Proud James, Red Viper and Quinn G – these were last year’s world champions. They were enthusiastically celebrated by the Verden audience. In just over five months, it will be that time again: the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses will celebrate its 19th edition in Verden. From 5 to 9 August, the Horse24 Arena in Verden will once again be the meeting place for the world’s best young dressage horses.
In 2026, the organizing team led by show director Ulrike Kubelke will stick to the motto of 2025: 100 percent World Championships! ”Just like in 2025, we will focus entirely on the World Championships for five-, six- and seven-year-old dressage horses,” emphasises Kubelke. ”All World Championship competitions will once again be held in the main stadium, the Horse24 Arena, including the qualifiers as well as the small and large finals. That’s what gets people excited: the big stage in Verden for the world’s best young dressage horses.”
On Monday, the World Championship week will open with the Herwart von der Decken Show, and from Wednesday to Sunday, the stadium will belong solely to the World Championship competitors. As last year, the only additions to the programme are the qualifiers for the Bundeschampionat for three- and four-year-old riding horses and the selection of the Hanoverian champions among three- and four-year-old mares, geldings and stallions. The three- and four-year-olds will compete in the Co-Lo Trans Arena, not far from the main stadium.
- A top score of 90.60 percentage points and an extremely promising outlook for the future with a perspective score of 9.5 – gold in the class of five-year-olds for the Jameson RS2 son Proud James, presented by Mette Sejbjerg Jensen.
- A final score of 90.40 points and an equally promising outlook for the future with a perspective score of 9.5 – gold in the class of six-year-olds for the son of Romanov Blue Hors Red Viper, ridden by Dinja van Liere.
- With a technical score of over 73 per cent, a quality score of almost 90 per cent and a final score of 81.650 per cent – gold in the class of seven-year-olds for the Quaterhit daughter Quinn G under the saddle of her owner Fiona Bigwood.
The medalists at the 2025 World Championships enjoyed the Verden stage and presented themselves in top form. In addition to the immensely high quality, it was also the gold stories that made for very special World Championship moments: Mette Sejbjerg Jensen, who let her tears of joy flow freely. In addition to Proud James, she also rode the Lord Europe son Leonardo to World Championship bronze and declared: ”They both come into the arena, grow five centimetres and rock it! ”
Red Viper’s owner Eugene Reesink grinned as he admitted that he had bought the chestnut stallion as a foal not least because of his colour and because he knew, of course, that he would one day become a double world champion. ”I didn’t sleep much last night,” admitted the rider and owner of triple world champion Quinn G, Britain’s Fiona Bigwood, with a laugh. ”I was really nervous. She gives so much and I just wanted to show what a great horse she is.” It worked!
From 5 to 9 August, the world’s top young horses will once again be presenting themselves in Verden and wonderful golden stories will be written. Stories that are not to be missed, so secure your tickets now.
Tickets for the World Championships are available from Ticketmaster at: https://www.ticketmaster.de/artist/verden-international-tickets/981934?camefrom=de_va_pverd
Further information can be found at: www.verdenyh.com