Gastrointestinal infection: Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Quidditch will not compete at the World Cup tryouts in Avenches. World Cup participation still possible

With championship experience under their belts and a second-place finish at the 2026 German Championships, Malin Hansen-Hotopp and the Holsteiner Quidditch are considered a solid pair with a strong chance of competing at the World Championships on home soil in Aachen. Like everyone else hoping to secure one of the five starting spots, the pair from Gransebieth would have had to compete this weekend in Avenches. The CCI4*-S serves as the final form check shortly before the nomination deadline. Germany is allowed to name four team riders and one individual rider.

Malin Hansen-Hotopp Will Not Compete at the World Championship Trials in Avenches

But the 2025 European Team Champion is nowhere to be found on the starting list. The reason is simple: a gastrointestinal infection forced the rider out of the saddle at the last minute last week. This was confirmed to EQUI PAGES by Dr. Annette Wyrwoll, chair of the Eventing Committee of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR).

At the same time, she explained what’s next for the pair: “We’ll put the horse through a fitness test, which means Malin will have to ride dressage, cross-country, and show jumping again. After that, there will be a veterinary examination, just as there is for all the other horses on the list that are to be nominated for the World Championships.”

Rider is optimistic: “It’ll be fine”

When asked, Malin Hansen-Hotopp said she was back in shape. “I caught the infection right before the race,” said the Holstein native. “The upside is that it goes away quickly.”

The pair has been extremely successful so far this year. In three races, they’ve earned three podium finishes.

A Good First Day for Team Germany in Avenches

While Malin Hansen-Hotopp was preparing for the fitness test, the first day of dressage was on the schedule in Avenches. And it went quite well for the German riders: With 33 of 71 competitors having finished, Michael Jung and fischersChipmunk FRH are in the lead (22.2). Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH are currently in second place. The pair received 25.1 penalty points—a personal best for them. They had won the bronze medal at the German Championships in Luhmühlen.

Six Germans in the Top 10 after Day One

Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia FRH are in fourth place after the first half of the dressage rounds. The pair were part of the winning team at the 2025 European Championships in Blenheim. There, they finished 26th in the individual standings.

Things also went well for Olympic champion Julia Krajewski. Riding her promising young horse “Pauli”—officially known as Tullabeg Platinum—she is currently in fifth place after a dressage round that earned her 27.1 penalty points. Tomorrow, she is expected to be the last of the 71 pairs to enter the arena in Switzerland at 12:12 p.m. with Nickel.

Road2LA via the World Championships in Aachen?

There’s another personal best to report for a German pair: Arne Bergendahl and Bronco NRW, son of the Badminton mare Luthien NRW, received a score of 28.1. The pair, which is supported by the Road2LA initiative, has never before performed this well at the four-star level in the arena. The NRW duo is ranked sixth. Two spots behind them are Antonia Baumgart and Ris de Talma (29.0).

Preliminary Results: CCI4*-S Avenches 2026