German Freestyle Championships 2026: Isabell Werth ahead of Semmieke Rothenberger and Rapahel Netz

In the absence of the two four-legged veterans, the Olympic champions Wendy and Bluetooth OLD, Isabell Werth won her 20th German Championship title at the German Freestyle Championships. The two horses ridden by Isabell Werth and Frederic Wandres had a dispensation from the Dressage Committee. Werth was therefore able to concentrate on her second horse, the Weihegold grandson Viva Gold, who had achieved the second highest score in yesterday’s Grand Prix Special.

Building on Hamburg

It was the second freestyle of his life for the ten-year-old stallion. He had already scored well over 80 percent at the premiere in Hamburg. To the sounds of Neil Diamond – from “Forever in Blue Jeans” to “Song, Song, blue” – the Oldenburg showed a technically demanding and faultless program until shortly before the end. “Without any mistakes”, as national coach Monica Theodsorescu remarked with a twinkle in the corner of her eye.

The “shit happens moment”

Isabell Werth opened the dressage freestyle rider’s bag of tricks right at the start of the freestyle: a 360-degree piaffe-pirouette to begin with, followed by a transition from the piaffe-pirouette into passage-traversals. In the first trot reinforcement the stallion was hurried, in a later one he seemed to work more over his back. Relaxed and energetic in walk, at a strong and collected pace.

Neil DIAMOND for Viva GOLD

In the canter (“Forever in Blue Jeans”) full risk in a strong canter over the diagonal, double pirouette back then with nine clear double changes. Later, 13 single changes, which one would wish for more space with increasing routine, but jumped safely with a calm tail. And then the “shit happens moment”: in the most technically difficult part of all, the transition into the piaffe-pirouette from canter, the stallion had to clop and threatened to stop. It took more than one request. Understandable – who wants to turn around on the toilet? Sweet Caroline” then approached the judges. 83.65 percent – a clear victory and the twentieth (!) German championship for Isabell Werth. Her conclusion: “We still have to learn that we have to keep going when we’re lunging.”

Silver for Semmieke Rothenberger and Farrington

She had not expected this: Semmieke Rothenberger won the silver medal at the German Championships. With Farrington, she focused entirely on the sounds of “Cool and the gang”. Her own decision, as her parents Gonnelien and Sven Rothenberger revealed. “I even went to a concert with Moni (Theodorescu) and Ann Kathrin (Linsenhoff) once,” recalls father Sven. In this respect, they would have liked their daughter’s choice of music.

Disco Time

“Let’s groove tonight” – the intro is one of the iconic sound artworks of the 1980s. Remember: you can always groove. Even at lunchtime – Semmieke rode into the arena at 12.35 pm to the sounds of the classic. At the beginning, the experienced multi-championess from young rider championships showed the lessons that her Farrington masters best: passages and piaffe to “Get down on it”. Then “Celebration” to the collected trot, the traversals and the strong trot, which, however, was not fully ridden out. The Hessian rode her program with extreme precision. Exactly to the second when “Islands in the stream” rang out from the throats of Kenny Rodgers and Dolly Parton, she parried through to the strong walk. One could have wished for more overpass.

At a gallop, the choice of music remains true to the era. Again 1980s, this time Lionel Richie, “All night long” – one change without error. Strong canter at the lowest limit, conclusion: great melodies, great choreography. A fan pirouette at the end. All the things that make up a top international freestyle are there. Perhaps the program is a little less refined in canter than in everything that is ridden in two-stroke.

80.88 percent for Semmieke Rothenberger. She first has to come to terms with the fact that she has not only won a medal in the senior class, but has also been nominated for the Nations Cup in Hagen. This means that she is officially one of the potential candidates for the World Championships. The Nations’ Cup will take place in Hagen because Aachen, the traditional venue, is hosting the WEG in August.

Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot – when will the 11 for the seat arrive?

Freestyle riding can be so beautiful! Showing the strengths, packing the less strong moments well. Raphael Netz and Great Escape Camelot did all of this almost to perfection – he was able to correct a mistake in the double changes on the joker line. The highlights were one after the other: enormous crossing trot traversals, improved piaffe, the silhouette almost always perfect. The rider’s seat so and so. When do you get an 11 for that?

Raphael Netz teaches the auditorium the sounds of the flute – pipes and thin whistles, as we know them from Irish folklore. They come from the soundtrack of “Taming Dragons Made Easy”. Great Escape Camelot actually succeeded in everything and in an improved form: The series changes straight, difficult transition from the single changes into a piaffe pirouette, 180-degree turn. At the end a perfect passage, cadenced, accentuated, swinging. The tail swinging calmly in time! Sovereign. Too bad it wasn’t quite 80 percent, the freestyle actually felt like it (79.03).

Company Balve successfully completed

And “Raphi” is beaming about his first medal at the senior camp. But above all about the overall performance of everyone involved this weekend. First and foremost Great Escape Camelot: “He did absolutely everything. He struggled and ran out of steam a little bit, he’s not used to going three tests in a row, but he really just showed once again what he’s made of. He just knows when he’s in the arena and performing.”

Raphael Netz had three horses with him in Balve. “This is also a bit new territory for me. At this level, you normally only ever have one horse with you, especially in the World Cup, where we are more at home, I would say. And it was really difficult or a challenge for me to switch to the other horse so quickly.” That was successful, always in the money, always good rides – “I’m proud of that, especially because we’re a young stable.”

Fourth place for Charlott-Maria Schürmann and Dante’s Pearl OLD

What a weekend for Charlott-Maria Schürmann and Dante’s Pearl OLD(about whom we have compiled ten facts worth knowing). They came to Balve with a tailwind and are going home with a bronze medal and a freestyle debut of just under 79 percent. And on the first weekend in July, they head to Hagen. There it will be “for Germany: Charlott-Maria Schürmann and Dante’s Pearl OLD” in the Nations Cup.

Freestyle premiere: 78.78 percent

It was the talented black mare’s debut in a Grand Prix freestyle. The music “Year of the fire horse” formed an even carpet of sound. The music arrangement was ready on Wednesday morning. Today’s ride was the first time the mare moved to this music.

Three tests in four days, which took its toll on the mare today. The program was technically demanding, which led to one or two misunderstandings. The pair showed too few paces in the piaffe throughout. Ten are required. A niggle in walk, which is less generous in comparison to the trot and canter of the Dante Weltino daughter, cost points. On the other hand, there were traversals alternating between passage and collected trot, very well-placed pirouettes and wonderful series changes. It is a pleasure to see this horse jump series changes. 78.78 percent meant fourth place.

Everyone loves Forster

If there is a second discovery at this German Championships, then it is Tobias Nabben and Forster. Head judge Katrina Wüst raved about the piaffe and passages of the black horse, “a dancer”. She wrote a note to the rider recommending that he include more of this in the freestyle. “Then there will be even more points.”

Forster, the Hanoverian with the special history, is a rather inconspicuous horse. He is not a lamplighter and not someone who would get a 10.0 for canter in tests for young riding horses. Instead, he is a wonderfully gymnastic horse who, in addition to his pi/pa talent, impresses with his good riding ability. Is the new one really spectacular? This change of perspective would be worth considering.

Results German Freestyle Championship 2026

5 Insights from the German Dressage Championships in Balve 2026

1. “Less control” is the trump card – Isabell Werth and Wendy have found each other again in canter. This was a key moment for them, from which not only Olympic champion Wendy benefits.


2. The up-and-coming riders are taking on the established riders. Even though the DM Balve was the dressage championships for those who missed out, one thing is clear: with Semmieke Rothenberger and Raphael Netz, Germany is well positioned in the “U30” camp.


3. Dante’s Pearl OLD – the horse that has perhaps been talked about the most over the past few days has now arrived in the upper house – for good.


4. It doesn’t always have to be spectacular. As inconspicuous as Forster may seem at first glance, the black horse wins as soon as he starts moving under Tobias Nabben. Looking for a happy athlete? Found it!


5. The concept of the Louisdor Prize is bearing fruit: the new German champion Viva Gold has won the 2025 young rider series. Sheldon Cooper, winner in 2024, finished tenth in the freestyle with Carina Harnisch. Dante’s Pearl was qualified, Forster, Lord Europe and Escolar’s Emil were all finalists.