The 2026 Showjumping World Championships were held in Aachen, Germany as part of the FEI World Championships (11-23 August). The showjumping took place during the second week of the championships, kicking off with the speed leg on Wednesday 19 August. This was followed by two days of team competition (20-21 August), then a rest day before the individual final (23 August).
Horse & Hound brought you all the news in the run-up to the event (plus our complete showjumping World Championships form guide), as well as in-depth live news reports on the action as it took place. H&H’s magazine editor Pippa Roome, who has reported at numerous championships across the disciplines, was on the ground interviewing the riders after their rounds. H&H’s showjumping editor Jennifer Donald was overseeing the reporting from back in the UK, supported by the wider editorial team, as we brought you the stories behind the medals, as they happened.
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Thibeau Spits and Impress-K van't Kattenheye Z (BEL)
Bronze
Great Britain
Harry Charles and LT Holst Freda (GBR)
Showjumping World Championships timetable
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Date
Showjumping
Local times
UK times
Medal ceremonies
Monday 17 August
First horse inspection
Row 0 - Cell 2
Row 0 - Cell 3
Row 0 - Cell 4
Tuesday 18 August
Training session
9am–4.15pm
8am–3.15pm
Row 1 - Cell 4
Wednesday 19 August
Speed leg
9.30am–5.20pm
8.30am–4.20pm
Row 2 - Cell 4
Thursday 20 August
Team round one
9am–5.10pm
8am–4.10pm
Row 3 - Cell 4
Friday 21 August
Team round two
6.50–10.50pm
5.50–9.50pm
🏅 Team
Saturday 22 August
Row 5 - Cell 1
Row 5 - Cell 2
Row 5 - Cell 3
Row 5 - Cell 4
Sunday 23 August
Individual final
2.20–5.20pm
1.20–4.20pm
🏅Individual
Showjumping World Championships format
The 2026 World Showjumping Championships take place from Monday, 17 August to Sunday, 23 August 2026. The famous final-four horse-swap decider was dropped after the World Equestrian Games in 2014 and since then these championships have run in line with previous world and European formats with four-rider teams and a drop score. The team medals are decided first, concluding with the individual medals.
What happens each day?
All team and individual riders start with Wednesday’s speed leg, where faults are penalised by seconds added to the time. Each rider’s score is converted via a coefficient into points.
Two rounds of team jumping then follow, with the top 10 teams from Thursday’s competition progressing to Friday’s final under the floodlights. The top 60 individual riders also compete. Team medals are awarded on Friday 21 August.
Sunday’s individual final consists of two rounds, the first for the 25 best placed horses and riders after the first three legs of competition, with the top 12 then qualifying for the medal-deciding round two.
What else is on the schedule?
Two prestigious international competitions for under-25 young riders take place on Friday and Saturday. Friday is a speed competition while Saturday’s competition is for drawn teams of four, regardless of nations. Each team will be supported by a team manager.
Aachen world championships officials
Showjumping world championships course-designer
World-famous German course-builder Frank Rothenberger, who has been involved in six Olympics, is Aachen’s resident designer and he will be designing the fences and courses for the showjumping World Championships in Aachen. Paris 2024 Olympic designer Santiago Varela, from Spain, is assigned as technical delegate.
Other showjumping officials
Ground jury: Patrice Alvado (FRA) (President), Harry Braspenning (NED), Anna Lindqvist (SWE), Kazuya Hirayama (JPN), Andrew Pollard (GBR).
Aachen previously hosted the FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) in 2006. WEG brought together the World Championships in multiple different equestrian sports every four years between 1990 and 2018. Financial challenges associated with hosting so many disciplines at a single venue proved prohibitive and so since 2022 each of the disciplines have have their own World Championships. For 2026, Aachen was granted the World Championships for six disciplines, so is running a two-week combined World Championships – but it is not a WEG.
‘Aachen really is the Mecca of horse sport,’ says Graham Fletcher
‘The challenge of a championship held on grass sifted out all but the very best riders,’ says William Funnell
All the showjumping World Championships live news as it happens
‘I don’t think it gets any better than this’: showjumping legend wins individual world title
Disappointment for Ben Maher in World Championships final after a brilliant week
Not to be for Scott Brash at World Championships as unlucky fall brings individual medal dream to an end
Never give up – Harry Charles and ‘dream horse’ Freda pull off the story of the World Championships by landing a fabulous bronze
How to watch the FEI World Championships live from anywhere in the world
Which nations secured Olympic qualification in last night’s showjumping World Championships team final? And who missed out?
Germany crowned showjumping world champions on home soil before their final rider even jumps
They’ve done it: three-man Irish team beats the odds to secure Olympic place
Brilliant bronze for Britain – and Olympic qualification secured on a fantastic night of jumping in Aachen
Ireland squeak into showjumping World Championships team final
Germany keep team lead in showjumping World Championships, while other nations swap places
Delight as Scott Brash secures Great Britain’s team final place in Aachen – and moves into individual gold
‘A 10 out of 10’: Ben Maher on his super stallion’s opening round at the showjumping World Championships – but work to be done in team standings
Speed demon leads showjumping World Championships as favourites face a disappointing start
