The seven-year-old podium at the 2026 FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Lanaken (BEL): winner Roosje Brouwer (NED) in the centre, runner-up Max van de Poll (NED) and third-placed Christian Ahlmann (GER). / ©FEI/ Richard Juilliart

20.09.2026

The 2026 FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championships offered a glimpse of the next generation of Jumping horses at Stoeterij Zangersheide in Lanaken (BEL).

Over four days of competition, Roosje Brouwer (NED) rode Elotte Z to the seven-year-old title, while Niamh McEvoy (IRL) won six-year-old gold with Easy Peasy Indebus Z. Sam Widger (IRL) and Vintage van de Heyveldhoeve took the five-year-old title.

Seven-year-olds

From 195 entries at the start of the seven-year-old competition on Thursday, 13 combinations jumped clear in the first round of Sunday’s final to advance to the jump-off. Course designer Bernard Mathy (BEL) and his team set a challenging 1.45m track that included open water and a careful final vertical with a Liverpool. A prize fund of €100,000 was on offer, with Brouwer and Elotte Z taking the winner’s share.

Brouwer produced a confident jump-off round on the Zangersheide mare, stopping the clock at an unbeatable 35.47 seconds.

“I was trying to win,” Brouwer said of her jump-off ride. “I thought I had to go as fast as I can. I know she’s naturally a very fast horse and very, very careful. If I didn’t make a mistake, for sure she was going to do well.

“I didn’t think this was going to happen, of course, but I know she’s a very good horse and she always tries her best,” she continued. “She’s very straightforward and does everything that I ask of her. I knew if everything was going well, we could do well.”

Bred by Stal Everse, Elotte Z is by Eldorado vd Zeshoek out of Blackberry, by Larino. Blackberry was ridden by Mischa Everse in the seven-year-old championship in 2013 and has since become a valued broodmare for the family.

Max van de Poll (NED) and Ortane, the six-year-old world champions in 2025, came close to a second successive title but took silver in 36.28 seconds. The KWPN mare, by Balou du Rouet Z out of a Quinar Z mare, was bred by D. Van De Linden and C. Van Der Heijden and is owned by Van de Poll.

Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Toemme de Regor Z claimed bronze after a jump-off round in 36.69 seconds. The BWP stallion, by Chacco Blue out of a Cento mare, was bred by Stal De Regor and is owned by Stoeterij Zangersheide.

Six-year-olds

The six-year-old division began with 246 entries on Thursday. Twenty horses reached the jump-off in Sunday’s 1.35m final, which offered €50,000 in prize money.

Taking a tight line into the one-stride combination and making neat rollbacks, McEvoy and Easy Peasy Indebus Z seized the lead in 40.85 seconds and held on for victory. It was McEvoy’s fourth medal in four years, following silver with BP Othello in the six-year-old class in 2025, gold with Orange de Baugy in the five-year-old class in 2024 and silver with Boleybawn Alvaro in the five-year-old class in 2023.

Easy Peasy Indebus Z added another gold medal to owner Ballypatrick’s haul for the day. The Zangersheide gelding, by Emerald out of Bumblebee Indebus Z, by Baloubet du Rouet, was bred by D. Van Tiburg BVBA and J. Thiry.

“Easy is a really incredible horse,” McEvoy said of her mount, who has been at owner Greg Broderick’s stable for a year. “He was always one of Greg’s favorites. He’s so careful and has so much scope. It’s a pleasure to be able to jump a horse like him.

“He’s done so few shows; he’s very green,” she continued. “Today he showed what an unbelievable mind he has. To be honest, I don’t think he’s ever gone against the clock before, so I didn’t know how he would take to it. One thing about him is his fantastic mentality. He’s so careful that you can really trust him, and he has all the scope. I think when you’re riding horses like that, it makes it all a lot easier.”

Angelique Böckmann (GER) and Django Z took silver after a smooth jump-off round in 41.71 seconds. The Westphalian stallion, by Dourkhan Hero Z out of a Captain Fire mare, was bred by Georg Sievert and is owned by Stoeterij Zangersheide.

Emeric George (FRA) and Kelstar Derick claimed bronze just seven hundredths of a second later, in 41.78 seconds. The Selle Français gelding, by Mylord Carthago out of a Jarnac mare, was bred by Elevage de Rick and is owned by Emeric George Equestrian Consulting and Frederic Lepine.

Five-year-olds

The five-year-old competition began with 218 entries on Thursday. The top 38 combinations were invited to contest the first round of Sunday’s final.

The second round, set at 1.25m with €15,000 in prize money on offer, used an optimum-time format for the first time in the Championship’s history. The target was 54 seconds, four seconds below the time allowed. It demanded precision and smoothness from the youngest horses rather than outright speed.

Fifteen horses finished double clear, with the top eight all within one second of the optimum time.

Vintage van de Heyveldhoeve took the title under 16-year-old Widger. The BWP mare, by Kasanova de la Pomme out of Nikita van de Hyveldhoeve, by I Am Moerhoeve’s Star, was bred by Bert Stoop and is owned by Gary Ryan and Ballypatrick.

Widger, who helped Ireland win Team silver at the 2026 FEI Jumping European Championship for Ponies six weeks earlier, finished just 0.14 seconds from the optimum time to claim gold.

“She was jumping very well all week,” Widger said of the mare he has ridden for six months since joining Greg Broderick’s stable. “I probably didn’t think she was going to win, but I’m so happy with the way it ended up. She’s a blood mare and very careful and scopey, a little spicy. She fights for you when you get in the ring.”

Coen Williams (IRL) and GLC Mr President took silver, finishing 0.18 seconds from the optimum time. The Irish Sport Horse gelding, by Conthargos out of an Untouchable mare, was bred and is owned by Gareth Cassidy. Williams held the lead for 10 rounds before Widger and Vintage van de Heyveldhoeve, third-last to go, moved ahead.

Rik Nauta (BEL) and Vazan van Strijtem claimed bronze, finishing 0.48 seconds from the optimum time. The BWP gelding, by Cazan van het Schaeck Z out of a Saros van’t Gestelhof mare, was bred by Marc and Kristof De Pauw and is owned by Kristof De Pauw.

“I think it was better because they’re still pretty young,” Nauta said of the new format. “Everybody is riding a nice round, and it’s not too fast.”

FULL RESULTS