Second Qualifying Round for the 2026 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses

Germany may nominate eight promising horses per age group for the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses. The first to take to the arena at the second selection event in Warendorf were the seven-year-olds. Here are the horses that stood out during the first selection round for today’s competition, and these are the nominees for Verden:

• Benefis, a Hanoverian gelding by Borsalino – De Niro (Breeder: Brech Stud Farm, Owner: 360° Sportpferde, rider: Linda Weiß) >; the dam is a full sister to the Olympic and World Championship horse Du Soleil, ridden by Kristy Oatley (AUS)


• Dribbler, a Hanoverian gelding by Don Martillo – Dancier (Breeder: Angela Fitschen, Owner: Exclusive Equest S.L., Trainer: Senta Kirchhoff) > Three-year-old Hanoverian Vice Champion and participant in the National Championship


• Felice FRH, a Hanoverian mare by Fürst Samarant – Riverside (Breeder: Rene Janzen, Trainer: Ken Steele, Co-owner: Ingo Pape, Rider: Greta Heemsoth), > National Champion 2024, 2025; 7th place at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses


• Galleria’s Fancy Fergie FRH, Hanoverian mare by For Romance I – Catoo (Breeder: Hof Brüning, Owner: Sportpferde Galleria GmbH, Rider: Charlotte Tollhopf) > Runner-up at the 2025 National Championships, Finalist at the 2024 World Championships (14th)


• Glamdale WP NRW, Westphalian stallion by Glamourdale – Millennium, breeder: Z. ZG Pleines, owners: Werner and Heike Pleines, rider: Leonie Richter) > Silver medal at the 2024 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, bronze medal at the 2022 Bundeschampionat


• La Jolie SW OLD, an Oldenburg mare by Escamillo – Londonderry (breeder and owner: Sabine Wehle; trainer: Carina Scholz) > Tenth place at the 2025 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses


• Schatzmeister MZ OLD, an Oldenburg stallion by Secret – De Niro (Breeder: Ewald Grotelüschen, Owner: Mandy Zimmer, Rider: Ann-Christin Wienkamp) > Fifth place at the 2025 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses


• Sullivan ABN, Holsteiner gelding by Secret – Carpaccio (Breeder: Anja Nygaard, Owner: Hans-Joachim Schreiner, Trainer: Nina Verina Braun) > Participant in the 2025 National Championship

Endorphin FRH, a Hanoverian stallion by Escolar–Don Nobless (breeder and owner: Ingo Pape; rider: Greta Heemsoth), was named as a reserve for the bronze medalist in the six-year-old class from the previous year.

Six-year-olds

• Lindenberg, Hanoverian stallion by Libertad – Destano (breeder: ZG Sabine and Hans Heinrich Maak, rider: Annelie Brunckhorst and Dr. Frederic Bünger, rider: Jacob Schenk) > Bundeschampion 2024


• Lodovico OLD, Oldenburg stallion by Lord Europe – Don Frederic (breeder: Wieghaus-Vorwerk GbR, owner: Amely Baroness von Buchholtz, rider: Beatrice Hoffrogge) > 2025 National Champion (at that time still ridden by Lena Haßmann)


• Sauschön E, Westphalian gelding by Secret – Flanagan (B.: ZG Gina u. Geriet Extra, B.: Gina Extra, 1st co-owner: Geriet Extra, R.: Gina Extra) > Participation Bundeschampionat 2024


• Sir Gribaldi, Hanoverian stallion by Secret – All Inclusive (breeder: ZG Aronis u. Janßen, breeder: Gestüt Sprehe GmbH, rider: Beatrice Arturi) > three-time HLP winner, participation in Bundeschampionat 2025


• True Love WS, Westphalian mare by Toto Jr. – Self Made (Breeder: Elena Starr, Owner: Westphalian Stables, Trainer: Sabrina Geßmann)


• DSP Valentin, DSP (Bay) gelding by Vitalis – Don Schufro (Breeder: Jutta Steidl, Owner: Zuchthof Wadenspanner, Trainer: Johanna Wadenspanner) > Twelfth place in the 2025 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses Final


• Viva Diamond OLD, Oldenburg mare by Vitalis – Don Diamond (breeder: Zuchthof Alberding, breeder: 360° Sportpferde, rider: Linda Weiß) > Silver WC Young Dressage Horses 2025


• V-Power, Westphalian stallion by Viva Gold – Fidertanz (Breeder: Bernd Goeke, Owner: Helgstrand Dressage A/S / A. Helgstrand, Rider: Isabell Werth) > Former NRW Champion Stallion

The reserve horses were Bonbonito, a Hanoverian gelding by Belissimo M – Herbstkönig (breeder: Brech Stud, owner: Linda Zschocke, rider: Sofie Stollberger), and Fürst FRH, a Hanoverian gelding by Fürst Romancier – Sandro Hit (breeder: Gerold Gögele, owner: Gert Saborowski, rider: Kira Goerens-Ripphoff), were named as reserves.

Five-year-olds

• DSP Lord Löwenherz von Bellin, DSP (BrAnh) gelding by Lord Europe – United (Breeder and owner: MJS Gestüt von Bellin GmbH & Co.KG, Rider: Ellen Richter) > Bronze at the 2025 National Championships (while silver medalist Benjamin Franklin from Celle did not advance)


• Einfach Imposant B, Hanoverian gelding by Escolar – Westernhagen (Breeder: Daniela Burkhardt-Robert, Owner: Peter Brenske, Rider: Kira Laura Soddemann) > Participant in the 2025 National Championship


• Esquire, Oldenburg stallion by Escolar – Fürst Heinrich (breeder: Maria-Antonia Burczyk, rider: Gospodarstwo Polne Kamel Jwicki, breeder: Eva Möller) > Bundeschampion 2025


• Global Amour, Oldenburg stallion by Global Player – Fürstenball (Breeder: Britta Budeus-Wiegert, Owner: Helgstrand Dressage, 1st Co-owner: Paul Schockemöhle, Rider: Alexander Yde Helgstrand) > 2nd reserve winner of the 35-day test in Denmark


• Senza Parole F, Hanoverian mare by Secret – ForRomance I (Breeder and owner: Christine Feichtinger; Rider: Thomas Schulze) > Participated in the 2025 National Championship


• St. Anima, a Hanoverian mare by Secret – BenettonDream (Breeder: Siegfried Kusel; Owner and Trainer: Silvia Busch-Kuffner)


• Van Love WS, Westphalian mare by Valverde – Riccio (breeder and rider: Elena Starr, 1st rider: Helgstrand Dressage, rider: Eric Guardia Martinez)


• Weihe’s Happiness OLD, an Oldenburg mare by Dynamic Dream – Sir Donnerhall I (breeder and owner: Christine Arns-Krogmann, rider: Alina Schneider) > National Champion 2025

The following were named as reserves: Delight, a Westphalian gelding by Diamond de Luxe – Flatley (breeders: ZG Ursula and Ernst Prost, owner: Wolfgang Suttrup, trainer: Jana Marie Thamm) and Frida Kahlo, a Hanoverian mare by Fusionist – Dancier (breeders: ZG Ingo and Jörg Walinski, owner: Jeanette Pinard, rider: Madeleine Bendfeldt)