German Eventing Team at the World Championships in Aachen: Krajewski, Jung, Hansen-Hotopp, Wahler—two Olympic champions, one world champion, one European champion, and one newcomer

The Eventing Committee of the German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR) has nominated the team for the World Championships in Aachen. The following riders will compete to defend their title at the Soers (in alphabetical order):

Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlito’s Quidditch

Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlito’s Quidditch, a 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Quiwi Dream-Cassini I, breeder: Miriam Kühl, owner: Bodil Ipsen

The 2025 European Team Champions from Blenheim are looking forward to their third appearance at the championships. The agricultural graduate from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania was part of the 2023 European Championship team that won silver at Haras du Pin (FRA). In the individual competition, the pair placed 19th on the heavy ground at the foot of the famous castle stud farm.

In 2025, Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Quidditch won gold with the German team in Blenheim, England, and placed eleventh individually. The pair had won the CCI4*-L in Blenheim in 2022—the start of their international career. In 2024, they placed fourth in the CCI5*-L in Kentucky, one of the most difficult cross-country courses in the world. In 2025, the pair placed sixth in the five-star competition at Luhmühlen.

In business for a long time

Even as a college student, Malin Hansen-Hotopp was on the long list for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. As a junior rider, she competed twice in the European Championships and won gold with the team in 1996 (individual: ninth) and silver with the team in 1997 (individual: tenth). The mother of three was unable to participate in the final tryout for the World Championships in Avenches due to an infection, but after a fitness evaluation on Monday, she received the go-ahead to compete at the World Championships as part of the Aachen eventing team.

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH, an 18-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Contendro-Heraldik xx, breeder: ZG Meyer-Kulenkampff, owner

The pair that won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. For Michael Jung, it was his third, following London 2012 and Rio 2016. An obstacle that collapsed unusually late on the cross-country course at the 2021 Tokyo Games caused the pair to finish eighth in the individual standings there.

In 2025, he won silver in the individual competition and gold with the team at the European Championships in Blenheim. He had already achieved the same results in 2019 at the European Championships in Luhmühlen. In 2018, Chipmunk competed under Julia Krajewski at the World Equestrian Games (individual: 39th). In 2022, he was a World Team Champion; a knockdown at the end of the course prevented him from securing a spot on the individual podium. In 2023, he won silver with the German team at the European Championships in Haras du Pin. However, the successful pair was disqualified here after a fall during the cross-country phase.

A Great Career

Throughout his career, Chipmunk has racked up 27 victories in international competitions ranging from 3* to 5* level. He won the CCI5*L in Kentucky twice with Michael Jung.

A World Cup victory to cap off the Hannover native’s career in front of a home crowd would be an emotional highlight of the World Cup—that much is already clear.

Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel

Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding by Numero Uno-Lorentin, breeder: Hindrick Stüvel, owner: Prof. Bernd Heicke

Eleventh place at the 2024 Olympic Games, winner in Aachen in 2024, German champion in 2025 and 2026. In 40 starts in international competitions, Nickel finished on the podium twenty times, winning the CCI4*-L NC in Boekelo (NED) in 2024 and placing second in the CCI4*-L in Montelibretti (ITA).

Olympic champion Julia Krajewski knows exactly how to use Nickel. For example, she decided early on not to compete in the 2025 European Championships on the hilly, grueling terrain of Blenheim.

Nickel in Top Form

Nickel has once again shown significant improvement in dressage. In their last four starts, the pair—who train in Italy during the winter—were the overnight leaders three times and finished second after the dressage once. That bodes well for a strong start in a championship competition! On the cross-country course, the two are sure to finish strong. Nickel is one of the “Road2LA” horses; his appearance on the World Championship eventing team in Aachen marks another step up the career ladder.

Julia Krajewski’s Tullabeg Platinum has been nominated as the replacement horse. “Pauli” finished second at the 2026 CCI4*-S in Luhmühlen.

Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH

Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH, a 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding by Diarado-Aarking xx; breeder: Christa von Paepcke; owners: Hendrik von Paepcke and Stefan Haupt

One of the greatest horses in international eventing: This giant is a Hanoverian born in Holstein who also has a Holstein sire—Diarado, the number one stallion among those that have sired international eventing horses, according to the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses (WBFSH) rankings. The von Paepcke family has already been home to more than one world-class horse in Bredeneek. Hendrik, the son of breeder Christa, placed seventh at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Svenja Eckert introduced D’Accord FRH to competitive riding and competed him up to the CCI3*-L level. In 2022, the bay moved to Klosterhof Medingen, which is run by Christoph Wahler—the third generation of his family to operate the stud farm. Their greatest success was a seventh-place finish at the CCI5*-L Badminton in 2025.

Proven in championship competition

Christoph Wahler has competed in five European Championships at the junior and youth levels. In 2019, at the age of 25, he made his debut at a senior championship: As an individual rider, he placed 20th at the European Championships in Luhmühlen with Carjatan S. Riding the gray horse, he placed seventh at the 2021 European Championships in Avenches and won the team world championship in Pratoni del Vivaro in 2022. In 2023, the pair won silver as part of the team at the European Championships in Haras du Pin (FRA) and finished in the disappointing fourth place in the individual standings. The two were named to the squad for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Back for good

D’Accord had suffered an injury in Boekelo in October 2025, and the question was how the pair would be able to make a comeback in 2026. The pair provided the answer in Luhmühlen, where they were among the fastest in the cross-country—a hallmark of this combination—and finished eleventh. That result earned them the bronze medal at the German Championships. The pair went on to win the final World Championship qualifier in Avenches.

Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia FRH

Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia FRH, a 16-year-old Hanoverian mare by Comte-Fabriano; breeder: Annelie Lübbeke; owners: Annelie and Martin Lübbeke

Riding Caramia, a horse bred by her parents, 25-year-old Libussa Lübbeke has risen to the top of the world rankings. In 2022, the pair won the silver medal with the German team at the European Young Riders Championships in Hartpury. In 2025, the two won the gold medal with Team Germany at the European Championships in Blenheim. In various Nations Cup competitions, the family team consistently placed among the top ten.

Reserves: Arne Bergendahl and Bronco NRW

Arne Bergendahl and Bronco NRW, a 10-year-old gelding by Blockbuster-La Calido; breeder: Helmut Bergendahl; owner: Susanne Dörner

Arne Bergendahl—who is not a full-time professional but works at the Environmental Agency in the Wesel district, where his responsibilities include wind power—has already ridden Bronco’s dam on the Badminton course. Luthien NRW is known for her energy, her extreme caution over jumps, her fighting spirit, and her aversion to dressage. She has passed on all these qualities—except for that last one—to her son.

Family product

Arne Bergendahl systematically trained the gray horse. The pair placed 13th at the 2024 World Championships for Young Eventing Horses in Lion d’Angers (FRA). In October 2025, they competed for the first time in a long four-star event in Boekelo and finished fifth right off the bat. After a promising start, the pair fell just before the finish line in Luhmühlen in 2026. In Avenches, they then demonstrated why they are among the “Road2LA” horses receiving special support: they placed sixth in the competition. For Bergendahl, the World Championships will be his first major championship.

These six pairs will take part in a training camp in Bonn-Rodderberg ahead of the World Championships. At the Soers in Aachen, the competition is not only for the World Championship title but also for qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.