Germany’s Ben Leuwer, Michael Jung, Libussa Lübbeke, Julia Krajewski and Chef d’Equipe Dr Annette Wyrwoll

© FEI/Libby Law Photography

Team Germany made the perfect start to the defence of their FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ title by taking top spot on home soil in the opening leg of the 2026 series at Gestüt Marbach (GER).

Spearheaded by three-time Olympic champion Michael Jung (fischerChipmunk FRH), Germany – also represented by Julia Krajewski (Tullabeg Platinum), Libussa Lübbeke (Caramia FRH) and Ben Leuwer (Zuccini MN) – led the competition from start to finish, ultimately taking a convincing win on a score of 98.8. Jung and fischerChipmunk were the top performers over three days of competition.

“We are very proud to win the first FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ leg of 2026 in Germany. It’s very special to win at home,” said Chef d’Equipe Dr Annette Wyrwoll of the team victory.

“For our experienced riders and horses it was a very good competition to prepare for the World Championship in Aachen in September.”

Leapfrogging overnight second-placed Sweden, Belgium secured the runners-up spot on the final day thanks to clear jumping rounds from Valentine Emsens (Maplevalleys Concorde) and Karin Donckers (Leipheimer van't Verahof). Along with a strong performance from Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (Kiarado d'Arville), the all-female team finished on a score of 123.3.

“Jumping today was really influential and I’m obviously very happy for the team to have climbed from overnight third place. To finish second is a great result,” said Belgium’s Chef d’Equipe Kai-Steffan Meier.

After strong performances on Saturday, with Sofia Sjöborg (Govalent) and Louise Romeike (Caspian 15) among the top performers on the cross-country course, Sweden endured a tough day in the jumping arena. With Amanda Staam (Corpoubet At) also in the team, Sweden slipped to third place on a score of 130.8.

“For us, Gestüt Marbach was a fantastic competition and we always like coming here. This year the cross-country was challenging, but our riders did a fantastic job, so we’re really pleased about that,” said Sweden Chef d’Equipe Fredrik Bergendorff.

It did not quite go the way Switzerland had hoped in the jumping arena as they were unable to improve on fourth place. Nadja Minder (Top Job's Jalisco), Felix Vogg (Frieda), Desirée Schmidt (Fairy Tale B) and Angelika Dubach (Felin de Chignan) each toppled poles to finish on a final score of 145.0. However, the result was still a positive one after Switzerland was one of only two teams – alongside Belgium – to record four clear cross-country rounds the previous day.

The demanding accuracy questions posed by Bernd Backhaus’s cross-country course challenged the French team, who sat fifth overnight. Clear jumping rounds from Benjamin Massie (Figaro Fonroy) and Sebastien AT (Casanova du Frety), each adding just 0.8 time penalties to their final scores, helped France – who also included Damien Guerin (Tael de Jauzif Z) – finish on 179.3.

Austria rounded off the team standings through Lea Siegl (Watermill Giorgio Rs), Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati (Renegade) and Magdalena Zellhofer (Highlight Rz), who finished sixth on a score of 264.0. The result secured valuable qualification points as they target a place at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series Final in Boekelo (NED) later this year.  

FULL RESULTS