been averaging 69.14% in the grand prix.

They popped in a couple too many single changes, which will have brought that score down. He's one of a few horses whose eye has been caught by the big screens at times. A big cheer as she completes. This pair scored 67.267.

We now have a short break, with the next rider into the arena being 8.55am UK time. This will be Roy First for Poland.

While the action takes a short break, here are some thoughts from our H&H dressage editor, Oscar Williams, who was in Aachen for yesterday's first horse inspection of the dressage horses.

First horse inspection

All 91 horses passed yesterday morning's trot-up (10 August) with minimal fuss and drama – no combinations were sent to the holding box.

Dressage trot-ups are a modest affair compared to the more decadent outfits on show in eventing. For the Brits, the choice is normally between which chinos – navy or beige – to pair with the ubiquitous polo shirt. This year, though, they mixed it up with a crisp white button-down each – really pushing the boat out. Good old British utilitarianism: minimal fuss, as ever.

But for lovers of the polo, don't worry – there were plenty on show, in a whole range of nation-appropriate colours. Some nations went for a smarter blazer-and-tie combination – Belgium, Poland and Morocco among them – while Lithuania's Justina Vanagaite-Samuile went sporty, in a white top and skirt. Very Wimbledon.

In my (very undeveloped) fashion sense, the podium went to: the Portuguese team in their blazers (grammar school vibes), the Australians in their dapper, colour-coded cravat-type things and Ireland’s James Connor, who cut a sharp figure of his own. But the winner, as always, was France’s Pauline Basquin in her Cadre Noir uniform – which she’ll also wear in the test.

Oscar caught up with Mary Hanna after her test, who said that travelling from the middle of Australia's winter into Europe's heatwave has been a challenge.

“We had a big trip over and hit the heat wave – it was a terrible shock for the horse and me. It's hard, you know, going backwards and forwards from Australia, to keep the standard up. But it's been really great training with Patrick Kittle. He's really helped me a lot.

“I think when Ivanhoe came in to the arena today, he got a little bit starstruck. He backed off quite a lot, so I was having to ride a bit more than I wanted to. But look, any of the mistakes were my mistakes. I did too many one-time changes. I should have had him a little bit more forward and in front of me and gone a bit further.

“But look, he's such a soldier of a horse. He's such a sweetheart, and I am 71, so I need a horse that's kind to me, and he's certainly that. So couldn't be happier with that.

“It's great to be here. It's a most wonderful event. We've got a great team, great people, really good team feeling together, and it's really lovely to be part of that. We've got a lovely Australian crowd in there.”

First rider into the arena after the morning break is Roy First for Poland riding Infinity Win T. 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 – six starts averaging 65.17%, ranging from 63.78% up to 67.41% – as he continues settling into life under new coach Domien Michiels.

Unfortunately Infinity Win T and Roy First had a misunderstanding in the extended trot and broke to canter momentarily. But they complete. Lots of pats and kiss at the end. They score 67.28% which puts them into second at this stage and not far off their season's best of 67.41%. A first score on the board for Poland.

The next rider Felicita Simoncic is just 21. She is riding Four Legends and it is remarkable that she's made it here for her World Championships debut – 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%

A couple of slightly short steps behind in the two-time changes from Felicita's 16-year-old stallion, Four Legends, who is rather busy in his mouth. Very small and engaged canter pirouettes. Expressive in the front leg in the extended trot but could cover a bit more ground. He shows a nice uphill tendency in his work. That takes the lead at this stage with a score of 70.73 for Austria. That's a big improvement on her 2026 grand prix average that sits around 66.9%

Now we have Vasco Mira Godinho for Portugal, riding 10-year-old grey athletic-looking Lusitano stallion Marques Dos Cedros. They bring forward a grand prix average of 69.99%.

Started well, then momentarily stepped back in the first piaffe, then got in a bit of a muddle coming out, but produced a clean walk tour. Direct transition into passage from walk. Clean two-time changes. A pat on the neck after the one-time changes. Overall a good job, the piaffes need to keep travelling forward a little, but the horse is only a 10-year-old so you'd expect that will improve with strength and experience. They score 68.68 for second at this stage.

Oscar has caught up with the 21-year-old current leader Felicita Simoncic from Austria:

“It was absolutely great to have a personal best at the World Championships. It's pretty crazy to me, as it’s not the easiest test for me. Usually, the grand prix is where I struggle a bit. So to be able to do it like this with him at the World Championships in an arena like this is just – it's insane. I can't believe it.

“He really let me ride him during the test, so all in all it was super nice. I always love doing the passages and pirouettes with him. They're just super fun to ride, and our one tempies are always a bit of a struggle, and they all worked. But all in all, I think it's the fact that he let me ride him so well during the test, even if it wasn't our easiest warm up, and that makes me really proud of him.”

Felicita went on to explain that Four Legends really needs her to be fully focussed to produce his best work.

“He's a stallion, so sometimes he can be a bit tricky if he notices that I'm a bit nervous or I'm not fully with him. In the warm-up, it's like he was trying to say, ‘you need to focus on me, not on what else is going on’, but then in the test, he completely shut that off and he listened so well. I'm very proud of him.”

And we have a new leader in Nadja Aaboe Sloth of Denmark, who has scored 71.96% with Favour Gersdorf on her World Championships debut. Nadja made her senior championship debut in Crozet, where she scored 71.23% so today's performance is an improvement on that score, although not quite reaching her 72.17% grand prix average from this season.

Currently in the arena we have 47-year-old Denielle Gallagher for Canada. Denielle’s road to a championship debut has been a long one – she has been shortlisted for two previous Olympics without selection. Denielle is a former groom for US rider Ashley Holzer and has had six grand prix starts this season with Come Back De Massa, with scores tightly bunched in the mid-to-high 60s, averaging 66.6%. Come Back De Massa is an attractive and energetic buckskin. Big smile from Denielle as they complete on a score of 68.07% which puts them fifth at this stage.

The next rider is Rebecca Mauléon for Sweden, who is making her World Championship debut at Aachen. She earnt the call up for the final spot on the Swedish team thanks to her “consistent and high results”, according to team captain Stefan Jansson. Her grand prix average with 12-year-old Johnnie Walker BCN has jumped over three points this season, to 69.56%.

Johnnie Walker BCN has incredible energy and is showing very high steps in the piaffe and passage work. There were some excellent extended walk steps early on, but unfortunately got a bit too quick in the steps towards the end and almost jogged before the collected walk. The changes were clean, but could cover more ground. Nice pirouettes, slightly stepped out behind for a moment in the second pirouette. They finish on a score of 68.71%. A few minor blips, but the quality of the work was very good – a very exciting 12-year-old horse for the future.

Now in the arena is 21-year-old Rowena Weggelaar riding 18-year-old Don Quichot for the Netherlands.

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.

This is an attractive looking horse and they've got off to a good start. Super square halt at C. Some nice relaxation of the topline in the extended walk, although the mouth isn't completely still. This young rider is doing a good job and it's noticeable that she's using a forward hand to encourage the horse to take the nose out when he gets a little short and tight.

They've scored 69.5% for a fluent test that was enjoyable to watch. That puts in third at the moment.

It's time for our first British rider Fiona Bigwood riding 10-year-old Donna Bella. Fiona's home-bred mare’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 their selection.

Fiona is riding with a noticeably loose curb rein. The 10-year-old mare is blowing her nose a little, but they are off to a good start in a nice frame. It looks like Fiona is riding the mare quite within herself but there is some lovely trot work. She looks very light on her feet in the early passage and piaffe steps. Donna Bella comes quite base narrow in her piaffe. Clean two-times, but the mare is blowing her nose again towards the end of them. Unfortunately two too many one-time changes. That will be expensive. More lovely light and expressive extended trot steps. Great riding by Fiona of an inexperienced horse, who has a lot more to come in the future. They score 69.35% for fourth place at this stage.

Fiona Bigwood is the final rider from this session. Oscar will be catching up with her shortly and we'll bring you her thoughts. The next rider into the arena will be Dara Ninggar Prameswari of Indonesia riding Miestral d'Ferraria at 10.30am UK time.

“I am absolutely delighted,” Fiona Bigwood told H&H’s Oscar Williams in the Aachen mixed zone. “She's only 10. She hasn't done a huge amount of grand prix, and to come to one of the biggest venues in the world and do that. She's really trying for me, and I just can't ask any more from her at the moment. I'm so pleased with her.”

Fiona claimed responsibility for the extra one-time changes: “The one tempis is really irritating. I thought I had it, and then we had two more. It was my fault, rider error. The whole year she's hardly made any mistakes, so it's okay, you know, just to go around that and try like she did, because she was nervous in there. So I just had that one mistake.”

Riding down the centre line today was a full-circle moment for Fiona as she also competed Donna Bella's dam, Atterupgaards Orthilia, at Aachen for the 2015 Europeans: “She was also 10 years old, and I rode her at the Europeans here, where we won the silver medal. So it's really nice to bring her daughter here and do the same thing in their first years at grand prix. It's a really special moment. They're both very similar too. They both go and try their hardest, and so it's been lovely to have brought her here.”

They are a definitely a pair who are going places. We look forward to seeing them in the years to come.

Dara Ninggar Prameswari is the first Indonesian rider to compete at a dressage 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. They scored 63.12% today.

In the arena now we have 56-year-old Belgian rider Jeroen Devroe riding 10-year-old gelding Lestor (Ghandi x Painted Black). They have only one international grand prix score recorded of 70.24% this year.

Lestor has half an eye on the big screens and the camera at the A end of the arena. The one-time changes look a bit tight and green, not much ground cover. NIcely ridden pirouettes. Some good piaffe and passage steps to finish.

They score 69.69% for third at this stage.

Here is the first of the German riders – Raphael Netz riding 15-year-old Great Escape Camelot.

Raphael is a protégé of Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, and is making his senior championship debut. Camelot's grand prix average has been tight all season: 73.72% from four starts, none more than a quarter-point from the mean.

The quality of the work is generally high, although the piaffe isn’t of quite the same standard of the rest of the work. Very good balance and straightness in the two-time changes. Oh no! A big mistake going into the one times – good recovery, but that's going to be expensive.

Raphael looks very happy with that. And crowd express their appreciation. They finish with a score of 73.34% to get the Germans underway.

The first USA rider to go is Meagan Davis riding Toronto Lightfoot, who is by Totilas. Megan was a late call up for the World Championships.

This horse has attractive and even white markings and scopey movement. Unfortunately they have an expensive error in the two-time changes, but the one-times are clean and correct. They finish the test nicely and earn a score of 67.62%

Four more riders before the lunchbreak. Here we have the second rider for Brazil, Nuno Chaves De Almeida riding nine-year-old bay Lusitano stallion Noga.

The horse is showing its greenness in the first piaffe, with issues with the rhythm and not even in the steps. Good overtrack in the extended walk. Clean two-times with nice uphill tendency. The canter zigzag isn't quite centred over the centre line. Getting a bit short behind in the one-times.

A good job for such a young horse competing at grand prix in this big atmosphere. They score 66.27%.

Second rider for Ireland is Alex Baker riding Top Gear, another eye-catching son of Totilas.

They could be Ireland’s most exciting combination on their day, despite having the lowest grand prix average of the four Irish combinations heading to Aachen — 64.8% from six starts — but their personal-best was 67.48% last time out, so we look forward to seeing how they go.

Top Gear is a nodding a bit in the first piaffe after some nice early trot work. The transitions between the movements could be cleaner and more precise for higher marks. The two-time changes were clean but he was pushing the hind legs out behind in some. One-times lacked a bit of ground cover, but they were clean. Also lacking some energy in the pirouettes. A miscommunication in the final piaffe on the final centre line, but well ridden by Alex and they get through it.

They score 64.596%

It's a first championship call-up for Pavlina Révész, 49, riding as an individual for Hungary. Jiodinus PP is a showjumping-bred 12-year=old gelding but they’ve been competing internationally since May 2025. Consistent mid-60s scores all season.

Jiodinus PP has an attractive energetic step with an expressive front leg. But he's went very irregular in the passage steps before the first piaffe, which got rather stuck. Also struggling in the second piaffe after the walk tour. The two-time tempies are confused, which is going to be expensive. Another problem at the end of the canter zigzag.

They finish on a score of 59.26%

Our final rider before the lunch break is Thailand's Suphajit Vuntanadit, 25, riding Wall Street JV.

Suphajit, known as “Patty”, is riding on the team alongside her sister Suphakamol. Patty was the first Thai rider to secure her qualifying scores – she and Wall Street JV have spent four years building towards this moment.

Their 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.

They get off to a positive start with an attractive picture in the early trot work, although he looks a fraction irregular in the right trot half pass. This horse has an energetic passage, although the piaffe is less energetic.

Some nice extended walk steps, but a little tight in the collected walk. The two-time changes look very confident and secure from this 19-year-old gelding. Slight confusion in the canter zigzag. Good clean one-time changes. Better final piaffe steps on the final centre line.

They score 65.08% for team Thailand.

Of all the horses I've seen so far today, this is the one I'd like to take home!

We're going into the lunch break. The next rider into the arena is Alizee Roussel of France riding Bel Amour at 12.50pm. In the meantime, we'll catch up with some of the riders that Oscar has been speaking to after their tests.

Oscar caught up with Germany's Raphael Netz, who is in the lead at the lunchbreak on the first day with Great Escape Camelot.

“It was incredible,” said a delighted Raphael. ”We had a super super feeling. It made me incredibly proud to be able to present Germany on a World Championship on home soil, and it's also our first World championship.

“Camelot gave me a great feeling. He was on point today. We performed. We did everything we could, and now we're in the lead of the first group. That was the mission, and mission succeeded.”

Raphael’s beautifully quiet seat really stood out during his test, and not surprisingly, it’s the result of a lot of work.

“I go to the gym twice a week and I ride one horse each day without stirrups for as long as I can remember. After the rising trot, I take my stirrups away and I finished the rest of the ride without stirrups,” he explained.

“I'm very grateful to my very first trainer who set me on the horse when I was four years old, because she lunged me for over a year before I was allowed to take the reins in my hand. She set the foundation for my seat today because she lunged me with with a saddle, without a saddle. She threw tennis balls to me, and I had to catch them. If I didn't, I had to get down from the pony and pick them up.”

And we are back in action with Alizee Roussel, who is the only French dressage rider who wasn't on their team at the Crozet Europeans.

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.

She is riding Bel Amour, a 14-year-old chestnut stallion (Bretton Woods x Donnerhall).

Bel Amour has a beautiful passage. The piaffe is better than many we've seen. The twos started well, then the horse took over slightly and the stride pattern was interrupted, which will be expensive. Good riding by Alizee Roussel in the canter zig zag. Nice one-time changes and the pirouettes. The transition from passage into piaffe on the last centre line is a little bit messy. But that was a good job! They score 67.41%

It's time for Olympian Severo Jurado López, who has returned to the Spanish team after a three-year absence.

Flaconi W, a 12-year-old chestnut mare (Foundation 2 x Breitling 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*.

A tricky moment in the first piaffe, as Flaconi W jumps forward out of the movement (I wonder if the big screen caught her eye?), but she's settled nicely into the extended walk. Much better in the second piaffe. She's showing some real potential for quality there.

In the canter and lovely expressive two-time changes with lots of air time. That will help the scores. Clean one-times. Tidy pirouettes. Could come through with the hindlegs a little more in the extended trot. And a solid final centre line.

They scored 68.91%

Finland's Ville Vaurio, 36, is riding 13-year-old Dante NL (De Niro x Alantas). They have had four starts in 2026, scoring between 65.65% and 67.94% for an average of 67.14%. The Finish team will looking to beat their Euros total of 201.755 and 12th place.

This is a smart-looking bay gelding (I admit, I am fond of bay geldings). Halts could be squarer and slightly dragging the legs in the rein back. Not quite taking even weight behind in the first piaffe. Nicely relaxed in the extended walk – could be out for a Sunday afternoon hack! Similar in the piaffe to the first one.

On to the canter, and a mistake at the end of the two-time changes., where a one-time change slipped in. Some balance issues in the canter zig zag. Clean one-time changes. Pirouettes are tidy but lacking impulsion. Clever riding on the final piaffe and a nice final halt.

They score 68.51% which is their best score of the season. That puts them in 10th individually.

Next is Simone Pearce for Australia riding 10-year-old Will Marq. 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. A three-time grand prix winner — picking off a few big names en route — he’s not once dropped below 70% this season, so we wait to see this performance with interest...

Will Marq is a 10-year-old bay stallion (Rio Marq x Lanciano). He really articulates his joints in the trot work, but the first two halts weren't quite square.

The passage steps could cover a little more ground. First piaffe was achieved. Maintains the same rhythm through the passage, piaffe, passage transitions.

Big two-time canter changes in good balance. Slightly swinging one-time changes but they were clean. Tidy pirouettes. Best piaffe of the test on the final centre line.

And the crowd goes wild at the final halt. That test scores 72.39% and moves into second place individually.

Turkey’s only grand prix rider, Rotem Jale Ibrahimzadeh, 30, makes her worlds debut in Aachen, three years after reaching grand prix level – and just one year after breaking new ground at the Europeans, where she finished 50th (65.11%).

Rotem’s partner is her self-declared “heart horse”, the 18-year-old chestnut schoolmaster Double Dutch (Johnson x Hexagon’s Rubiquil), nicknamed Bubbles, and their grand prix form stays steady in the mid-60s.

He's a solid chap with long white stockings on three legs and a really active step, particularly in the passage. Oh no! He's decided to do a dropping which interrupted their first piaffe. And the second piaffe is lacking activity.

Into canter, big clean two-time changes. Clean one-times. Horse is trying really hard in the pirouettes. Another sticky piaffe on the final centre line.

Rotem gives him a huge hug and looks very happy. They score 62%

Poland's second rider is Hubert Jankowski who is riding Guerlain, a 15-year-old black mare (Blue Hors Hotline x Painted Black).

Hubert and Guerlain narrowly missed selection for last year’s Europeans, so make their championship debut in Aachen.

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.

Guerlain is an attractive and elegant looking horse. The passage steps are nice, but the first piaffe took a while to get established.

The extended walk steps aren't seeing much overtrack and the collected walk is losing regularity.

Horse doesn't look entirely confident in the second piaffe. Into canter, and clean two-times. A little mistake going into the one-time changes. Some issues in the canter pirouettes. Lost the canter momentarily in the second one.

The final piaffe is the best of the test. They score 66.51%

Florida-based Micah Deligdish 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 14-year-old grey Lusitano stallion Carpe Diem De Massa has been solid with a 65.12% grand prix average across seven starts. Will she be able to recreate that score in the famous Aachen arena?

Fun fact: three of the horses competing at the FEI Dressage World Championship including Carpe Diem De Massa were all bred at the same French stud: élevage Massa, in Provence, southern France.

The other two are Come Back de Massa, who is competing with Denielle Gallagher-Legriffon for Canada, and Jedai de Massa, competing with Wim Verwimp on the Belgian team.

Unfortunately a little mistake in the two-time changes, but he looks like he's enjoying the extended canter. Good job in the canter zig zag. Clean one-times but could have covered more ground. First pirouette was good, but a little interruption in the second one. Some good piaffe steps on the final centre line. Micah looks delighted. They score 65.98%

Taking us into the next break is Ulrike Prunthaller of Austria riding 14-year-old bay mare Fleur TSF. Despite a long international career, this will be 42-year-old Ulrike’s first championship. 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.

Ulrike Prunthaller and Fleur TSF give a good early impression. The mare has a very expressive front leg in the early trot work.

Very square still halt but slightly before C before the rein back. The mare's mouth is quite busy in the passage, piaffe, but some nice steps, particularly in the passage and good transitions between.

Fair overtrack in the extended walk. Into canter. Two-time changes were active and clean, but could have covered more ground. Zig zag was well ridden. A mistake in the one-times, which will be costly. Tidy pirouettes.

Good passage steps on the final center line, losing activity in the piaffe, but Ulrike looks pleased with that. They score 68.67%

We're going into a short break. Next in will be João Miguel Torrao for Portugal riding Lirio MVL. They are due in at 2.25pm UK time.

H&H's magazine and eventing editor Pippa Roome has also arrived in Aachen and was impressed to find pictures of horses and the World Champs logo guiding fans from Aachen station to the shuttle bus – "Most useful"

She's also been out spotting some famous names on the Aachen's walk of fame...

We are hearing that Turkey's individual rider Rotem Jale Ibrahimzadeh has been eliminated. When we find out why, we'll let you know.

Oscar spoke to Australia's Simone Pearce after her test that scored 72.39% to put her in second place.

“I am so happy. I think it’s his sixth grand prix ever, and we've had a little bit problem with him being shy in big arenas. So I went in there and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, please, please let it be that he's brave’. And as soon as I went, I was like, “Okay, he's on, he's with me.’ And I was just so happy with him.”

It's a huge life change for this horse who a little over a year ago, was living on the Spanish island of Minorca.

“I had hoped that maybe we could do something like this, but you know, I didn't know. I was thinking probably there's going to be some hiccups, and in the end I had some mistakes which we don't usually have. So I saw the scoreboard. I was like, ‘what?’ I was shocked.

“It's so nice because he's such a positive horse, and I'm just really super proud that the judges see that he's happy doing his job. If we made the special, it'd be a dream, but we didn't come here expecting it, so whatever happens, happens.”

In the arena is João Miguel Torrao for Portugal riding Lirio MVL. They produce a cracking test to score 71.398% to move into fourth place individually. Understandably, João looks absolutely delighted with the 11-year-old grey Lusitano stallion.

Next is Estelle Wettstein, 29, for Switzerland. Estelle has represented her country at five championships since 2018. Quaterboy has been her long-time ride, with the pair averaging 66.73% in the grand prix this season.

This horse has lots of spring and lift in the passage steps. The walk is looking rather fragile... and he's piaffing as they move into the collected walk. This walk is going to be expensive.

Phew, she'll be pleased to be back into the passage and some nice piaffe steps are coming. And off into canter. Lovely big expressive two-time changes. She earning the scores back now. Super one-time changes.

Lots of front leg action in the extended trot, but not really matching the steps behind. Lovely piaffe and passage on the final centre line.

They've scored 67.795%

Gabriele H.-Kiefer has carried the flag for Cypriot dressage for a while now, riding this horse Cyprus Ophelia 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 today.

Cyprus Ophelia is showing better bend in the left trot half pass than to the right. A little hesitation before the rein back. Some nice extended trot and passage steps. Well ridden in the first piaffe when they nearly stepped backwards. The walk is looking fragile and she's jogged in the collected walk. Back into passage, well ridden again in the piaffe. Clean two-time changes. 15 clean one-time changes, but could cover a little more ground. Coming a bit short in the neck and dropping the poll at times. Good final centre line. They complete on a score of 63.91%

Now we see Carina Cassøe Krüth of Denmark riding Heiline's Danciera. Carina is the only combination forward from Denmark’s gold-medal team at Herning 2022.

Carina has returned from an eight-month suspension over a welfare case, against which she appealed.

The partnership have 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 suggests.

There is a lot of good work in this test, but the piaffe is proving tricky for this pair.

Clean two-time canter changes. The one-time changes looked lovely, earning several eights. The canter work has definitely pulled their score back up. Lovely last extended trot. Better final piaffe but a bit unsteady in the contact.

They finish on 72.17% to sit third individually.

Three years on from her international grand prix debut, Canada's Camille Carier Bergeron – 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.

Finnlanderin is a eye-catching type, showing uphill trot work with an expressive front leg to begin.

Creeping forward a bit in the piaffe steps, but it was achieved. Good active extended walk steps. Slight muddle moving into canter.

Plenty of ground cover in the two-time changes. And bold extended canter. The canter zig zag looked easy, and good one-times. Tidy pirouettes.

A decent final centreline. Great riding by Camille Carier Bergeron. They score 70.56%

For Sweden we have Therese Nilshagen riding Navarro. Therese, 43, was a Swedish team stalwart on former ride Dante Weltino.

Early signs are promising for her new ride Navarro, a 10-year-old black stallion by Negro, with a grand prix average near 72% this season, while their grand prix special is 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.

Navarro makes an impressive start in the early trot work. Plenty of expression combined with suppleness in the trot half-passes.

Lovely ground cover in the extended trot and spring in the passage. The piaffe looks a little green, as is understandable with a 10-year-old.

Blowing his nose in the collected walk, but it's maintained. Similar in the piaffe to the first. And into canter. Clean two-time changes, that looked easy. Good ground cover in the extended canter. Lots of sideways travel in the canter zigzag. Clean one-time changes, but could be bigger.

Well ridden by Therese in the pirouettes as Navarro tried to take over slightly. The piaffe is definitely work in progress, but the potential is clearly there for the future.

This is a very exciting horse for the future. They score 72.38% to sit in third place individually.

Final rider before the afternoon break is Julio Mendoza Loor, riding as an individual for Ecuador, and Pan-American individual gold medallist Jewel’s Goldstrike.

They 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%.

Julio and Jewel’s Goldstrike make a good start to the test. Loads of reach in the trot half passes.

Some moments of tension creeping in during the passage. Nice relaxation in the extended walk.

The horse is trying really hard in the passage, almost a little too much. Clean two-time changes, but could cover more ground. Clean one-time changes. Tidy pirouettes.

Unfortunately a little confusion at the end of the final centre line.

They score 71.3%

We have another short break. Next in will be the Netherland's Thamar Zweistra riding Hexagons Mr Magnum N.O.P.T at 3.50pm UK time.

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb will be third after the break at 4.10pm.

Oscar spoke to Carina Cassøe Krüth after her test, which scored 72.17% for fourth place individually.

“I'm quite happy,” said Carina. “She was quite tense in the beginning. As I went to go in [the arena party said] ‘You can go’, and then I went, and the gate was closed.

“Then she got a little bit scared so it's not the best start. So she was quite tense in the trot. But then she relaxed a little bit more in the cancer and started breathing again. Yes, and then she felt quite like herself again.

“She is 15 this year. So I've been riding her since she was four. It's like longer than most relationships. So we know each other in and out.”

The Netherland's Thamar Zweistra riding nine-year-old Hexagons Mr Magnum N.O.P.T is in the arena.

Slightly spooky early moment for this one that affected the half pass, and then the rein back.

Hexagons Mr Magnum has stepped up following an injury to Thamar's planned ride, posting two 71%-plus scores in his first – and only – international grands prix. NOP status, awarded to the Netherlands’ top prospects, soon followed.

Some green moments during the test as could be expected from a horse at this age and stage of his education. Problems in the one-time changes. He looks like a horse with huge potential. It will be interesting to see him a few years time. Nice pat on the neck during the test from Thamar to help give him confidence.

They've scored 65.34%, but there will be plenty of higher scores to come for this partnership.

Here is Marcos Santiago Ortiz Diez of Mexico riding Waitoni, a 15-year-old chestnut gelding(Wynton x Weltmeyer).

Based near Mexico City, this pair 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.

Not enough steps of piaffe shown. Waitoni looked to take over slightly. Clean two-times changes but lacking some ground cover and slightly croup high. The canter has a slight downhill tendency, which shows up in the one-time changes.

They score 61.24%

Second British rider Becky Moody and Jagerbomb are next into the arena. They bring forward a 76.43% grand prix average this season. What can they produce today? Keeping everything crossed here...

Not really immobile in the first halt... and Bomb broke to canter in the first extended trot. Gah!

Good halt and rein back and no problems in the second extended trot. Good first piaffe steps on the spot.

Bomb is looking a bit hot, clever riding in the walk.

Correct passage and piaffe steps.

Big powerful two-time changes. And a super extended canter.

Well ridden canter zig zag. Clean one-time changes.

Well balanced pirouettes. Great ground cover in the last extended trot.

And he stands in the final halt.

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb score 73.82% to move into first place at this stage.

Here comes Wim Verwimp of Belgium riding Jedai de Massa. Wim brings forward a grand prix average of 69.5% this season. They edged out Jeroen Devroe to become Belgian champion in May, 32 years after his first title — so it will be interesting to see how they go.

Wim Verwimp brings Jedai de Massa back to walk for a few strides before entering the arena. This is another of the three horses forward from the élevage Massa stud, in Provence, France.

Expressive regular passage and some super piaffe steps shown before they move into the canter work. Clean two-time changes. A big spook at the end of the extended canter – what a shame!

A mistake at the start of the one-time changes. That will be costly. A miscommunication in the final piaffe, then does some lovely steps.

They finish on a score of 68.12%

Next in is New Zealand individual rider Wendi Williamson with Don Vito MH. An environmental engineer from Waimauku, Wendi has had the 13-year-old chestnut gelding (Don Frederico x Anamour) since he 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.

Some lovely steps in their first extended trot to get this pair underway. Showing great spring and lift. Transitions on and out of rein back were a bit abrupt, but he's loving showing off his extended trot again. Issues in the first piaffe and the passage that followed it.

The second piaffe looks hard work. And into canter. Clean two-time changes, showing nice expression. And some good steps un the extended canter. Zig zag achieved and followed by very nice one-time changes.

A bit sticky in both pirouettes with the hindlegs jumping together. Lovely last extended trot. This is clearly his favourite moment.

Some better piaffe steps on the final centre line. And a great final halt.

They score 64.95%

Two more to go today. For the home side, it’s Frederic Wandres riding Bluetooth OLD.

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.

What can they produce today?

Frederic starts with a very square still halt from Bluetooth. Lovely first extended trot. Lovely steps bend in the trot half pass. The rein back wasn't diagonal pairs.

Good riding through the first passage, piaffe, passage. Lots of over track in the extended walk. A few sticky moments in the second piaffe.

Into canter, clean two-time changes of good quality. Clean one-time changes. You could hear a pin drop in the arena.

Hindlegs almost jumping together in the second pirouette. Lovely steps in the extended trot.

Final centre line... some better piaffe steps there. And stands still aas the crowd cheers.

They score 75.96% to take the individual lead and put Germany in pole position for the team competition at this early stage.

Our final rider of the day is Kasey Perry-Glass of the USA riding Heartbeat W.P.

The Aachen arena is absolutely rocking after Frederic’s test.

Kasey was called up last week after the withdrawal of Jordan LaPlaca and Gold Play.

Kasey gets off to a good start. A little limited in the first extended trot but keeps a good balance. Halted square, then stepped one front foot forward before the rein back.

Shows slightly more ground cover in the next extended trot. Good active steps in the extended walk. Lots of spring in the passage. Losing some rhythm and power in the piaffe.

Into canter, and clean off the floor two-time changes. Could cover more ground in the extended canter. Lots of bounce through the one-time changes.

Good pirouettes, It's very pleasant picture to watch. The best of the piaffes on the centre line.

Kasey looks very happy with that. They score 70.61%

That's today's action complete. We have more rider interviews to come, including Becky Moody's thoughts on her test, so do stick around or check back later.

Once we wrap up here, we'll have more detailed reports on today's top performance on the website. And our live reports will continue on Wednesday morning, in time for Brazil's Murilo Augusto Machado grand prix test on Jorge V.O at 7.20am UK time.

Our dressage editor and Aachen reporter Oscar Williams caught up with Becky Moody after her test.

"It was certainly not the mark that I wanted to put on the board for the team, but after a difficult start we did some of our best piaffes. The first pirouette was good, the trot half passes were better in the test than they were in the warm up, so I was pleased that I managed to pull as much of it back as I did, but obviously I was very, very frustrated with the bits that I didn't get right,” said Becky.

“It's always that balance with him. I love it when he is hotter like that, it really is how I want him. But I just lost a little bit more of his focus than I would normally do.

“I think it's such an unusual arena. I really didn't know what I was going to get from him. It's unusual because it's incredible and it's huge, but it's all quite far away. So his focus went too far away from me. When everything is closer, I feel he stays a little bit closer. So it's just knowing how they're going to react in an arena like that, and I have to learn from it and hopefully come back better for the next one.”

On being able to move on from mistakes, Becky said: “As a top competition rider, you have to not focus on the mistake that's happened, but go to ‘what can I do to try to either pull it back or at least not lose anymore‘. So my focus was really on just doing the rest of the work without taking unnecessary risk, but trying to get the best marks that I could.”

Asked whether she planned to change anything before the grand prix special, Becky replied: “I think I'll be a little bit more prepared for how he's going to be. I know the special really suits him. You go straight into the trot extension still, but I'd probably be a little more cautious with the first extension. But otherwise, the test really helps to get them focused and with you with all the transitions and the changes and the half-passes. So I think that test is more helpful when he’s like that.”

We wish Becky the very best of luck in the grand prix special on Friday.

The overnight leader Frederic Wandres spoke after his test about why it's impossible to prepare horses for the main arena in Aachen.

“I think we cannot train for this stadium, there is nothing like this anywhere in the world, but for everyone it's the same. What we couldn’t train in the familiarisation was moving pictures on the big screen. So that was something different for the horses.

“My horse came a little bit back to me when he saw himself. Maybe he was thinking, ‘Oh, is there another horse’ or something? I don't know. And especially in those important lines, the one tempi line and the second extended trot, you are going towards the screen. So he was holding himself back a little bit.

“But other than that, I think it was a quite fluent test – a consistent, harmonious round. Here and there, it could have been a little bit more. But I think, especially for a team test, you have to bring consistency and don't risk too much here and there.”

Frederic described Bluetooth as a very elegant horse, but a bit of a spoiled kid.

“He's a very elegant horse. I hope he could show that. He likes to present himself, but he's also a little bit shy sometimes, especially at home. If there is a trash can always there, and next day it's not there, then I have to take care.

“But when he's in the competition arena he's fine. He feels the pressure in a positive way, like he wants to show off a little bit himself.

“Other than that, he is very spoiled. He's a spoiled kid, but that's okay. He gets like 24/7 care [at shows] and he enjoys that and knows that. Next week when we are home, he's expecting that someone is there 24/7, so then he's a little bit like ‘Hello, hello, I want to go out, I want to do this or that.’ Then we have to slowly tell him, ‘Sorry, we have 15 other horses which have been missing me for two weeks’.”

I will be back tomorrow (Wednesday 12 August) ahead of our first rider into the arena at 7.20am UK time. I hope you'll join us then.

Wednesday 12 August: grand prix dressage day two

Good morning all. H&H website editor Carol Phillips here, ready to bring you all the news from Aachen on the day the team dressage medals will be decided.

As it currently stands, Britain has a gap of 2.14% that we need to close in order to catch up with Germany, who lead the team standings. Both countries have two big hitters to come today.

Carl Hester (Fame) and Katharina Hemmer (Denoix PCH) go head to head in the group just before lunch, before Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) and Isabell Werth (Wendy De Fontaine) close out the day in the final group.

For a fuller picture of the team standings, read Oscar Williams’ end of grand prix day one report.

Before we get started, here are a few thoughts from our dressage editor Oscar Williams, who is on the ground in Aachen, about yesterday's action:

Big winners on day one of the dressage were obviously Germany, with Frederic Wandres capitalising on the mistakes from Becky Moody and Jagerbomb to open up a 2.14% gap between the two teams. Lottie and Carl will now have to deliver either personal bests or hope for a German slip-up to get gold.

Elsewhere, Simone Pearce and Will Marq had a terrific round, scoring 72.39% – the fourth-best score of the day – to catapult the Australians to third place after day one. The 10-year-old stallion, owned by her fiancée, showjumper Martin Fuchs, had a couple of mistakes; a cleaner round could have scored even higher, but he's definitely one to watch.

Twenty-one-year-old Felicita Simoncic defied the form book on Four Legends for Austria – her 70.73% was almost 4% up on her season average, the biggest overperformance in the field.

The ninth-placed Canadians are also on the up – Camille Carier Bergeron scored 70.56% with Finnländerin, leaving them just 0.05% behind the US team in eighth. If the Canadians can come out on top in that battle, it'll be a real boost for them – and quite an embarrassment for the US.

First into the arena is Murilo Augusto Machado riding Jorge V.O for Brazil. Murilo and Jorge VO have competed two grands prix this season (67.7%, 67.22%), but have never competed in Europe before.

Murilo is dressed in army uniform and Jorge is an attractive 12-year-old grey Lusitano stallion. They're off to a good start with the first trot section complete. This horse is showing nice ability in the piaffe/passage work.

Into canter and clean two-time changes. Canter zig zag done. A slightly short first change behind in the one-time changes, which is a shame and will be expensive. Lacking a little energy in the pirouettes.

Front and hindleg action matching the last extended trot. Good final centre line with a lovely square halt to finish.

That was an enjoyable test to watch to get up under way. They score 65.09%

Next is Ireland’s third rider Jessica Dunn who is riding Dan Its Carston.

Jess is Ireland’s top scorer going into the worlds, with a season-best 69.5% at Aachen CDI3*. The World Championships will be valuable championship experience for this exciting combination — with a more realistic tilt at LA 2028 likely to come via the 2027 Europeans.

A bit of a whoopsie as they enter the arena, but hopefully things will improve from here. Now settled and a good extended trot and half passes.

Slightly stepped back to square up in the halt, which was a shame but was still and then reinback achieved. An awkward moment before the first piaffe but Jess rode it really well and got him settled into some piaffe steps. Super extended walk steps.

Back into passage, better transition in – that will be a big relief to Jess. And into canter. Lovely big balanced two-time changes. Good job with the canter zig zag. A few hiccups in the one-times. Jess is doing a great job of keeping everything together and not being knocked off her stride by a few things going slightly off-piste.

Well done Jess! That was a class bit of riding. They score 63.4%

Here is Suphakamol Vuntanadit riding for team Thailand with Dreamboat BCN. Thailand’s original grand prix pioneer, “Pam” blazed the dressage trail that her sister and Pakjira Thongpakdi have followed.

With only three riders, Thailand has no discard score – every result counts. Pam’s grand prix average is 63.93%.

Dreamboat would quite like to have a look around at this stunning arena, which is affecting the early work. The judge has rung the bell after the initial halt. And Suphakamol is leaving the arena.

The head of the ground jury at C eliminated this pair because the horse was unlevel.

Now in the arena is Alexandre Ayache riding Ruling Olivia for France. They are a steady mid-to-high 60s pairing. This horse is quite base narrow in the first piaffe. Nice steps in the extended walk, although the neck could come out a bit more. The head is a bit nodding in the piaffe and passage steps. Clean two-stride changes. Slightly quarters leading at times in the canter zig-zag. Tidy one-time changes. And a tidy final centre line. They score 67.95%

In the arena is Dominican Republic individual rider Yvonne Losos De Muñiz with a new ride Idwinaretto. The pair have averaged 68% in the grand prix this season.

He has nice spring and lift in the extended trot work, and the passage. A slight tendency to step one hind leg back slightly in the piaffe. Anticipating the passage in the collected walk.

Into canter. Clean twos. He has a tendency toward being croup high at times in the canter work. Ones achieved. Lacking some balance in the pirouettes.

Last centre line complete. They score 67.16%

Spanish rider José Antonio Garcia Mena is riding bay Lusitano stallion Gladiador Do Lis.

This pair have emerged as the team’s leading combination ahead of the World Championships, 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%) – will they be able to repeat that achievement?

This pair show particular talent in the transitions into and out of piaffe.

They score 71.13%

For Finland, here is Stella Hagelstam riding Hagels Prince Nassak, who is just a nine-year-old so is still finding his feet at the level, averaging around 66.2%.

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.

The first piaffe sort of didn't happen. Some "half steps" achieved in the second piaffe. This horse is showing potential for some really quality work, but his greeness is coming through. Confusion in the two-time changes. The one-times started well, but then he got in a bit of muddle.

Stella did a great job of schooling this horse through the test. They are definitely ones to watch for the future. They scored 62.52%

Our final rider before the morning break is William Matthew for Australia riding 11-year-old chestnut mare Faye 43 (Fürst Wilhelm x Aljano 2).

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 she is a rising star.

Flashy front leg action shown in the early trot work. Very square halt at C but it took a few seconds to settle. The piaffe has room to improve. In the extended walk the horse looks a little bit tight - the hind feet are just about landing in the prints of the front feet. Nice passage steps.

Into canter. Clean two-time changes that could have a bit more ground cover. The ones were clean until the end – then a mistake towards the end. That's going towards one of the big screens, which has caught the eye of a few horses.

They score 67.02%

The next rider will be Aleksandra Poplawska-Slazak for Poland riding Sambalito. They are due into the arena at 8.55am.

Our reporter on the ground in Aachen, Oscar Williams, caught up with Ireland's Jess Dunn after her test. Here’s what she had to say.

“I'm very pleased on the whole. Really pleased. Obviously, there was a few mistakes which were unplanned and quite expensive, but we're both new to this kind of championship.

“I was a bit disappointed, but that's because I always aim for perfection. But he was really good, and the bits that we've really practiced over the year got me some good marks, so I'm on the whole pretty happy.”

Jess had to quickly regroup when her horse spooked dramatically going into the arena.

“He's never done that before, so it was a little bit of a shock. But at least he was going forward and not running backwards,” she said.

“He's just a bit of an inward worrier, and he gets a bit nervous. But I'd rather that than him be hot and explosive all the time. He just has these little moments. But you know, he quickly recovered his head, and the other little mistakes were just a bit of a miscommunication. So you know we'll learn from it.

“He's just a little bit of an anxious kind of guy; he looks really chilled on the surface, but you can just feel it. That's why I do loads of patting, and most of our rounds are for building confidence where I just keep telling him he's great.

“He's a really lovely horse, and we've gone from strength to strength as a partnership. And we're still very new to the level, really. He only did his first grand prix last May, so he's not really done a huge amount, either. So we've got lots to take from this, and he's only gonna get better. So I'm thrilled with him.”

Aleksandra Poplawska-Slazak for Poland riding Sambalito is in the arena.

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.

An attractive looking partnership with the horse in a good frame in the early work. Good activity in the extended walk. This is another horse who is clearly aware of his impressive surroundings. The piaffe and passage is a correct but a little bit limited so won't earn the highest marks.

Into canter, clean two-time changes. The canter zig zag was not centred over the centre line. Nice one-time changes heading towards the big screen.

This test was easy to watch. Shame a few minor spooks crept in. Aleksandra looks pleased. They score 66.79%

Austrian competitor Bettina Kendlbacher is riding 13-year-old compact chestnut gelding, Broadmoars Don Alfredo AWÖ (Destano x His Highness 2).

They rode at their first senior championship in last summer’s Europeans, finishing 36th in the grand prix (68.48%), bang in line with their season average — they’ve stayed a consistent, high-60s combination ever since.

They've got off to a good start with impressive trot half passes. Shame the halt at C before the rein back wasn't quite square. Lots of energy in the passage and piaffe, although not all piaffe steps looked quite even front to back. Walk is slightly fragile, but maintained.

Into canter, very good two-time changes with lots of lift and energy while maintaining the balance. Zig zag done. Good one-time changes. These are a highlight of this test. Good pirouettes.

They scored 69.08%

Here is João Pedro Moreira for Portugal riding Drosa Fuerst Kennedy OLD.

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 at the Europeans.

They won the grand prix at Aachen CDI3* this spring (71.41%), but their grand prix form has since settled at 69.95%.

Walked out of the first halt momentarily, then found their stride. Free moving front leg action in the first ext trot. Lacking a little bend in the half pass.

The horse looks like he enjoys the extended trot. A bit sticky in the piaffe, the passage is better. Swingingly nicely through the body in the extended walk. Slight glitch moving from collected walk to passage.

Into canter, clean two-time changes with good ground cover. Well ridden canter zig zag. Clean one-time changes. Good pirouettes.

Well ridden test. They score 70.2%

For Switzerland, we have Delia Eggenberger riding 11-year-old black mare Santa Maria.

Delia’s has produced a 67.78% grand prix average this season, near-identical to her level heading into last year’s European Championships, where she scored 66.35%.

Santa Maria was blowing her nose on the first centre line. Impressive first extended trot with matching elastic front and hind legs. This is a good start.

Very direct to a square halt at C. Good height in the passage steps. Good piaffe steps, but slight glitch in the transition out.

Collected walk is looking fragile, but was maintained. Better transition out of piaffe this time. Into canter.

Started boldly into the two-time changes. All clean. Zig zag complete. An early mistake at the start of the one-time changes. That's a shame.

They score 68.74%. The mistake in the one-time changes will have had a real impact on that.

Next is Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Flash Gordon 37 for Denmark.

This is a new partnership still finding its feet – they've scored 73.53% across three grands prix before Aachen.

Off to an impressive extended trot to begin. The horse looks quite impressed by his surroundings. Lovely transition into the first piaffe, which is gently travelling forward.

A little bit of distraction in the extended walk. Maintained the collected walk. Piaffe started travelling then some steps on the spot. Very smooth in and out. Into canter. Two-time changes were clean and uphill, could have covered more ground.

Well ridden canter zig zag. Solid one-time changes. Nailed the pirouettes. Big loose extended trot steps. And a good last centre line.

Daniel looks very pleased with that. He punches the air after his final halt. They score 74.88% which puts them into second place individually and will really strengthen the Danish team position.

Here is Caroline Chew and Blue Hors Zatchmo, Singapore’s individual dressage flagbearers.

Caroline heads to Aachen five years on from becoming the first Singaporean rider to compete at the Olympics – Tokyo in 2021. She is currently averaging 65.8% in the grand prix.

No issues in the early trot work. Not clear transitions between the passage and the piaffe steps, which were travelling very forward. Good lengthening of the neck in the extended walk. Good four-time steps in the collected walk. Clearer piaffe shown this time.

Into canter. The two-time changes didn't show much ground cover. Clean but quite small one-time changes. Good small pirouettes. This horses doesn't show the biggest ground cover in the extended work.

Final centre line complete and they score 65.65%

Riding as an individual for Mexico is Carolina Cordoba Wolf, 28, with 17-year-old dark bay mare Isabella (Gribaldi x Blue Hors Don Schufro).

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.

Nice floaty first extended trot. Good reach in the front leg through the trot half passes. Square halt, not quite at C. First piaffe slightly travelling forward in parts. Good relaxation and stretch in the extended walk. Showing potential for good piaffe steps, but intermittently travelling forward.

Into canter, solid uphill two-time changes. Some tricky moments in the canter zig zag. Good one-time changes. Lacking canter in the first pirouette. Second one was better. Walked through the canter to trot transition. The final piaffe on the centre line didn't come off.

They score 62.7%

Our last rider before the next break is Chris von Martels riding 13-year-old chestnut mare Londoncrown (Londontime x San Amour) for Canada.

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.

Good start. Not quite square halt at C and looked up at the screen. But focussed again for the ext trot. Good passage and quality piaffe steps, slightly travelling forward. Very active extended walk - perhaps slightly quick, but covering lots of ground. More lovely passage. Very base narrow in the piaffe, right hind slightly tending to step back if the horse doesn't travel slightly forward.

Into canter. Lovely two-time changes. Super steady outline. A dodgy moment in the zig zag. Jumped together in one of the one-time changes. What a shame. And the horse struggling slightly in the second pirouette.

Lots of spring in the passage on the final centre line, piaffe started well, And a good final halt. They score 66.32%

We are having another 15min break. We'll hear from Daniel Bachmann on his text shortly and be back with the action at 10.30am UK time.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen was delighted with Flash Gordon's test, which scored 74.88% to move into second place individually ahead of Becky Moody and Jagerbomb.

“This was his fifth international grand prix. I started a little bit careful to see what he did. I mean, he's never been in a championship or anything like this.

“I still have so many points to get when I have a little bit more experience with him, few more piaffe steps, everything even more smooth. It's gonna come just with the work that we do.

“He's felt absolutely amazing. We went to Falsterbo, did the five star there, and we unlocked some new relaxation in the ring. We've just trained on that since, and he took that with him here.’

“He's such an honest horse, such an amazing horse that we train on relaxation. I just have to learn to trust him and not want him to do so much because he gives so much.

“When he learns to be relaxed in there and really trust me, then it's gonna be absolutely phenomenal because I feel there is there's no limit on him. He's good at almost everything – going towards eights and nines and the pirouettes and piaffes can become eights and nines when they can just stay a little longer, with a little bit more sitting, but it's just a matter of time.

“I'm careful always bringing a horse into championship level within one season to not ask too much and not be too greedy. I'd rather come out with a horse that has gained experience in a positive way, and then maybe I can do one more step on Friday. We will see.”

Now in the arena is individual rider Nicolas Wagner Ehlinger for Luxembourg with Quater Back Junior FRH.

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 scored 68.88% in the grand prix. Form remains consistent this season.

They've got off to a fair start. The second piaffe is slightly limited and a bit of a muddle coming out into the passage. Into canter.

Clean two-time changes, that could have covered a bit more ground. Zig zag all present and correct. Clean one-time changes, could have covered a bit more ground. Good sitting and activity in the pirouettes.

Last centre line, blew his nose in the piaffe and lost a bit of balance coming out. They score 68.94%

Maria von Essen of Sweden is riding Invoice.

Patrik Kittle tends to get the Swedish headlines, but at last summer’s Europeans, Maria out-scored him in both the grand prix and special.

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.

A good start to the test but a bit sticky in the rein back. Expressive passage steps, nicely in and out the first piaffe. Horse is slightly looking around in the extended walk. Good transition back into passage from collected walk. A slightly tricky moment moving into piaffe.

Into canter, quality two-time changes in good balance. Tidy zig zag. Clean one-time changes. Well controlled and balanced pirouettes. Those are a real highlight of this test.

Lovely last piaffe on the centre line, looked like it might become too much but well managed. They score 72.08%

One rider to come before Carl Hester and Fame for Britain. Now in the arena is Dinja van Liere of the Netherlands riding nine-year-old stallion Mauro Turfhorst N.O.P. (Glock’s Zonik x Negro)

Mauro Turfhorst looks a superstar in the making, improving from 73.02% on his April grand prix debut to 75% at Rotterdam in June.

They've got off to a good start. Good square halt at C and quality rein back steps. Lots of lift through the front leg in the passage. Slightly base narrow in the piaffe – the potential is there and will undoubtedly improve with age and strength.

Walk executed well. Slightly sticky moment in the second piaffe but well recovered. Into canter. Super uphill and light two-time canter changes. Lovely picture. Well ridden zig zag. Super one-time changes. Lovely air time through those.

Good sit in the first pirouette, slight moment coming out, but great work. This horse has so much potential for the future. One mistake on the final centre line, but a wonderful job.

What a cool customer this young horse is! Walking out looking totally relaxed on the buckle end of the rein. They score 74.16% to slide into third place individually.

Right here we go – here is Carl Hester and Fame. They bring forward a 76.75% grand prix average.

Not quite square on the first halt. Lovely steps in the first ext trot. Excellent balance in the trot half passes. Square halt at C, clear rein back. Another good extended trot. Slightly travelling in the first piaffe.

Good relaxed extended walk steps. Good transition from collected walk to passage. Nice piaffe steps. And into canter.

Big uphill two-time changes. A nice pat for Fame. The master at work in the canter zig zag. Clean one-time changes. Two good pirouettes. Lovely ground cover in the extended trot.

Final centre line: Good passage steps and the best of his three piaffes. Slightly stumbled into the final halt. But lands square and stands still.

Fame looks relaxed walking out on a loose rein. They score 77.31% That's the highest scoring test so far. Great work!

Next is Larissa Pauluis of Belgium riding Flambeau. 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.

Larissa and Flambeau have got off to a good start. Lots of air time in the passage steps. Some good piaffe steps, not the smoothest transition out. Active extended walk steps. Nicely from collected walk into passage. Good piaffe steps. Slightly smoother coming out this time.

Into canter. Nice air time in the two-time changes. Good job in the zig zag. A problem in the one-time changes – that's unfortunate and expensive. Good pirouettes. Last centre line done.

They score 72.47%

Here is individual rider Diana Porsche and the former Charlotte Dujardin ride, Imhotep, aka “Pete’.

Diana switched allegiances from Austria to Hungary in February. She’s averaging just under 71% in the grand prix, which is nearly eight points down on Imhotep’s career average with Charlotte.

Nice easy steps in the first extended trot. He's looking full of power in the half pass. Not quite square halt at C. Another lovely ext trot. Some great piaffe steps, with a narrow base. Extended walk has lots of activity and not that much length.

Pete looks happy to be back in passage, very on the spot in the second piaffe. Into canter.

Huge two-time changes with an expressive front leg. Zig zag done. Big one-time changes. Pete is coming a little short in the neck at times, but Diana is trying to let his neck out.

Diana looks very pleased with that, as she should. Good job! They scored 70.26%

This is a key ride for the team scores: Katharina Hemmer of Germany with Denoix PCH.

This pair were debutantes at last summer’s Europeans, with Katharina helping Germany win 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%.

She's giving her 14-year-old ride a nice pat as they walk around the arena.

Not quite square in the first halt. This is an attractive picture in the early trot work. Halted slightly before C and not quite square, half extra step in the rein back.

Good height in the passage steps, slightly travelling in the first piaffe, but good steps. Extended walk is a little quick, but maintained. Top quality passage and piaffe steps.

Into canter. Super two-time changes, plenty of lift and ground cover in a good open frame. Nailed the one-time changes. Pirouettes done. Lovely extended trot.

Super passage, piaffe, passage on the final centre line. Not sure the final halt was immobile, but I think that's outscored Carl's 77.31% – yes they've scored 79.22%

That puts Germany on 155.187, Britain on 151.134 and Denmark on 147.050 in the team competition.

Our final rider before the lunch break is Christian Simonson, 23, for the USA riding Fleau de Baian.

America’s rising star arrives without his top horse: Indian Rock, who is being rested after finishing runner-up in the World Cup Final.

Fleau De Baian is a 16-year-old chestnut stallion (Jazz x Ulft) – formerly Adeline Cornelissen’s – steps up, averaging a solid 69.12%.

A few minor issues in the early trot tour. Some nicely on the spot piaffe steps. Extended walk isn't showing any overtrack. Collected walk looks a little bit fragile.

Nice regular passage and kept the rhythm in and out of piaffe. Into canter.

Expressive well balanced two-time changes. Well presented canter zig zag. Clean one-time changes. Really sitting through the pirouettes.

Good final centre line. Great riding by Chrstian on his World Championships debut. They score 71.3%

It's time for lunch. The action will restart at 12.50pm UK time with João Victor Marcari Oliva of Brazil riding Feel Good Vo NRW.

In the meantime let's find out what Carl Hester had to say after his test...

Carl Hester spoke to H&H’s Oscar Williams after scoring 77.31% with Fame.

“It’s beyond relief after three weeks of feeling like you're up to here with worries about getting here and logistics and competition,” said Carl.

“It’s a big year; we're trying to qualify for the Olympic Games and pave the way for new combinations to come along during the next few years. So that feeling of relief is is huge.

“Three years ago at the European Championships, I had a handful there [with Fame]. He was always eyes on stalls, and the walk wasn't good. So to go in there, especially following Dinja, who did a great test and the crowd very excited, which is how it should be.

“The confidence I got as Fame walked in and they were clapping and cheering, and I didn't feel a hair on his body change. He was just like, ‘This is my arena. Chilled out. Come on, let's do the test that we've done 100 times’.

“I've been on my phone this morning, rewatching my best test that I ever done, thinking, ‘Do it again, do it again, do it again. This is all you have to do’. It sounds very small, considering I've been riding this grand prix for 36 years, but it still doesn't make you feel like, ‘Oh, I know what I'm doing’.

“You don't know till you go in there what you're going to get. You have to have your horse relaxed, but on the aids. He has to be hot enough to piaffe, and he has to be calm enough to walk and halt. And I felt today I got some of my best work.

“The fiddly bits were better, the easy bits were better, and he often makes the easy bits difficult, and the difficult bits good. But today it all all came nice.”

Talking about the test in more detail, Carl said:

“I've really learned how to trust him with pirouettes now. I'm normally working at building on what's happened at the beginning of the test, because the beginning of the test is normally his tense bit, so it's always like the letting go in the extended trot, for instance.

“An easy halt with an easy rein back, and then the first piaffe, passage, which tends to light him up a little bit for the walk. But I think the walk was probably my best mark today, and he does have a good walk. This is what's been so annoying over the years. He's got a great walk, but he just doesn't do it in the test. But today he offered that.

“It was just details that I felt in every movement. My twos had nice ground cover and felt straight. The extended canter I could ride out, the zigzag, he's just so lovely and easy. II don't even do those in the warm-up, I just save it for the test. And his pirouettes are his speciality.

“The horse I had before him, Vogue, taught me how to do a pirouette, and Fame and I just enjoy doing them together for as high a mark as possible because I know that's something I can go for, and I can make it small with him.

“I just like direct him round, and he just is so proficient in all of these exercises. I couldn't ask for more of him today.

“It's been a hot week, and he was very tired when he got here, so I did my first bit of work with him yesterday. He knows his job, so for him to come out with so little work, but feel like he enjoyed his test was just a lovely feeling for me.

“I like to get off and think the horse enjoyed it, and he's walked back to the stable without any sweat on him, with his ears pricked. So, couldn't be happier.”

Oscar also caught up with Germany's Katharina Hemmer, after her test that scored 79.22% to extended Germany's lead over Britain in the team competition.

“It’s very special to deliver a personal best in front of the home crowd in the World Championships,” explained Katharina, who came into Aachen off the back of relatively few warm-up competitions.

“There were not many [shows], but what he did was good. And I had the feeling that we made a step forward and were even better than before the last show. So I was feeling quite quite confident, and Denoix felt confident as well, so that was good.”

“I think the highlight for me was probably the harmony during the whole test. That was the good feeling for me because I could really do everything with light aids. He was listening, and I think that was what made it good.

“I was in a very, very good situation today, and that made me feel relaxed and confident. I tell Denoix every day that he's the world's best. For me, this horse has no limits, and I'm very grateful he showed it today.”

Our first rider into the arena after lunch is João Victor Marcari Oliva for Brazil riding Feel Good Vo NRW.

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.

João Victor Marcari Oliva and Feel Good start with a not quite square halt.

This horse has a very scopey extended trot with nice lift and ground cover. More flow in the right half pass than the left. Halt and reinback achieved. Nice first piaffe steps, slight glitch for the transition in.

Extended walk is very quick and lacked length of neck. Back into passage. Better transition into piaffe this time. Into canter.

Clean two-stride changes. Zig zag complete. Super one-time changes, staying in a lovely uphill frame. Back into extended trot, which is really attractive with excellent ground cover.

Some nice piaffe steps, then a bit of a glitch. Lots to like in that test.

They score 70.71%

Here we have the final rider for Ireland, James Connor, 67, riding 13-year-old bay gelding Vanotti (Vitalis x Florestan I).

Hugely experienced, having competed at three previous World Championships, Milan-based James and Vanotti arrive in Aachen following by far the busiest campaign of the four Irish combinations — seven grands prix across four countries this season, averaging 67.05%.

This partnership are producing a nice picture during the early trot work. Nice square halt at C and five steps back. Good passage steps, a bit sticky in the first piaffe.

Good physical and mental relaxation with over-track in the extended walk. Tidy collected walk. Lacking drive from the hindleg in the piaffe.

Into canter. Mistake in the two-time changes. That's a shame as they started well. Zig zag not quite centred over the centre line. Clean uphill one-time changes. They should score well. Second pirouette is better than the first.

They complete with a score of 68.28%. That puts Ireland on a finishing score of 199.161, behind Brazil on 202.080.

Next is Pakjira Thongpakdi riding as an individual for Thailand with Definitely after the elimination of one of her fellow riders in their three-strong team as their horse went unlevel in the test.

Pakjira bought Definitely 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.

Showing some nice passage steps, the piaffe is a little lacking. The neck is curling rather than stretching out in the extended walk. Slight glitch in the transition from collected walk to passage. A few issues in the piaffe, passage sections.

Into canter. Problems in the two-time changes, that will be costly. This horse is struggling to show a poll high frame in the canter work. One times changes were clean. The three one-time changes on the centre line between the pirouettes. Looking in a better frame in the extended trot.

They complete with a score of 63.23%

The final rider for France is Pauline Basquin, 47, with Sertorius de Rima Z Ifce. Pauline is wearing the black uniform of the Cadre Noir.

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.

Very good entry directly into a still square halt. Nice swing and lift in the first extended trot. Good trot half-passes. Was very square at C, then slightly moved a front leg before the rein back, which was a shame.

Light passage steps, but the first piaffe was slightly lacking spring. Good lengthening and relaxation in the extended trot. Was a little early into passage after the collected walk. The piaffe steps are going to be costly for this pair.

Into canter, clean two-time changes, but could have had a little more ground cover. Clean one-time changes. The pirouettes are slightly large.

They complete on a score of 68.70% and that puts France on a final score of 204.053, which sees them go ahead of Brazil.

The fourth and final rider for Spain is Borja Carrascosa, 44, riding Frizzantino FRH. This pair arrive in Aachen after a personal best in the grand prix (72.59%) at Mâcon Chaintré CDI3*.

Didn't go all out in the first extended trot, but trot half-passes look easy. Very square halt exactly at C. A bit more power in the second extended trot. Some lovely piaffe steps. Good relaxation in the extended walk, although slightly quick in the steps.

Into canter, huge two-time changes but looked a little against the rein. This horse is very active behind, which brings its own challenges. The one-times were a bit messy.

Good piaffe steps on the final centre line. They finish on 69.33% which puts Spain on 209.379 and they finish ahead of France.

Henri Ruoste is the fourth rider for Finland with Tiffanys Diamond.

The leading lights of the Finnish team, Henri and this 14-year-old mare 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.

This horse has a nice round action with the forelegs. Good half-pass steps, uphill and with good bend and reach. Stepped back to achieve a square halt at C. Super passage, piaffe was varying in tempo at times.

Horse is having a slight look around at the start of the extended walk, improving as it goes. Collected walk looks a bit fragile. More good passage steps. Better piaffe, slightly lurched out into passage.

Almost struck off on to wrong canter lead, but rescued. Clean two-time changes, but could have covered more ground. Extended canter could have been bolder. Clean one-times but needed to have been bigger for top marks. Very small first pirouette. Good second pirouette. Those will have earnt good scores.

Slightly lurched out of the final piaffe, after not many steps.

They scored 71.82% putting Finland on a final score of 205.699 to sit behind Spain and in front of France in the team competition.

The last rider for Australia is Warwick McLean riding Le Special.

Former international event rider Warwick's 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%.

Some lovely swing and lift in the first extended trot. Better bend in the left half pass. Halted slightly before C and not quite square.

Very light footed passage and went into piaffe very early. Good over-track in the extended walk. The hingleg steps aren't matching in the second piaffe, which will be costly.

Into canter. Clean two-time changes. One-time changes achieved, but getting tense going towards the corner where the big screen is. Some better piaffe steps on the final centre line.

They score 64.98% which takes Australia to 206.677 which slots them in between Spain and Finland.

Our last rider before the first afternoon break is Sandra Sysojeva of Poland with Maxima Bella.

You may remember Maxima Bella as a breakout star in Paris, finishing 15th, aged just eight. Grand prix form has plateaued in the mid-70s, but the freestyle remains their real strength – third at April’s World Cup Final on 80.77%.

Incredible forelimb action from this mare, both forwards and to the side, as shown in the half pass. Excellent passage steps and highly motivated in the piaffe. Lovely extended walk steps. Collected walk is nicely four-time.

Into canter. Slightly fluffed an early change in the two-times. Good zig zag. Clean one-time changes. Good pirouettes.

The right hind is occasionally taking a double beat in the passage and piaffe, which will be costly.

They scored 73.15% which puts Poland on 207.220 to stand ahead of Australia and behind Spain.

Time for a short break. The action will restart at 2:25pm with Peter Gmoser of Austria with Dante's Daiquiri.

In the meantime we'll hear from Irish rider James Connor after his test.

Oscar caught up with a very happy James Connor after his grand prix, which scored 68.28% for Ireland.

“I'm very happy, because he he tried his hardest,” said James. “He didn't look at anything, and he was really fighting for it. It's nice when you're both doing the same thing. He was so nice, so it was fun to ride.

“The half passes were nice and forwards. I missed the two-time changes, so I'll have to go back to the drawing board there. Normally they're very, very good. The one-time changes were good, I think, and the pirouettes were quite good. The canter zigzag was a little bit difficult, but it worked. So I'm really happy and very proud of him and our work and my teachers.

“He is an amazing horse, who belongs to a lovely lady who sponsored him to me a year and a half ago. He's a dream horse. He's getting better every day. He's getting stronger every day. He knows me, and I know him. So we make compromises with each other, and it's getting better.

”He was good from the beginning. I'm probably only halfway there now, so hopefully he can get much, much better.”

Here is the final rider for Austria, 55-year-old Peter Gmoser riding Dante's Daiquiri.

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%). He’s been a steady mid-to-high 60s scorer all season with his 12-year-old black mare, by Dante Weltino.

She is looking rather affected by the atmosphere. Looked up and lost concentration in the half at C. Had a very difficult moment in the first piaffe. Extended walk was tricky but settled better in the collect steps.

Better steps in the second piaffe, but needing careful management. Into canter. Lost the communication in the two-time changes, which were mainly ones. The canter zig zag came off better. Good one-time changes.

Well ridden in the pirouettes. Great example of how to manage a tricky ride there by Peter. They score 59.04% to be the team drop score. Austria finish on 208.479, which puts them behind Spain and ahead of Poland.

Next is Maria Caetano, 39, of Portugal riding Hit Plus.

This pair are Portugal’s most experienced campaigners, and finished 23rd individually in the special at last summer’s Europeans. This season’s grand prix average (71.92%) marks a real step up for the pair.

Very active trot steps in the early work. Looking a little strong in the hand at times. Good relaxation in the extended walk. Better piaffe steps this time. And into canter.

Lovely ground cover in the two-time changes, despite the horse blowing his nose. One-time were very nice to watch. Their pirouettes should earn good marks.

Good passage on the final centre line. Slightly lurched out of the piaffe.

They score 71.03% and Portugal finish on 212.625, moving ahead of Spain.

The final Swiss rider is Charlotte Lenherr, 55, riding Dettori.

Dettori experienced 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, so we wait to see how things go this time.

Very still square halt and big smile from Charlotte for the judge at C to begin.

Fair crossing in the trot half passes. Not quite square at C. Could cover a bit more ground in the extended trot. Some rhythm and tempo issues in the first piaffe. Purposeful steps in the extended walk.

The piaffe is proving a bit tricky. Into canter.

A few issues in the two-time changes, with one stride jumping together behind. That will be affect the marks. The zig zag was well centred over the centre line, but the one-time changes started with a two-time change. Well controlled pirouette.

Getting some double beats behind in the passage on the final centre line. Good final halt.

They score 68.26% which puts Switzerland on 204.798 below Finland and in front of France.

Here is Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle for Denmark. They bring forward an 83.43% grand prix average, which has been untouched all season.

Freestyle is looking on great form at the start of this test, combining power with softness. Lovely passage steps, Slightly base narrow in the piaffe, but lovely steps. Great relaxation in the extended walk with huge overtrack. Good four beat collected walk. A little bit of a problem coming out of the second piaffe.

Into canter. Lovely ground covering two-time changes. Zig zag looks light and easy. Super one-time changes and a nice pat on the neck. Super small first pirouette.

Great reach of the foreleg in the final extended trot. Lovely even and light passage steps and better transition coming out of the final piaffe.

They score 82.38% which puts Denmark on 229.426, which puts them into contention for a podium place.

Next for Canada we have Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu riding Jaccardo.

Jaccardo made his international grand prix debut in August 2025 and his form has been excellent: a 2026 grand prix average of 71.5% across four starts. A cast-in stall injury forced a late World Cup Final withdrawal in April, but he’s bounced back to full fitness since.

Brittany is clearly going for it from the start with a very positive first extended trot. Good square halt at C before the rein back. Good activity in the passage and piaffe, but could be more over the back. Huge overtrack in the extended walk. Better in the second piaffe.

Into canter, clean two-time changes. Bold extended canter. Well ridden zig zag. Clean one-times. Pirouettes achieved. Very square final halt.

That scores 71.93%, which will take her through to the grand prix special, and Canada is on 210.559, sitting behind Denmark and Portugal and ahead of Spain.

Now we have Patrik Kittel for Sweden with Touchdown. His form mirrors last year’s almost exactly with a 73.16% average in the grand prix.

Unfortunately stepped one hindleg back into the first halt. Yikes, a little misstep and then cantered during the first extended trot. That's not the start they were hoping for.

Absolutely square halt on the marker at C. Really flicking the toes in the next extended trot. Some good piaffe steps, if slightly early, but then climbed out back into passage. Good relaxation in the extended walk.

Very on the spot in the second piaffe, and a better transition out. Into canter.

Lovely two-time changes with good ground cover. Very bold extended canter towards the big screen. Good one-time changes. Solid pirouettes. Bit awkward coming out of the final piaffe.

That scored 72.10% which puts Sweden on 216.552 so they go behind Denmark and in front of Portugal.

Our final rider before the last afternoon break is Marieke van der Putten of the Netherlands riding Zantana RS2 OLD N.O.P.

This pair have come on leaps and bounds since last summer’s Europeans, where they finished 21st in the grand prix on 70.26%. They arrive in Aachen having set successive grands prix personal bests, including a 77.96% win at Rotterdam CDI4*.

This a very athletic-looking horse with a natural uphill tendency. Lovely half-pass steps. Good halt at C, but the rein back steps were a bit quick. Super passage steps. Slightly base narrow in the piaffe. Good extended walk, was a bit keen to get into the passage steps. Better piaffe this time.

A slightly issue going into the canter. Very big uphill two-time changes. Lots of airtime in the extended canter. Clean one-time changes. Good pirouettes. Nailed the last centre line.

That scored 77.76% which puts the Netherlands on 221.428 behind Denmark.

A brief break before the final session of riders, which includes the final riders for Germany and Britain. Lottie Fry needs to score 78.296% or more for Britain to win silver. Who takes team gold will depend on the performance of Germany's Isabell Werth.

Stick around to hear what Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour had to say about her test on Mount St John Freestyle...

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour was delighted with Mount St John Freestyle’s test, which scored 82.38%.

”It was wonderful. She warmed up so well out. You could feel that she was a tiny bit on her toes, but overall, I would be an idiot if I was not happy about the score today.

“It's a championship, and I was just really pleased that [the judges] dared to go up to that level today. You know, sometimes it changes a little bit when you come to the championships, and I'm just really proud, and I'm really humble that the judges liked what they saw today.”

Cathrine also praise the arena and the crowds: ”It is a wonderful arena, and it's probably the biggest I'm ever gonna enter with any horse. I'd like to thank the audience. They are really clever, and you can feel that they are horse people. They respect all our horses, and they know good results when they see it. So I'm very thankful to have the support in there, even though I'm not German.”

So here we go with the final group of riders. First in is individual rider from Lithuania, Justina Vanagaite-Samuile riding Nabab.

Aachen will mark their fifth senior championship. Their well-travelled 2026 season — from Sopot and Doha to the World Cup Final in Texas — has yielded a 68.79% grand prix average to date.

Nice swing and lift in the early trot work. Not much immobility in the halt at C before the rein back. The first piaffe was a bit sticky. Good extended walk showing good relaxation and a big overtrack. Nice transition from collected walk to passage, but issues with the piaffe.

Into canter. Uphill two-time changes with good ground cover. Good zig zag. A few dodgy moments in the one-time changes – that's unfortunate. Nice job on the pirouettes.

Good final extended trot. Nice frame and balance in the passage, but lacking spring in the piaffe.

They score 68.11%

Next is individual rider from Morocco, Yessin Rahmouni and 11-year-old gelding Kind of Magic. 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.

Kind of Magic is still green at the level, but earned a wildcard to the 2026 World Cup Final, where the occasion rather got the better of him. It will be interesting to see how he copes here.

Smart entry, but cantered early in the extended trot. Something caught the horse's eye at the end of the trot diagonal, but he was soon back on track.

Good halt at C and rein back steps achieved. Into the passage and softly into first piaffe. Not the biggest passage steps and this horse does come a bit short in the neck at times.

Better relaxation in the extended walk than the previous work suggested. Unfortunately timing for a dropping coming out of the piaffe rather scuppered the transition back to passage.

Into canter. Through the zig zag. One-time changes achieved, were getting tighter the further they went, but no mistakes. Good pirouettes. They look to be a highlight for this pair.

Better steps in the extended trot. The quality of the work on the final centre line was some of the best in the test.

They scored 65.36%

OK, deep breath for the British fans. Here is Lottie Fry and Glamourdale. They need to score 78.296 or more for Britain to secure team silver.

The current individual world champions have a grand prix average this season with 79.62% across three starts, so it is within reach.

A great entry and first halt for Lottie. Lovely extended trot steps. The half passes look easy with good reach. Super halt at C and good rein back. Another great extended trot. Halted briefly going into the piaffe. Good passage before and after.

Great relaxation in the extended walk. Good transition from collect walk to passage. Better transition into piaffe, but lost the energy slightly.

Into canter, absolutely huge two-time changes – just about fitted them into the diagonal. Good zig zag. Nailed the one-times. Those pirouettes should earn good marks. Extended trot looks so easy.

Final centreline. Best piaffe of the three in the test on the centre line. And a great square final halt.

They've scored 80.31%, which secures Britain the silver medal ahead of Denmark on 231.445. Now we wait to see what Isabell Werth can do.

Justin Verboomen and 10-year-old Zonik Plus are next in for Belgium.

The double European champions and Aachen favourites have been unbeaten since Crozet.

Incredible spring and lift in the early trot work. Halt at C is very square but the hindlegs are little out behind. Very on the spot in the first piaffe, but the neck coming a little bit high. Good relaxation in the extended walk. Good transition into passage. Right hind moving fractionally back in the second piaffe.

Into canter. Lovely forward two-time changes. Zig zag done. An issue at the start of the one-time changes, where he slipped in a two-time at the start. Very good first pirouette, but a little mistake in the second one.

Not a clear round for Justin today. But still lots of top quality work. They score 80.89% which puts Belgium on 223.044 ahead of the Netherlands and behind Denmark. Justin sits ahead of Lottie on the individual scoreboard and they are both behind Cathrine and Freestyle.

Apologies, slight technical glitch there. Really bad timing for the internet gremlins to decide to get involved!

In short, Isabell Werth and Wendy De Fontaine scored 79.88% to put Germany on a final score of 235.063 to take team gold, with Britain in silver and Denmark in bronze.

To summarise Isabell's test, she had problems in both the two-time and the one-time changes, but the piaffe, passage and pirouettes were excellent.

On to our penultimate rider of the grand prix, Isabel Freese and Total Hope OLD riding as an individual for Norway.

This stallion is showing good relaxation in the medium walk. The collected walk wasn't all four-time, which will be expensive. Lovely passage steps and piaffe was very on the spot.

Into canter. Lovely easy two-time changes. And a good extended canter. Good riding in the zig zag. One-time changes looked very secure with lots of uphill bounce. They should have scored well. Green tick for the pirouettes.

Super final extended trot. Head is a bit nodding in the passage on the final centre line, good piaffe at X. And a square final halt.

They score 76.23%

And our last rider of the day is for the USA – Ashley Holzer, 62, riding Charlotte Dujardin’s former ride Hawtins San Floriana, who has been consistent in the run up to Aachen, with a grand prix average above 68%.

Not quite immobile in the first halt. Struggling a little bit with balancing the power with the sideways in the half pass. Active passage steps, quite on the spot in the first piaffe. Fairly good relaxation in the extended walk. A little loss of rhythm at the end of the collected walk.

Piaffe steps are very on the spot. Into canter, issues in the two-time changes. Some tension showing up in the zig zag. Ones very clean, but lacked ground cover. Some changing behind in the canter between the movements. Losing balance in the pirouettes.

Good final centre line. They score 68.71%, which will not take them forward to the grand prix special. USA finish on 210.621, just ahead of Canada on 210.559.

So we know who our team medallists are, but we are going to bring you interviews with Lottie Fry, Justin Verboomen and Isabell Werth before we log off for today, so do stick around.

Our Aachen reporter Oscar Williams spoke to Lottie Fry after her grand prix test with Glamourdale, which scored 80.31% to help Britain secure the team bronze medal.

“He was absolutely amazing in there,” said Lottie. “I think that's the best feeling I've ever had in a test with him. He was on fire. He was listening. He was calm and on the aid and relaxed, yet so sharp and with me the whole way.”

Lottie was quick to take responsibility for the mistake they had in the first piaffe.

“I just kind of threw him into that first piaffe, which was a shame because it caused a bit of a misunderstanding. I think we showed in the piaffe on the last centre line that it has really become one of his strong points, so I'm really excited to get back in the ring in the special to show how good he has become. Because everything else, I don't really think it can be better. He's just incredible.

“He loves Aachen. He loves that arena, and it's going to be so exciting to ride in there again on Friday because it was amazing feeling.”

Reflecting on the team silver medal, Lottie said: “Any medal is amazing to to win at a world championship, and we've come here with such an amazing team. Becky [Moody] had a difficult ride yesterday, but she did everything she could and still pulled it out the bag for us.

“This morning, Carl was so inspiring – every time you're surprised at how amazing he is riding a test. It was just beautiful to watch and then Glammy just cemented it all in there, so any medal is amazing and it's add one more to add to the collection for Team GB.”

Oscar also caught up with Justin Verboomen after his test with Zonik Plus, which scored 80.89% to finish in second place individually.

“I was really happy today because Zonik offered me a super warm up. I think it was the best ever,” explained Justin. “I was happy with everything, and I could feel that he was really improving compared to what it was in the past, and also in the canter work.

“But today he was really impressed by this beautiful arena, so he was a bit holding himself back. So I had I tried to give him more confidence and to help him. But I'm sure it will be better the next few days.

“He's young. He's only 10 years old. He's easily impressed. [At the Europeans] in Crozet, he was impressed too. So impressed. So, I think he just need to to get more experience.”

I am signing off for tonight. My colleague Lucy Elder will be taking over live reporting duties here on around 9.30am on Friday (14 August) ready for the grand prix special. I hope you'll all rejoin us then.

To read in-depth analysis on how the dressage team medals were won and lost, check out Oscar Williams’ reports.

In the meantime, tomorrow (Thursday, 13 August) Lucy will be running live reports from the first day of the eventing dressage. So any eventing fans among you, please do join her there.

Goodbye for now.

News update: Aachen’s grand prix eliminations explained

The reasons for the elimination of three competitors during the grand prix have been confirmed.

Rotem Jale Ibrahimzade (TUR) and Wendi Williamson (NZL) were both eliminated under the blood rule on 11 August when blood was found in or around their horses’ mouths at the post-test welfare check.

Thailand’s Suphakamol Vuntanadit was eliminated because Dreamboat BCN was showing signs of “marked lameness” early in the test.

Grand prix special (Friday, 14 August)

Good morning, it’s Lucy Elder here running the live blog for the grand prix special today at the FEI World Championships.

Action is set to get underway in at 7.30am UK time (8.30 UK local time) and we will bring you news, analysis and quotes from riders.

H&H’s dressage editor Oscar Williams is on the ground in Aachen and will be speaking to competitors after their tests.

Today, riders are competing for individual medals. A total of 30 competitors are on the start list, including three members of the British silver medal-winning team.

They are:

• Becky Moody and Jagerbomb now go over two hours earlier than planned – 11:46am German time (10:46am British), rather than the original 2:01pm (1:01pm)
• Carl Hester and Fame – 3:22pm (2:22pm) unchanged
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale – 4:28pm (3:28pm) unchanged

Have a read through Oscar’s full summary of important times to note on the link below:

• Aachen heatwave forces reshuffle of grand prix special times

Austria’s Felicita Simoncic sets grand prix special day off to a lovely start with Four Legends.

The 21-year-old rider scored a personal best in the grand prix earlier this week – almost four percent up on her season average – and has backed up that form with a super performance in the grand prix special. Their score today (70.08%) is not far off some of their best marks in this test, so I expect she will be pleased.

Ecuador’s Julio Mendoza Loor and Jewel’s Goldstrike have been one of my favourites since I commentated on them winning individual gold at the Pan American Games in 2023.

Jewel’s Goldstrike has really stepped up another level since then, and boy does he look flashy in Aachen’s morning sun – his chestnut coat is light activated! Their piaffe and passage work was a highlight and they showed nice correct work through the canter.

These two have an amazing story, too. My colleague Martha Terry wrote this lovely feature on the horse during the Paris Olympics – he was bought for $20.

Their grand prix special score of 71.51% takes them to the head of the standings at this early stage.

We’ve had three competitors complete their tests so far this morning. Portugal’s Maria Caetano and Hit Plus were in the arena just before Julio and scored 71.13%.

H&H’s dressage editor Oscar Williams is at Aachen. He tells me the temperature is quite pleasant so far this morning, but that everyone is anticipating it to be a hot one today.

“Lots of linen!” he says.

Back to dressage, here is what the grand prix special test looks like on paper:

• Grand prix special (PDF)

Nadja Aaboe Sloth and Favour Gersdor made a really positive start to their test, trending around 73% for their early trot work. They were part of the Danish team that won bronze earlier this week.

He is very uphill in his frame, and kept a super rhythm through his trot work. It was lovely to see how he stretched out into his walk. Their changes were correct, if a little on the conservative side. Overall, a great test. Nadja punched the air as she finished, closing her eyes and smiling in delight, perhaps relief, before waving to her supporters as she left the arena.

Their score of 73.72% is the best we have seen so far today by more than two percent.

Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Jaccardo score 69.27% in the grand prix special for Canada at the dressage World Championships.

Jaccardo, a big, loose moving chestnut, sprang and swung through his early trot work. He has such a scopey stride and the ground cover in his walk was absolutely gigantic. Glitches in their flying changes were very expensive, dropping their overall score well below what they have previously achieved in this test, but what a horse to watch for the future –he only stepped up to international grand prix this time last year.

Before them, we saw Portugal’s João Miguel Torrao and the 11-year-old Lusitano stallion Lirio MVL shuffle the upper end of the leaderboard. A double air punch by João, followed a hug for his horse, showed just how pleased he was with their test. Their score of 71.4% puts them into provisional third at this stage.

Time for a coffee!

Henri Ruoste and Tiffanys Diamond were the last combination to go before the break. She is a beautiful horse with so much talent, and we saw Henri giving her lots of reassurance throughout their test.

They had a little mistake in the one-time flying changes, after which Henri gave the 14-year-old mare a pat just to reassure her. There were plenty of little pats too as they made their way up the final centre line.

Their score of 72.19 % is good enough for second at this stage of the morning.

Provisional results at the first coffee break

1. Nadja Aaboe Sloth (DEN) and Favour Gersdorf (73.72%)
2. Henri Ruoste (FIN) and Tiffanys Diamond (72.19%)
3. Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) and Jewel’s Goldstrike (71.51%)
4. João Miguel Torrao (POR) and Lirio MVL (71.4%)

How does qualification for the freestyle work at the dressage World Championships?

The top 18 combinations from the grand prix special will qualify for tomorrow’s freestyle, for which there are another set of medals.

However, the maximum number of combinations from each country is three. This means that for strong dressage nations, who have four riders through to the grand prix special, a competitor who finishes in the top 18 finish does not automatically bag a ticket to the freestyle.

Carina Cassøe Krüth and Heiline's Danciera, the sole combination from the world gold medal-winning Danish team in 2022, are into second (70.17%) behind their team-mates Nadja Aaboe Sloth and Favour Gersdorf (73.72%).

I expect that Finland’s Therese Nilshagen will be very pleased with Navarro. He’s only 10, so still young in dressage terms, and there was a lot to like from his performance and attitude in the grand prix special today.

Their canter zigzag swept across the arena and their forward movements were really flowing. There were just a few times they lost impulsion, resulting in the odd stutter in some of the collected movements and the two-time changes – he’s got a big future ahead of him.

They scored 70.17%.

Wow! Australia’s Simone Pearce and Will Marq are big new leaders in the grand prix special on 74.44%.

Richard Davison summed it beautifully on the commentary: “This is a wowzer test!”

We’ll bring more analysis in just a moment...

We’ve seen two exciting young horses back-to-back in the last 30 minutes at the dressage World Championships. Navarro, ridden by Finland’s Therese Nilshagen, followed by new leader Will Marq, ridden by Australia’s Simone Pearce.

Seeing rising stars have those break-through moments is one of my favourite parts of covering horse sport.

Both these horses are only 10 years old and at their first senior championships.

Will Marq is owned by Simone’s financé, top Swiss showjumper Martin Fuchs, who was there to watch in the “kiss and cry” area.

This horse showed such a lovely frame. He has a huge, ground-eating stride, big expressive changes and was beautifully balanced throughout. They were great in the grand prix and were super again today – remember the name, this horse is one to watch at championships to come.

Just over 10 minutes to go until Becky Moody and Jagerbomb – they are scheduled to start at 10.46 UK time

Another new leader!

Sweden’s Maria von Essen edges ahead of Simone to lead the provisional standings on 75.27% with Invoice.

Their test was a joy to watch – elegant, easy and smooth. Maria’s aids were so subtle and light. Really beautiful.

Oscar Williams has spotted Becky Moody and Jagerbomb in the 10 minute box before their grand prix special test at the World Championships...

Becky Moody and Jagerbomb soar to the top of the leaderboard by more than two percent on a score of 77.66% – brilliant!

More to follow...

That was a super performance from Becky Moody and Jagerbomb. Their start was much better than in the grand prix, where the horse didn’t settle in the halt and then broke to canter in the first extension.

They put that firmly behind them and today were rewarded with eights and a nine for that first movement and trending above 80% at the start of their test.

Jagerbomb has such a lovely frame and open neck. His passage, one of his real strengths, was flowing and rhythmical. His canter, too, is always a highlight and they nailed their flying changes.

Their result means that they are guaranteed a spot in tomorrow’s freestyle.

British supporters were out in force – their team-mates cheered them on from the kiss and cry, while supporters in Union Flag bucket hats waved from the stands.

Oscar Williams will catch up with Becky in the mixed zone shortly and we will bring you her reaction as soon as we can.

Becky Moody told media that Jagerbomb pulled a shoe off right before his grand prix special test.

“He was, yet again, amazing in there,” said Becky. “He was a little more relaxed and chilled than he was on Tuesday, which made life much, much easier. I think I was also a little better prepared going in there, having been in there [for the grand prix].

“We had a slight trauma just before we went in, as when I did a halt and a turn on the forehand, he pulled a front shoe off! That was about a minute before I had to go in.

“That wasn’t ideal prep, but I think that is where our relationship does really shine. I know he has really good strong feet, thank goodness. We checked him and he was all good, but that isn’t what you want to happen just before you go in.”

She added that the special suits both her and Jagerbomb a little more than the grand prix.

“When you go in there, you’re going into the arena for the second time and I know the test suits the horse, so I probably do go in there with a little more confidence as well,” she said.

Time for the long lunchbreak at the dressage World Championships.

There are 10 competitors still to go in the grand prix special – Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD will be next to start at 2pm UK time (3pm local time).

The schedule was updated yesterday, to avoid the hottest part of the day, which is why we now have a gap of around two-and-a-half hours.

We will be bringing you more content to enjoy with your sandwiches, so do stick around.

But first, here is a rundown of the sharp end of the grand prix special leaderboard as it currently stands...

Grand prix special: lunchtime results

1. Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb (77.66%)
2. Maria von Essen (SWE) and Invoice (75.27%)
3. Raphael Netz (GER) and Great Escape Camelot (75.09%)
4. Simone Pearce (AUS) and Will Marq (74.44%)
5. Sandra Sysojeva (POL) and Maxima Bella (73.86%)
6. Nadja Aaboe Sloth (DEN) and Favour Gersdorf (73.72%)

Earlier on today, Oscar Williams spoke to Australia’s Simone Pearce following her test with Will Marq.

Their performance was one of the stand-out moments from the morning session. Simone admitted she didn’t think she would make it to the special – and she has now secured a place in tomorrow’s freestyle, too.

“I’m blown away. He was just with me and so brave – and he’s just a baby,” she said.

She has only ridden the special a couple of times with him in international competition, and hadn’t practiced it at home as she didn’t think she would qualify for it this week.

“I remember thinking all the way through, ‘Oh my God, he’s behaving so well, good boy – don't mess it up, Simone!’”

As Simone and her team never expected to make it this far in the competition, they didn’t think they would need to worry about having a freestyle ready to go. Then the grand prix went well and they thought they should probably start thinking about one, just in case, never really expecting that they would need it.

“I spoke to a few people and they said, ‘There’s no chance you will make the freestyle, so just worry about [putting one together] after the championship. So we didn’t even think about the music,” she said.

She called the person who is helping her put together her 11th hour freestyle last night and said, “I don’t think we’re going to make it, but maybe we should throw together a few things”.

“We did it last night,” she said. “He put it together for me, he is amazing.”

Which Brits are left to start in the grand prix special at the dressage World Championships?

Two more British combinations are set to challenge for individual medals in the grand prix special this afternoon:

• Carl Hester and Fame – 2.22pm UK time (3:22pm German time)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale – 3:28pm UK time (4.28pm German time)

We have some more reaction from Becky Moody to bring you, following her leading grand prix special test with Jagerbomb.

“I’m a little frustrated that I didn't manage to do that on Tuesday, but I’m super pleased with how he went in – he was just a little more relaxed, a little more at ease and more confident when he went in there today,” she said.

She added that as soon as Jagerbomb stopped for his first halt “and he just stood” she know she didn’t have any of the nervous anticipation that was present on Tuesday.

“I was a little cautious to begin with, but then I was able to really build on that as we went through, and both of us got more confident,” she said.

“Tuesday was one of those things. I wasn't sure how he was going to react going in there. I maybe wasn't quite ready to deal with it in some ways, or took a little too much of a risk in that scenario.

“Today is different, it’s not the team test, it’s an individual competition, so immediately the pressure is less. He prefers that test, I prefer that test, it just suits us a little better, so we went in there maybe a little more confident.”

A spot of lunchtime viewing while we wait for the action to restart this afternoon.

British Equestrian has shared videos of Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) and Carl Hester’s (Fame) grand prix tests from earlier in the week

Aachen 2026: Dressage Grand Prix – Carl Hester - YouTube

Watch On

Aachen 2026: Dressage Grand Prix – Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale - YouTube

Watch On

Don’t miss Oscar Williams’s lunchtime report on Becky Moody’s performance in the grand prix special earlier today:

• Jagerbomb loses a shoe – but still leads the morning session

Right, I’m off for a sandwich and an ice cream – I will be back to bring you the rest of the action from the grand prix special from 2pm this afternoon.

The afternoon session is about to start at the dressage World Championships.

First into the arena will be Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD.

A nice start to the afternoon by Germany’s Frederic Wandres and Bluetooth OLD, with plenty to like, but a few mistakes keeping them from challenging the leaders.

Their score of 74.24% is good enough for fifth at this stage. Whether we see them again for the freestyle will depend on how their remaining team-mates perform this afternoon.

A new personal best of 76.25% puts Marieke van der Putten and Zantana RS2 Old N.O.P. into second for the Netherlands, behind Britain’s Becky Moody.

They broke in the extended trot, but this athletic, forward thinking horse also showed some great work including a lovely uphill extended canter and super elevation and height in the passage on the final centre line.

Next in, Britain’s Carl Hester and Fame…

That was beautiful!

Carl Hester and Fame glide into the lead on a score of 78.3% – heading a British one-two at the top of the standings. Becky Moody and Jagerbomb are now in second (77.66%).

“I think that’s one of the best tests I’ve seen Carl ride,” said Judy Harvey on the commentary.

More to come...

“You’re watching a craftsman at work here, an absolute craftsman,” said Judy Harvey on the commentary as Carl Hester came up the final centre line of his glorious test with Fame.

What a joy it was to watch. Carl is the master and his partnership with this lovely horse is truly special to watch. Carl’s aids are imperceptible to the naked eye, the only real clue is in Fame’s ears – switching from pricked forwards, to “listening” mode.

Their trot extensions were forward and soft, and the horse comes back so sweetly. Their pirouettes were exceptional, flying changes were on point, and Fame flowed through the canter zigzags with ease.

Their score of 78.3% is the best so far and means that they are also guaranteed a place in tomorrow’s freestyle. Bravo!

We will bring you reaction from Carl as soon as we can...

World number ones Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle are the first pair to break the 80% barrier – edging ahead of Carl Hester and Fame.

The pair, who scored 80.93%, made a beautifully harmonious start – floating through the extended trot work and showing some lovely technique and lightness in the passage.

Some imperfections crept in as the test went on. There was the short change behind in the two-time flying changes and a stutter in the one-times, plus what appeared to be perhaps a slight loss of balance coming out of the second pirouette on the centre line.

That is splitting hairs and there was still so much to enjoy – their flying changes in between the two pirouettes were excellent, as was the last centre line.

Will it be enough for a medal? There are four scores still to come and we really are up at the business end of this grand prix special now.

Some lovely early trot work by reigning European champions Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus.

There were a smattering of errors, however, as the test progressed. They had mistakes in the changes and didn’t look entirely comfortable in the atmosphere.

There was still much to celebrate though, including beautiful pirouettes for which they scored 10s.

The medals are still looking quite open at this stage. Catherine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle are still out in front, while Justin and Zonik Plus have snuck into second on 79.36%.

Isabell Werth and Wendy De Fontain slot into second (79.54%), pushing Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus to the edge of the provisional podium.

Lots of great work, although some expensive mistakes in both sets of one-time changes. This has been a bit of theme in some of these competitors challenging for medals this afternoon.

Two more horses to go – Britain’s Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, defending world champions, are up next…

Defending champions Lottie Fry and Glamourdale absolutely nail their test – score (and one more horse) to come, but I think we may have just seen the individual gold medal-winning test...

This is so incredibly close – Lottie Fry and Glamourdale hold the lead on 82.3%. The last competitors, Germany’s Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH are doing a beautiful test so far and trending very close to Lottie. What an exciting end to the grand prix special!

Glorious gold for Lottie Fry and Glamourdale!

Will we ever see an extended canter like Glamourdale’s again? To watch 28 horses at the top of the sport – and for the 29th to produce something so spectacular that it makes you gasp is special indeed.

Their early trot work was solid, but this horse’s canter is the strength in his armoury.

Some niggly mistakes from their rivals opened the door an inch, and Lottie Fry and Glamourdale powered through it. Their first set of tempi changes, the two-times, were huge, and they followed these up with an equally impressive set of one-times.

The crowd that clapped them down their final centre line roared in delight as they finished their test. Their score of 82.3% took them to the head of the leaderboard and meant that they were guaranteed a medal.

Last to go Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH gave a good challenge, trending very close to the world champions at times, and finished on a score of 80.87% to secure individual bronze.

Grand prix special results

Gold: Lottie Fry (GBR) and Glamourdale (82.3%)
Silver: Catherine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) and Mount St John Freestyle (80.93%)
Bronze: Katharina Hemmer (GER) and Denoix PCH (80.87%)

Sixth: Carl Hester (GBR) and Fame (78.3%)
Seventh: Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb (77.66%)

Here is some immediate reaction from Lottie Fry, who has just retained her world champion title with Glamourdale...

“I really haven’t taken it in yet, it was just the most incredible test. Glamourdale knew how important it was, and he loved that arena. He did the most amazing test,” she said.

“I think I’m a bit emotional still, it’s still sinking in. It was an amazing feeling. We’ve been really working to this point and hoping that we would peak at the right time; for it all just to come together is like a dream.”

She added: “It’s still quite a blur, it’s crazy what just happened. I just remember going in and being completely focused, and he was completely focused. He felt relaxed, yet powerful and happy. He just wanted to do his job. It was an honour to be able to ride him in that arena, he gave everything he could – the more I asked, the more he gave.”

On how it feels to retain her world title, she said: “I didn’t dare to even think about it too much, because I knew what amazing competition we have and how much the sport is improving all the time. There are so many incredible horses and riders now, I knew it was going to be really tough, so we’ve just focused on ourselves and didn’t think too much about anyone else.

“We’ve been building up to this moment and somehow it all came together.”

She added: “I cried my eyes out the whole way out the test as I was in such shock at how amazing that horse is, and I’ve just been shaking for the last 10 minutes waiting for the final score to go up!

“Denoix [PCH, the last to go] is a beautiful horse and he made me worry a little bit! It’s just amazing we managed to win.”

She added that Glamourdale is “just amazing”.

“There are no words for him,” said Lottie. “He always does his best when he comes to this kind of show. He loves Aachen, when he went in that arena, he had his ears pricked, he was whinnying to the crowd and he just took me. For him to perform like that, he is one in a million, he really is.”

Katharina Hemmer reflected on what it means to win her first individual senior championship medal following her super performance in the grand prix special with Denoix PCH.

“I’m incredibly happy and super proud of my horse, he tried his hardest for me and it was such a great feeling to ride him there in the big stadium and to feel he gave his very best. It was a big honour for me,” said Katharina Hemmer, who ended the day in a tussle for bronze with her team-mate Isabell Werth.

“To be in a battle with Isabell is always a good feeling, because then you know you’ve reached the top!”

She paid tribute to Denoix PCH, adding: “He is incredible, he is an outstanding character. I spend hours with him every day, and it is a big joy every day to be around him. He is such a sweet and kind soul.

On whether she thought an individual medal was possible at the start of the week, she said: “Not at all, my full focus was on the team competition and I was very happy that we could do our best grand prix ever for the team – that was my main thing. I said that everything that comes on top is just the cherry on the cream, so I didn’t have any pressure on myself, I just wanted to enjoy it as I think it’s an experience of a lifetime to be here in front of a home crowd. For it to work out so well is incredible for me.”

Dressage editor Oscar Williams is in the press conference and has the breaking news that individual bronze medallists Katharina Hemmer and Denoix PCH will not compete in the freestyle tomorrow.

Katharina said that the horse had a small injury during the season and so they haven’t been able to prepare for the freestyle.

“He gave his all to me in both tests, and I don’t want to compete him in the freestyle when it is not 100% prepared,” she said.

FEI TV has just shared the full video Lottie Fry and Glamourdale’s winning performance in the grand prix special at the dressage World Championships – enjoy!

Lottie Fry & Glammy defend their title 👑🇬🇧 | FEI Dressage World Championship Aachen 2026 - YouTube

Watch On

Grand prix special dressage medallists: in pictures

That’s all from me this evening – here are a couple of end of day reports to leave you with as I say goodnight!

I will be back running the live-blog tomorrow evening for the freestyle, which is set to start at 6pm UK time (7pm German time).

• ‘I cried my eyes out’: emotion runs high as Lottie Fry and Glamourdale win brilliant World Championships gold
• ‘The special is actually harder for him’: Carl Hester on Fame, the Aachen heat and a David Bowie surprise to come

World Dressage Championships freestyle (Saturday, 15 August)

Good evening everyone, it’s Lucy Elder here again – ready to bring you all the news from tonight’s freestyle at the dressage World Championships.

The first horse is set to enter the arena at 6pm UK time (7pm German time) and there are three Brits in the mix tonight.

These are Becky Moody, freshly crowned world champion Lottie Fry, and Carl Hester.

• Becky Moody and Jagerbomb: 7.53pm UK time (8.53pm German time)
• Lottie Fry and Glamourdale: 9:02pm UK time (10:02pm)
• Carl Hester and Fame: 9:24pm UK time (10:24pm German time)

One big name missing from tonight is individual bronze medallist Katharina Hemmer, who revealed at last night’s press conference that she would not be taking part in the freestyle.

Here is the full start list for tonight’s freestyle:

• World Dressage Championships freestyle start list

Dressage editor Oscar Williams tells me that the atmosphere is building and lots of people are queueing to get in. It’s expected to be a full house.

Here is his view of the arena this evening – stunning!

Finland’s Henri Ruoste and Tiffanys Diamond were first to go in tonight’s freestyle, riding to a soundtrack inspired by Top Gun.

This 14-year-old mare has only done one international freestyle before, at Doha in 2025 (75.93%) and their score today of 75.47% is only a smidge off that.

What a great way to start off the evening!

I’m a big fan of Dinja van Liere’s music in this freestyle with the up-and-coming star Mauro Turfhorst N.O.P.

The pair entered to Fatboy Slim’s Praise You and I caught some dance remixes of Whitney Houston’s It’s not right but it’s ok in there as well as Ellie Goulding, a bit of Higher Love all remixed onto a

Dinja entered to praise you. I bet that sounded incredible soaring through Aachen’s packed stadium tonight.

They scored 79% on the dot – there was loads of great work in there and I can’t wait to see how this horse progresses in years to come.

Before that, we saw Larissa Pauluis and Flambeau for Belgium, who produced a super test for 76.43%. The crowd clapped them down the final centre line to U2’s In the name of love.

Simone Pearce and Will Marq didn’t have a freestyle ahead of these championships, as Simone didn’t think that they would be needing one.

Then they made it through to the grand prix special and thought it would be an idea to get one together, just in case, still not really believing that they would need it. Then they aced the special and qualified for the freestyle.

For Simone and the team behind this to have put it together in a matter of days is an amazing feat.

They to a dramatic soundtrack, featuring soaring strings and panpipes – commentator Steve Wilde says it’s about the journey of a warrior princess.

There was some super loose-moving work, there were a few little blips, but this horse is only a 10-year-old and what they have achieved this week is fantastic. They scored 75.65%.

LOVE the music for Frederic Wandres’s love-themed freestyle with Bluetooth OLD, which earned a score of 76.25% from the judges.

They were followed into the arena by Isabel Freese and Total Hope OLD, who entered to Snoop Dog’s Drop it like it’s hot. A great version of Forgot about Dre in there too.

I’m SO enjoying the mix of music this evening! It seems the judges are, too – Isabelle’s score of 78.02% puts them in second at this stage.

There promises to be more to come, I’m particularly looking forward to Carl Hester’s David Bowie-inspired new freestyle later this evening.

Oscar Williams caught up with Simone Pearce after her test – she told him that she borrowed a horse this morning to ride through some lines on her 11th hour freestyle. The horse also happened to be the son of Simone’s former grand prix ride, Destano!

“It’s just a thrill to be here, we we went to a stable this morning to practice the lines and the loveliest lady let me borrow her horse, so thank you, Charlotte,” said Simone.

"Just being here was the icing on the cake. My horse [Will Marq] has been phenomenal, and I'm just so excited for the future and what we can do with a little bit more time.”

We fell in love with Maxima Bella at Paris 2024, and tonight we saw an adaptation of the French-themed freestyle that rider Sandra Sysojeva chose for those Olympics.

That was charming to watch; the soundtrack, which features music by Barbara Pravi and Sylvie Vartan, which suits this 10-year-old mare.

It looks like they’ve upped the technicality of the floorplan since Paris. Their score of 80.18% is the highest so far tonight – it sounds as if the crowd thought it should be higher!

Denmark’s Nadja Sloth and Favour Gersdorf slot into provisional second at this mid-way stage on a score of 79.39% for their tropical house-themed freestyle.

They showed some super piaffe and passage, and a really technically tricky move of going from a piaffe pirouette to canter pirouette – then the reverse later on. They had a mistake in their tempi changes, but otherwise this looked pretty smooth sailing.

Now in the ring is Germany’s Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot… I recognise that How to train your dragon soundtrack!

There are big shoes to fill if you opt for such a famous music choice – perhaps how it would feel to cover an Adele song. Perhaps.

Germany’s Raphael Netz took a risk by opting to ride to the How to train your dragon soundtrack – a piece of music so well-known in dressage circles – and it paid off.

There were a couple of edgy moments, but so much to like. What a feeling it must be to pull off a performance like that and soar into the lead in front of a home crowd like this.

Now in, Becky Moody and Jagerbomb…

A standing ovation for Becky Moody following her superb test with Jagerbomb – they soar into the lead in the freestyle at the dressage World Championships by close to seven percent on a score of 87.48%.

This was such a technical floorplan, appreciated by Aachen’s knowledgeable crowd, set to hits by The Beatles.. Their tempi changes – two-times into one-times on a curved line – received cheers from the packed stands. So too did their canter pirouette, which they capped with a piaffe pirouette steps in both directions on the final centre line. Sublime.

We’ve just heard from Becky Moody after her phenomenal test with Jagerbomb...

“I had no idea how he was going to react going in there, because I don’t think any of these horses have seen anything like that before,” said Becky.

“He was just like, ‘Yeah! This is cool’. He was so chilled, he was amazing.”

She added: “When are you going to get the opportunity to do something like that again? To know that he takes that all in his stride is just amazing, they are incredible creatures.”

H&H’s dressage editor has also just caught up with Becky Moody, so I have some further reaction to bring you...

"That was fun. I was super pleased with him, because that is a serious ask for any horse to go into an environment like that,” said Becky, who last rode this freestyle when she won the World Cup final in the US this spring.

“He’s done a lot of big shows. Obviously, he coped with Paris, but that's another level, so I wasn't sure how he was going to go in there, but he was just amazing.

“He stayed super chilled, he stayed really with me. I could have had a little bit more sometimes – my piaffe was a little bit quiet. I haven’t actually ridden that since Texas, so it’s a little while since I’ve done it. He was just so with me that it was a pleasure to ride.”

She added: “It is another level – it is crazy in there. The crowd are phenomenal; you could feel it building through the test. Even though you’re not aware of them visually, because they’re quite far back, you can still feel the atmosphere building as you’re doing it. So goodness knows what it’s going to be like later in the class – it’s going to be incredible, absolutely incredible.”

Time for a quick break before the final chunk of competitors., which includes Lottie Fry and Carl Hester.

The next horse is set to enter the arena at 8.40pm UK time (.9.40pm German time).

Let’s take a quick look at the provisional standings...

1. Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb (87.48%)
2. Raphael Netz (GER) and Great Escape Camelot (80.95%)
3. Sandra Sysojeva (POL) and Maxima Bella (80.18%)

Marieke van der Putten and Zantana RS2 Old N.O.P. were first in after the break, bringing us back into focus with a charming test to a twinkling soundtrack.

It was lovely to see how relaxed this horse looked as he walked into the stadium. Their passage and half-passes were real highlights, they had a slight stutter in a canter pirouette, but recovered well and have given the provisional podium a good shake.

Their score of 82.69% means they hold second place behind Becky and Jagerbomb with five horses still to go.

European champions Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus are new leaders on 88.44%.

The lilting piano soundtrack suits this strikingly beautiful horse so well, and Zonik Plus looked back on song, after finishing off the podium in yesterday’s grand prix special.

Justin, who rode the final centre line with one hand on the reins, looked emotional as he halted – taking his hands to his eyes. As they left the arena, he directed the crowds’ appreciation to his horse.

Now in, Lottie Fry and Glamourdale, who have just entered to the sound of the Vengaboys…

Wow, wow, wow! Lottie Fry and Glamourdale score 91.91% and are the new leaders with their aviation-themed freestyle.

What fun that was to watch. The voice of “captain” Lottie Fry told fans to fasten their seatbelts for take-off on Glamourdale airways as the melody of Vengaboys’s We’re going to Ibiza filled the stadium.

That canter must feel like flying and boy what a party. His flying changes are jaw-dropping and the line of two-times into ones was truly exceptional.

Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus’s test before was excellent – what set Lottie’s apart was the level of risk she was prepared to take this evening. To borrow a snowsports term, Lottie and Glamourdale went “full send” in there tonight.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Mount St John Freestyle gave a good chase (91.24%), but Lottie has held her lead.

Now in, Carl Hester and Fame...

It’s always a joy to watch master horseman Carl Hester.

Fame looked quite on edge at times, and Carl showed the beauty of his horsemanship to keep it all together. The Bowie soundtrack suited this pair perfectly.

Their changes and piaffes were particular highlights and their score of 82.30% means that they will finish no lower than seventh this evening.

Lottie Fry is guaranteed a medal – will it be gold or silver? Now in the arena is last to go Isabell Werth…

Isabell Werth and Wendy De Fontaine score 88.65% to win bronze – Lottie Fry and Glamourdale have done it! GOLD!

Isabell was singing along to her music as she came up the final centre line. The whole crowd – tens of thousands of people – were on their feet as she finished. What a moment and what an end to a spine-tingling freestyle at the World Championships this evening!

World Dressage Championships: freestyle results

Gold: Lottie Fry (GBR) and Glamourdale (91.91%)
Silver: Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) and Mount St John Freestyle (91.24%)
Bronze: Isabell Werth (GER) and Wendy De Fontaine (88.65%)

Here’s some immediate reaction from Lottie Fry…

“It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe how amazing Glamourdale was in there today,” said Lottie. “It was the test of a lifetime, we’ve never ever had a test so good – it all just came together at the right time in Aachen, it was so special.”

She added that she kept herself busy and checked a few messages while the final competitors did their tests.

“I also knew that it couldn’t have gone any better for me, so whatever the result, I was incredibly happy because for Glamourdale to perform like that was just insane,” she said.

“To win is so cool!”

She said: “I had a smile on my face during the extended canter, I thought, ‘This is the most incredible feeling in the world and for me to be experiencing this tonight is just amazing’.

“He is so funny, he was whinnying the whole time to get in there, he was so excited to get in, then he went in completely relaxed with the crowd and just did everything to his best. He’s such an incredible horse.

“I was so relaxed and calm in there, not worried at all. He was just giving me so much confidence, we both enjoyed it so much, every minute of it.”

She added: “It’s amazing to have the whole team here, I wouldn’t be here without any of them; they are incredible support. It’s such a huge team effort – to be able to peak at the right moment in Aachen is a dream come true, so I have all of them to thank.”

FEI TV has shared Lottie Fry’s winning test from tonight’s freestyle – enjoy!