Tom McEwen (GBR) riding JL Dublin during the opening day of the Dressage phase at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2026 in Aachen (GER). © FEI/Leanjo de Koster

13.08.2026

The opening day of the Dressage phase at the FEI Eventing World Championship 2026 in Aachen (GER) delivered everything expected of an elite-level showdown.

An electric atmosphere, polished performances and the narrowest of margins set the stage for a gripping opening act as athletes began their pursuit of team and individual titles.

At the end of day one, there was nothing to separate New Zealand and Great Britain at the top of the provisional team standings, with both nations locked together on 55.9 penalties. Host nation Germany are close behind in third on 59.9 penalties.

Individually, Great Britain’s Tom McEwen and JL Dublin stole the spotlight with a superb test to take the lead on 26.6 penalties. That left them 0.6 ahead of New Zealand’s Jonelle Price and Senor Crocodillo on 27.2, with France’s Alexis Goury and Je’vall completing the overnight top three on 28.5.

New test

Spectators were treated to the first competitive outing of the Olympic Short Test, which will also be used at the Los Angeles Olympic Games 2028. The updated test asked plenty of questions, with little room for error as every transition and movement arrived in quick succession.

Clarke Johnstone (NZL) and Rocket Man produced the first sub-30 score of the day on 28.7 penalties, with the New Zealander highlighting the fast-flowing nature of the test.

“Everything happens pretty fast,” he explained. “But if your horse can do all the things, then it’s actually a really fun test to ride.”

Johnstone was equally pleased with how Rocket Man handled the atmosphere in Stadium 2. “Surprisingly, I thought that arena might have lit him up a little bit, but he was totally relaxed,” Johnstone said. “He did everything I asked and took it all in like a pro.”

Leaders

McEwen’s performance laid the foundation for Great Britain’s opening-day challenge, with teammate Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley adding 29.3 to bring their provisional team total to 55.9.

The Briton was full of praise for JL Dublin after their performance put them at the top of the individual standings.

“Dubs always delivers. I’m really, really pleased with him,” McEwen reflected.

He was equally positive about the Olympic Short Test and expects more strong performances to come on Friday.

“It’s a really good test, and you can see people are performing it really well,” he added. “I think on Friday, especially hopefully with the Brits, you’re going to see some really good tests delivered.”

New Zealand matched Great Britain stride for stride, with stellar tests from Price and Johnstone leaving the two nations level at the top.

Price admitted the result exceeded her expectations after Senor Crocodillo produced a clean and consistent test to record a personal best of 27.2. It was also the second-best Dressage score at a Championship of Price’s career, behind only the 26.1 she produced with McClaren at Pratoni (ITA) in 2022.

“He’s a quiet achiever, this guy,” she explained. “He’s just such a trier and over the last couple of years we’ve been able to really start solidly building a test, so it was pretty cool to come out and show him at his best.

“If I broke 30, I was pretty happy, so to be comfortably shy of that was probably above expectation.”

Historic first for Turkey

Turkey also broke new ground in Aachen today as Kumru Say and Baladin de l’Ocean LA became the nation’s first Eventing combination to compete at a senior global championship, finishing their test on 38.7.

Turkey has never previously been represented in Eventing at either an Olympic Games or FEI World Championships.

The milestone came just a year after Say and Baladin de l’Ocean LA became the first Turkish combination to compete at an FEI Eventing European Championship at Blenheim (GBR).

“It’s a privilege just to be here and ride down that centre line. It’s what we all dream of as children, and I’m delighted I get to do it today,” she said. “It’s a whole big world out there. I don’t have the support system that some of the bigger nations have here, but I try my best.”

Say has produced Baladin de l’Ocean LA through the levels herself and describes their close partnership as one of their greatest strengths. With no groom or regular trainer, she spends much of her time caring for and working with her horses personally.

“We know each other very well,” she explained. “He’s a horse I rely on. He’s not the biggest in scope or stride, but he’s just there for you. He’s all heart.”

All to ride for

With another 44 combinations still to come on Friday, many of the favourites for team and individual medals are yet to enter the arena, leaving the Championship wide open.

Among them are Germany’s Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH. The 18-year-old gelding is the only horse to have led a World Championship after Dressage more than once, doing so with Julia Krajewski (GER) at Tryon 2018 and with Jung at Pratoni 2022. With that record and the backing of the home crowd, the pair are certain to command attention when they take their turn centre stage.

The Dressage phase resumes at 09:30 (CEST) on Friday. The battle lines have been drawn, but with margins this tight and half the field still to come, there is everything to ride for.

FULL RESULTS