Laure Philippot (BEL) and Galen V compete on day one of the FEI Driving World Championship 2026 for Singles in Munich (GER). © FEI / Martin Dokoupil

03.09.2026

Belgium’s Laure Philippot and Galen V ended the opening day of the FEI Driving World Championship for Single Horses in Munich (GER) at the top of the leaderboard. The final combination to enter the arena on Thursday, they scored 42.12 to take a lead of exactly one penalty point.

Two of the five judges ranked Philippot first, while another two placed her second among Thursday’s 43 combinations.

This is the fifth consecutive FEI Driving World Championship for Single Horses for Philippot and the 18-year-old Hanoverian gelding. Their experience showed as Galen V held his frame correctly and glided through the 22 movements to earn consistently high marks, including two 10s for the general impression. He typified what the judges were seeking – smooth but defined transitions, free-flowing, ground-covering paces and definition between the collections and extensions in trot and canter.

Judges divided

Michael Barbey, the day’s penultimate driver, briefly took the lead on 43.12 before Philippot’s score moved him into second. Barbey’s test with the nine-year-old Swiss mare Maelyce Des Arreneys offered similar qualities to Philippot’s but divided the judges’ opinions, with their rankings varying from second to eighth.

Wilbrord van den Broek, competing as an individual for the Netherlands with Love To Dance, a 10-year-old KWPN gelding, had led after closing the early-afternoon session with 43.32 and now sits third. It remained the leading test for two judges, and only 0.2 penalties separate Van den Broek from Barbey.

Another individual combination, Marie Tischer and 15-year-old Fortino from the strong German squad, held the top spot for some time after scoring 44.05 in the opening session and are now fourth. The highest-placed French combination was Clément Deschamps with Brume de Chablis, his 15-year-old Selle Français mare, who are fifth on 44.18. Theirs was the first test for a team aiming for a third consecutive gold medal.

Defending champion on cue

The current draw process means that some of the higher-ranked drivers now find themselves earlier in the starting order. As a result, the defending champions, Switzerland’s Mario Gandolfo and Favela, the 12-year-old Franches-Montagnes mare, opened the morning’s second session.

The judges were largely united in their marking and, overall, the test was correct, although hurried at times. Gandolfo’s sixth-place score of 47.65 is an improvement on his mark from two years ago, when he and Favela went on to win the Individual title thanks to their marathon brilliance and speed through the obstacles.

Top ten

Germany’s highest-placed combination is team member and previous medallist Anne Unzeitig with De Niro 29, her 18-year-old Hanoverian, who are seventh on 47.78.

The Netherlands, another nation with a talented squad to draw on, have two-time former World champion Saskia Siebers competing as an individual. A title winner in 2022 and 2024, she is driving the eight-year-old KWPN gelding Nulleke TK and is eighth on 49.64.

The first of Luxembourg’s team, Franz Schiltz with seven-year-old DSP Dalliance Lady, one of the youngest horses in the competition, is ninth on 50.84. In tenth on 52.37 are Dutch team member Larissa Jansma and 18-year-old KWPN Dandy Jane, who produced a polished test apart from the halts, which the mare could not maintain.

Due to the draw and the allocation of team members’ starting times, only Switzerland and Belgium have fielded two combinations so far, and they occupy the top two places in the current standings.

After an opening day of close scores and tight margins, day two of dressage in Munich on Friday promises more of the same, with another 42 combinations. There may be changes at the top, and perhaps even a sub-40 score.

FULL RESULTS