Heidemarie Dresing and Regine Mispelkamp are the 2026 German para-dressage champions

The German Para-Dressage Championships will be decided in three competitions: the “Grand Prix” tasks of the respective levels I to V and the freestyle. Grades I to III and IV/V are judged together.

Heidemarie Dresing wins sixth title

Double European champion Heidemarie Dresing knows the feeling of being celebrated as German champion well. She already has five gold medals at home, and today she added a sixth. After clear victories in the first two competitions, she took the lead with her mare Poesie aka “Püppi”, and the pair also left nothing to be desired in the freestyle. All in all, the pair scored 233.017 percent and secured the title by a wide margin.

Dresing, who was successful in regular sport up to advanced (S) level before her diagnosis with multiple sclerosis in 2011, explains: “I started in Grade V, now I’m in Grade II. I choose the horses according to where my weaknesses are. The horses have to bring with them what I can’t do at home.” And Poesie brings a lot to the table: “She swings beautifully and always gives me a good ride,” says Dresing, describing the riding experience on the eleven-year-old Fürstenball daughter.

Silver to a new duo

Gianna Regenbrecht in the saddle on First Florentine XT secured the silver medal by quite a margin (217.199), but with great joy. This is also an eleven-year-old Fürstenball daughter, bred and owned by Dr. Stefan Tietje. The partnership between Regenbrecht and First Florentine is still young. Stefan Tietje approached Gianna Regenbrecht on his own initiative and offered to ride the mare.

She says: “This is a total match, it harmonizes so well with her and she brings a lot of inner serenity. She has a super walk, a great trot, a great interior and a beautiful lateral pattern. However, she wasn’t born with canter, but I don’t ride canter at my level.” So it’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Bronze to European team champion number two

Former Verden auction rider Melanie Wienand and her Lemon’s Loverboy are a duo spoiled by success. Wienand used to ride the sire of her sport partner, Bundeschampion Lemony’s Nicket, when he was auctioned off for a record price at the time. Convinced of the stallion’s qualities, Wienand invested in a foal by Lemony’s Nicket. Then she had a serious riding accident that turned her life completely upside down. She had to relearn almost everything. Riding was part of her therapy. She has long since made a name for herself in para-dressage with Lemony’s Nicket. Last year they won silver in Balve, and now bronze with 215.622 percent.

Mispelkamp wins gold in Grade IV/V

The decision in the Grade IV and V class was much closer, with the individual and team European champion Regine Mispelkamp on Highlander Delight’s and newcomer Helen Schildhauer on Vulkan Vegas IB, who have only been competing in para-dressage since last year, going head-to-head.

Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight’s won the Grand Prix A. However, they were beaten in the second class by medical student Schildhauer and her eight-year-old Vitalis son Vulkan Vegas IB. Schildhauer scored 74.279 percent and Mispelkamp 74.079 percent.

Today in the freestyle Helen Schildhauer built up pressure with 77.675 percent. But the experienced Rhineland duo Mispelkamp and Lights were not impressed. They secured the overall victory with 78.333 percent. 225.745 to 224.963 percent was the final score at the top.

Anna-Lena Niehues was delighted to take bronze (218.30) in the saddle on Vive L’amour. The medal is the reward for a lot of patience and effort, as Niehues reported: “Vicky was a major project, I basically took her on as a problem horse and I kind of give my heart to horses like that, I put so much effort into it and it’s so nice when I get this trust back and that just makes me happy, I’m sometimes on the verge of tears.” I think every rider can understand that.