Germany claim 13th World Championship team gold on home soil

Photo Caption: German Dressage Committee Chairman Klaus Roeser, Katharina Hemmer, Isabell Werth, Raphael Netz and Frederic Wandres celebrate Germany's World Championship gold medal in Aachen. 

By Bettine van Harselaar

Twenty years after winning team gold in Aachen, Germany repeated the feat in front of their home crowd at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2026.

The hosts finished on a team total of 235.063%, 3.618 points clear of Great Britain, while defending champions Denmark took bronze.

Despite Germany’s commanding team performance, however, no German combination finished inside the individual top three.

Germany had arrived in Aachen as favourites for the title and the home heroes lived up to expectations. Two decades after their previous victory in Aachen in 2006, history repeated itself as they claimed their 13th World Championship team title.

Raphael Netz and Frederic Wandres had already given Germany a comfortable advantage over their rivals on the opening day of the team competition. On the second day of Grand Prix action, Katharina Hemmer and Isabell Werth completed the job.

Hemmer scored a personal best of 79.224% with Denoix PCH, which meant Germany were already guaranteed a medal with Werth still to go. The Dressage legend then narrowly surpassed her with 79.876% to secure the gold.

Personal best for Hemmer

Reflecting on a performance that thrilled the Aachen crowd, Hemmer said: “I knew it was a good ride, but when the score came up, I was so proud. The two gentlemen had already ridden so well yesterday, which took a lot of pressure off today, and I also knew Isabell was still to come after me.

“At a Championship like this, you want everything to come together, and when it does, it is amazing. Denoix was very cool. We can really rely on each other and he tried his heart out,” said Hemmer.

The stadium fell silent during Werth and Wendy de Fontaine’s test. When an error crept into the one-tempi changes, a loud sigh went through the crowd.

“It is very special to be back on the team here 20 years after our gold in Aachen and to win gold again,” Werth said. “There is nothing bigger or better than Aachen. It really is a welcome home.

“The arena is not easy, and I was a little surprised that Wendy was impressed. We had two small issues in our test, but otherwise I am proud and happy with how it went.”

Great Britain retain team silver

Great Britain successfully defended the team silver medal they won at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN). The British team also featured two homebred horses in Becky Moody’s Jagerbomb and Fiona Bigwood’s Donna Bella.

Defending individual World champions Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale once again delivered in Aachen. Their score of 80.311% placed them third individually.

“Glamourdale loves Aachen. He was amazing in there and the whole test felt like a highlight,” Fry said. “We had a small miscommunication going into the first piaffe, but I was able to correct it quickly. ‘Glammie’ took me around. It couldn’t have been better.”

Carl Hester and Fame gave a masterclass in technically correct riding, producing a very smooth test in which they gave nothing away. Despite their strong score of 77.314%, Hester explained that riding a Grand Prix test is never straightforward.

“After 36 years of riding Grand Prix, you still don’t go in thinking that everything will simply work,” he said. “It still brings pressure, fun, sleepless nights and so much going through your head.

“It doesn’t matter how long you have been doing it. It doesn’t necessarily get any easier as you get older, because after a few good results, people expect more from you.”

Laudrup-Dufour leads the way

After winning gold at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning, Denmark took bronze in Aachen. Two experienced Athletes entered the arena for Denmark on Wednesday, both riding horses with whom they had not previously competed at a World Championship.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen has competed at several major Championships with different horses, but this was the first World Championship for Flash Gordon 37. The pair produced a strong, mistake-free test and set a new personal best of 74.876%.

“We wanted to produce a harmonious test with plenty of elasticity. All I had to do today was balance him in the arena, and I could really enjoy riding him. It felt amazing,” Bachmann Andersen said.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour was the final Athlete to go for Denmark with her experienced 17-year-old Mount St John Freestyle. Their score of 82.376% not only secured the bronze medal for Denmark but also put them at the top of the individual standings ahead of Friday’s Grand Prix Special.

“She felt so fit today. In fact, we have been on an upward tendency throughout the season,” Laudrup-Dufour said. “I was very confident when we entered the arena. ‘Free’ was absolutely unbelievable today.”

Six nations secure LA28 qualification

The team medals were not the only prizes at stake in Aachen. The FEI Dressage World Championship Aachen 2026 was also the first opportunity for nations to secure team qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The six highest-ranked eligible teams secured a team quota place. Alongside medallists Germany, Great Britain and Denmark, qualification went to Belgium in fourth, the Netherlands in fifth and Sweden in sixth.

Belgium’s Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus, currently second in the FEI Dressage World Ranking, also stood out in the individual standings. The light-footed black stallion once again demonstrated his quality, scoring 80.885% despite a small mistake in the one-tempi changes. The combination finished second individually.

Individual medals next

The battle for individual World Championship medals begins on Friday. The top 30 combinations from the Grand Prix have qualified for the Grand Prix Special, which starts at 10:50, with Athletes from 17 nations taking part.

FULL RESULTSTwenty years after winning team gold in Aachen, Germany repeated the feat in front of their home crowd at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2026.

The hosts finished on a team total of 235.063%, 3.618 points clear of Great Britain, while defending champions Denmark took bronze.

Despite Germany’s commanding team performance, however, no German combination finished inside the individual top three.

Germany had arrived in Aachen as favourites for the title and the home heroes lived up to expectations. Two decades after their previous victory in Aachen in 2006, history repeated itself as they claimed their 13th World Championship team title.

Raphael Netz and Frederic Wandres had already given Germany a comfortable advantage over their rivals on the opening day of the team competition. On the second day of Grand Prix action, Katharina Hemmer and Isabell Werth completed the job.

Hemmer scored a personal best of 79.224% with Denoix PCH, which meant Germany were already guaranteed a medal with Werth still to go. The Dressage legend then narrowly surpassed her with 79.876% to secure the gold.

Personal best for Hemmer

Reflecting on a performance that thrilled the Aachen crowd, Hemmer said: “I knew it was a good ride, but when the score came up, I was so proud. The two gentlemen had already ridden so well yesterday, which took a lot of pressure off today, and I also knew Isabell was still to come after me.

“At a Championship like this, you want everything to come together, and when it does, it is amazing. Denoix was very cool. We can really rely on each other and he tried his heart out,” said Hemmer.

The stadium fell silent during Werth and Wendy de Fontaine’s test. When an error crept into the one-tempi changes, a loud sigh went through the crowd.

“It is very special to be back on the team here 20 years after our gold in Aachen and to win gold again,” Werth said. “There is nothing bigger or better than Aachen. It really is a welcome home.

“The arena is not easy, and I was a little surprised that Wendy was impressed. We had two small issues in our test, but otherwise I am proud and happy with how it went.”

Great Britain retain team silver

Great Britain successfully defended the team silver medal they won at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning (DEN). The British team also featured two homebred horses in Becky Moody’s Jagerbomb and Fiona Bigwood’s Donna Bella.

Defending individual World champions Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale once again delivered in Aachen. Their score of 80.311% placed them third individually.

“Glamourdale loves Aachen. He was amazing in there and the whole test felt like a highlight,” Fry said. “We had a small miscommunication going into the first piaffe, but I was able to correct it quickly. ‘Glammie’ took me around. It couldn’t have been better.”

Carl Hester and Fame gave a masterclass in technically correct riding, producing a very smooth test in which they gave nothing away. Despite their strong score of 77.314%, Hester explained that riding a Grand Prix test is never straightforward.

“After 36 years of riding Grand Prix, you still don’t go in thinking that everything will simply work,” he said. “It still brings pressure, fun, sleepless nights and so much going through your head.

“It doesn’t matter how long you have been doing it. It doesn’t necessarily get any easier as you get older, because after a few good results, people expect more from you.”

Laudrup-Dufour leads the way

After winning gold at the FEI Dressage World Championship 2022 in Herning, Denmark took bronze in Aachen. Two experienced Athletes entered the arena for Denmark on Wednesday, both riding horses with whom they had not previously competed at a World Championship.

Daniel Bachmann Andersen has competed at several major Championships with different horses, but this was the first World Championship for Flash Gordon 37. The pair produced a strong, mistake-free test and set a new personal best of 74.876%.

“We wanted to produce a harmonious test with plenty of elasticity. All I had to do today was balance him in the arena, and I could really enjoy riding him. It felt amazing,” Bachmann Andersen said.

Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour was the final Athlete to go for Denmark with her experienced 17-year-old Mount St John Freestyle. Their score of 82.376% not only secured the bronze medal for Denmark but also put them at the top of the individual standings ahead of Friday’s Grand Prix Special.

“She felt so fit today. In fact, we have been on an upward tendency throughout the season,” Laudrup-Dufour said. “I was very confident when we entered the arena. ‘Free’ was absolutely unbelievable today.”

Six nations secure LA28 qualification

The team medals were not the only prizes at stake in Aachen. The FEI Dressage World Championship Aachen 2026 was also the first opportunity for nations to secure team qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The six highest-ranked eligible teams secured a team quota place. Alongside medallists Germany, Great Britain and Denmark, qualification went to Belgium in fourth, the Netherlands in fifth and Sweden in sixth.

Belgium’s Justin Verboomen and Zonik Plus, currently second in the FEI Dressage World Ranking, also stood out in the individual standings. The light-footed black stallion once again demonstrated his quality, scoring 80.885% despite a small mistake in the one-tempi changes. The combination finished second individually.

Individual medals next

The battle for individual World Championship medals begins on Friday. The top 30 combinations from the Grand Prix have qualified for the Grand Prix Special, which starts at 10:50, with Athletes from 17 nations taking part.

FULL RESULTS