Saturday, 22 August 2026
Friday at the FEI World Championships 2026 in Aachen, Germany featured a day of para dressage and driving, followed by a night to remember under the lights to decide the podium for the jumping. In the para dressage, it was day one of the team competition, while the dressage phase came to its conclusion in the driving arena.
Ten of the globe’s best jumping nations met in the floodlit main area at Aachen for a showdown to determine the FEI Jumping World Championship 2026 team medals – and the huge matter of Olympic qualification for Los Angeles in 2028, which would go to the best seven teams, excluding the United States as hosts.
Course designer Frank Rothenberger of Germany set a clever course that was up to 1.65m in height. There were 14 fences with 17 jumping efforts, including the water jump for the first time this championship, and the 580m track had a time allowed of 87 seconds.
One round from each team member, with the three best scores to count. Simple.
Ben Maher and Point Break
Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Swedish-bred stallion Point Break has rewarded the faith rider Ben Maher has put in him on his championship debut. Ben firmly believed he was a championship horse from the early days, but the stallion needed time and confidence-building. He’s certainly gained plenty of that over the past two rounds in Aachen, with positive experiences in the ring.
Fifth last to go in the first rotation, Ben and ‘Bodhi’ conjured a spectacular clear. It was a perfect round – what they planned came off, without any improvisation or need for quick thinking. The British team were off to a great start and it benefited Ben’s individual standings also, but by quite by how much, only time would tell.
“It was perfect,” declared Ben. “Yesterday, Point Break didn’t quite feel himself, maybe from going a little quicker the first day, but today I got him out twice to just hack him around and get him nice and relaxed. He hasn’t jumped under lights too much, but I knew his quality would come through, and it was about keeping him brave and relaxed.
“He gave me the exact ride I’d planned and visualized – it doesn’t happen very often, but he was absolute perfection for me this evening. I’m very proud of him and my team because it’s a long road to get these horses from a young horse to this level,” he said.
Harry Charles and LT Holst Freda
Thursday’s qualifying round was tough for Harry. Riding his own and wife Eve Jobs’ LT Holst Freda, he had one down, but thoroughly blamed himself. Freda is a horse he has true faith in and, while their partnership may only be in its early stages, he places high expectations on every round. However, while he didn’t deliver what he wanted personally, it had been enough to keep Britain in the medal race.
Tonight he needed a good round – for his own belief, but also for the belief he places in his equine partner. They delivered with a super performance where everything just fell into place. Harry had intentionally kept the mare fresh and she really showed her class, still full of running as she crossed the line. With two rounds gone, it was two clears for Britain.
“It’s pretty tough today – a proper championship course. The lights play a big factor and there’s the pressure from the team aspect as well. It’s the temple of showjumping in there and the atmosphere is amazing,” declared Harry.
“I’m very happy to finally get a clear. She’s not knocked a jump all week, it’s all been me. There was a lot of relief after the finish line and the feeling was incredible. I left her a little bit fresh today, not knowing how she’d be on a third day of jumping and I had double-handfuls the whole way round. I just sat quiet, said ‘woah’ to her and she ate it. I’m very happy to have given her a proper ride and we’ve kept the team in with a shot,” he said.
At the halfway point with two riders gone for each of the teams, Germany were still in the ascendency with just one time fault to add and Britain had moved from fifth to second, while Belgium held on to their third place.
Adrian Whiteway and Chacco Volo
FEI World Championship team final night, under the lights at Aachen. It’s the stuff that dreams are made of and, for Adrian Whiteway, it was a dream come true. Riding Deborah Cox’s bay stallion Chacco Volo, Adrian dearly wanted a clear round – for the team, obviously, but also for him, the horse and Deborah.
They came round to fence one, a brown and tan spread fence, and just didn’t quite get the height needed, so it wasn’t the start they wanted. Adrian managed to hold his nerve and keep Chacco focused to the double at fence 10, where they jumped in steeply and had both parts down. He had to re-focus and leave the remaining four fences up – they managed it but for a few time faults, so it was 15 faults on the scorecard.
The third rotation German rider, Daniel Deusser jumped clear and the gold was Germany’s – a convincing victory without having to rely on their fourth rider, Richard Vogel.
Scott Brash and Hello Mango
Scott Brash is renowned for soaking up pressure – many say he has ice running through his veins! However, in Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s delightful grey mare, Hello Mango he has a true talent. However, it’s her first championship and she’d jumped two sublime rounds so far, so did she have another one to give?
It was tight at the top and, as Scott cantered in, the announcer said only a clear would do to clinch the team silver. In a similar manner to Adrian, Scott guided Mango to the first fence, met it fine, but simply didn’t get high enough and dislodged the pole for four faults. The pressure was on – another fence down and Britain would lose a medal to the US. Every fence counted, but this is where Scott’s ability comes into play. Many riders would crumble, but not him – he kept his composure and left the rest of the rails up, meaning Britain was guaranteed at least the bronze medal.
It was all down to Belgium, and in particular rider Abdel Saïd. Only a clear would do to secure silver and he duly delivered when it mattered most.
So, the FEI World Champions for 2026 are Germany. Belgium claims silver and Britain moves up two places from yesterday to take the bronze medal – and qualification for LA28. The remaining Olympic spots go to Italy, Switzerland, Ireland and France.
In the press conference, Adrian Whiteway declared today was ‘a dream come true’ at his first championships, while Performance Manager Di Lampard commented; “We were very relieved to get into this evening and we knew it would be a tough competition with a very different course to what we had in the qualifying round yesterday. It was a big ask and we started off really well with the two clear rounds. Going forward, the pressure was on poor old Scott again – not such a good round by Adrian, but overall it was absolutely amazing.”
“We’re always building, always looking forward – we’re looking towards LA now. We’ve got one big hurdle over – the qualification – and to get a medal as well, when you’re trying partnerships, is amazing. We’ve had new partnerships here – it’s Scott’s first time at a championship with Hello Mango, Adrian’s new to championship level, it’s Point Break’s first time at a big championship and Harry’s not had many months together with Freda. I’m really happy with the outcome and how everyone performed.
“Aachen is the home of showjumping, but it’s a big ask to go in that arena. It’s a really powerful grass arena and you have to put in your top performances to get on the podium, but the lads certainly did that today,” she said with a sense of satisfaction.
Rest, recover and reconvene on Sunday
For the top 25 combinations after tonight, the next stop is the individual final on Sunday afternoon. Tomorrow is a rest day for the riders and horses, but for a veterinary inspection in the evening. Sunday is a two-round competition with 25 jumping in round one at 14:20 (13:20 BST), then the best 12 come forward for one final round to determine the medals. Ben Maher currently lies third, Scott Brash is 10th and Harry Charles is 23rd.
With the individual medal honours decided and Great Britain’s athletes each taking a medal – the only nation to do so – it was the first day of the para dressage team competition, where each combination would their grade equivalent of the Grand Prix B test. A coveted podium place at was the aim for many of the ten nations, but equally important was qualification for the LA28 Paralympic Games. This would go to the top seven teams, excluding the USA, who automatically qualify as host nation.
Grade 2 – Team: Jemima Green and Fantabulous
With a bronze medal-worthy performance already to their name for the individual test, Jemima Green and Fantabulous had high hopes for posting a great score to get the team off to a good start. They were the first combination of the day down the centre line, but the early start didn’t dampen Fanta’s enthusiasm for the task at hand. They started brightly, with Jemima riding every movement with great accuracy and nailing the transitions, which are a vital part of this test. The sevens and eights were coming from the judges and the scoreboard was trending around 76% – it was going well.
Then, for no explainable reason, Fanta spooked as he approached the E marker, spun around and Jemima lost her rein. They quickly recovered and settled back into the task, hardly deviating from their intended line – it really was a case of blink and you miss it. However, the judges didn’t miss it and, because it affected two movements, the scores took a dip.
A long walk tour followed, the quality of which was certainly impacted by their ‘moment’. However, Jemima kept her nerve and bravely rode the final lengthened trot strides across the diagonal, trying to claw back a few marks. A strong final centre line brought the test to an end and the score was 74.033% – a great total, but a smidgeon under what they’d been trending on in the early part of the test. That being said, it was a strong for Britain.
“What can I say? I felt it was more confident and we had more energy than the previous test, so it was unfortunate to have a little spook. I was very quick to keep my cool, take a breath, find my line, get my reins and keep going. What was amazing about him is he came straight back to me,” explained Jemima.
She added; “He was still a little bit focused on that corner, but I was just like, “Come on, stay with me, stay with me.” But I think I was more prepared for it then, because it literally just came out of nowhere. He just decided to add a little extra move, but it was very expensive because it does affect two of our movements. I feel a bit gutted because it was going to be a stronger score, but I'm very pleased that it is still a strong score.”
Grade 1 – Team: Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athene Lindebjerg
Over a decade since making her British team debut in 2015 at the European Championships with then-rider Sophie Christiansen, Danish-bred black mare Athene Lindebjerg has this week got her first chance to compete at the FEI World Championships. With 13 medals at European and Paralympic level, a World Championship podium souvenir was missing from her impressive collection. However, a fabulous individual test with Mari Durward-Akhurst on Wednesday remedied that and they made it medal number 14 with a silver.
That podium placing will have given Buckinghamshire rider Mari huge confidence going into today’s Grade 1 Grand Prix B test for the team honours. The final pairing down the centre line in the 19-strong class, they started well with a square halt and pleasing flow. Mari was really using the arena well, riding into the corners and preparing for each move while managing Athene’s huge walk. As the test progress though, Athene’s energy levels dipped and instead of taking her rider forward, Mari had to work to keep the impulsion, which just pegged the higher marks. The halts were accurate and the free walk was super. The final score of 74.583% was good enough for second in the class, but also a healthy one for the team.
“It wasn't our best test. She was really hard work, but I managed to keep her going and get her to do what she wanted to do. She didn't have as much energy as on the first day – I think because she's already been in there once, she was a bit like, ‘Oh, same arena, same thing.’ I felt it was a smoother test compared to the first test and she warmedu p well, but then when she went in there, she just dropped me a bit and I don't have the leg power to then get her to go more forward from behind. She's not an easy mare – she makes it look really easy, but she makes you work for every little bit,” said Mari.
After the Grades 1, 2 and 3 had completed their tests, the podium race looks to be between five nations – USA, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Great Britain.
Tomorrow is the turn of the Grade 4 and 5 riders, with individual gold medallists Sophie Wells and MSJ Gold Standard up at 10:21 (09:21 BST) in the Grade 5, while Nicola Naylor is at 12:00 (11:00 BST) in Grade 4. It promises to be a para dressage battle royale for the medals and a ticket to compete at LA28.
The remaining two British four-in-hand driving competitors, both counting toward the team score, completed their dressage phase today. First up was Leicestershire ‘hobby’ driver Robert Wilkinson, driving his well-matched chestnuts Fernando, Kamore, Muwandro and Norwold. Robert benefits from the help of seven-time world champion Boyd Excell, who used to be based with him. In today’s test, he drove a very positive test, with the team showing good relaxation and harmony. Their total percentage was 66.958% or 803.5 points to give a final total of 52.97. Robert and Boyd had set a target of 50 in the build-up, so Robert was content.
Afterwards, Robert said; “It was very good. I don't think I embarrassed myself, that's the important thing. I know Boyd's not going to be very happy because he told me to go and get a 50, but I've tried my best.”
Anchorman for the British team was Cheshire driver Peter Bennett. He last competed at a four-in-hand World Championship 2008, before changing to driving a horse pair with great success, including a silver medal in 2025. However, when he heard the FEI World Championships had been allocated to Aachen, he was inspired to build up a new team of four. Today, it was the dark bay foursome of Dirk, Kroonprins, Lodewijk and Lutiano in action. The test was active, with the team working in good synch, to score 809.0 or 67.417 for a final tally of 52.24. This was the best score for the British team ahead of the marathon tomorrow.
“Yeah, quite good - it seemed OK. It went as well as expected with the atmosphere you get in there. The horses are never going to go like they do at home, so I’m quite happy with them really. It's our first year and I think we’ve done about six competitions as a team. They've not been a team before this year and only the left leader [Dirk] is an experienced one – the other three were my pair horses from last year,” explained Peter.
After 54 tests completed, Peter sits 19th, Robert just behind in 21st, Dan is 32nd overall and Karen is 49th. In the team standing, Germany lead the way, Australia is second and the USA is third, while Britain lies eighth on a total of 105.21 for the first phase.
Saturday is marathon day in Soers Park. Karen Bassett is first out at 10:24 (09:24 BST), Daniel Naprous goes at 11:06 (10:06 BST), then it’s Robert Wilkinson at 12:48 (11:48 BST) and finally Peter Bennett at 14:42 (13:42 BST).
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