Fiona Howard (USA) riding Diamond Dunes, FEI Para Dressage World Championship 2026 - Aachen (GER), Grand Prix B Team Final & Second Individual Qualifier for the Grand Prix Freestyle, Grade II. © FEI / Leanjo de Koster

21.08.2026

The FEI Para Dressage World Championship Aachen 2026 Team competition commenced with the hotly contested Grade II competition. Kick-starting their team tally were 11 nations in total and topping the leaderboard were the USA, Germany and Denmark. 

Grade I saw a further six nations launch their campaign in the Team contest and once again USA rose to the top of the leaderboard, along with Great Britain and Italy close behind. 

In the Grade III competition, it was the turn of Belgium, Ireland and Sweden to send their first riders down the centre line. The Netherlands came out on top followed by Denmark, with Italy taking third place once more. 

Diamond Dunes delivers 

Fiona Howard led the Grade II section with the 13-year-old stallion Diamond Dunes, posting an unassailable score of 79.300% to give the USA an incredible start to their Team competition.

“He felt great today even from the first trot around the arena and he really put his whole heart in there today. I’m just so proud of him and so happy that we could do this for the team,” Fiona said of their performance.

With no 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic qualification required for the host nation, the pressure was most certainly still on to deliver a strong start to the team’s campaign for gold.

“As a team, we’re all competitive but we also really want each other to succeed and we really support each other. We put so much work into this that we all want to fight for those medals.”

Finishing second in the Grade II, Germany’s Heidemarie Dresing put in a solid performance on the extravagant Poesie 143 to launch Germany’s Team score, with a total of 77.733% 

“She was amazing, she listened to me and was less nervous today, so I am very happy with this test,” Heidemarie said of the 11-year-old mare’s increased confidence at her first World Championship. 

Denmark also saw its first Team score on the board thanks to Katrine Kristensen and Goerklintgaards Quarter who took third place on a score of 76.167%. Katrine was once again delighted with the performance of her longtime equine partner.

“It was a very nice test there today, again. Today it was so fluent and he trusted me totally. Quarter was so calm and I think his trot was even better than the first test,” Katrine said of the 18-year-old Danish warmblood gelding’s performance. 

“This is a good start to our team score, and we have done our very best to put in a great performance. Now I can cheer my teammates on today!”

Fan Tastic Team USA

Grade I saw USA once more claim the top spot thanks to Fan Tastico H living up to his name for Marie Vonderheyden, scoring a personal best of 76.375%. 

“I’m so happy and proud of him but I love that I gave a good score for the team – we’re in a place where it’s important to be there for [your teammates] and help each other,” Marie said of posting another solid score for the USA, inching them further towards a medal. 

Last to go into the arena, Mari Durward-Akhurst once again claimed second place with the Para Dressage stalwart, Athene Lindebjerg, chalking up a score of 74.583% for Team Great Britain. 

“It’s not the score I wanted, but I felt it was a smoother test compared to our first test on Wednesday and our halts were really good, and so was the walk on the long rein,” Mari said of her performance with the 19-year-old Danish warmblood mare. 

“It’s always an honour to be on the team. I’d dreamed of it for so long so now to have done it successively for a number of years, it’s amazing, and after us all medalling the last two days, we’re all on a high!” 

In a repetition of Wednesday’s leaderboard, third place went to Italy’s Sara Morganti who was exceptionally proud of Bond Girl 18 for scoring 74.083% on what was only the mare’s fourth ever competitive outing. 

“This is only the beginning with her, so to finish the test with a 74 is unbelievable for me,” Sara said of the seven-year-old Hanoverian’s achievement. 

“I really hope I have put in a good enough score for the team to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics,” Sara said of the importance of her score. 

“Riding for a team is more pressure than as an individual, especially with a goal like this one. So it was really essentially to make a good contribution to the team result.”

Royal result for the Netherlands

Reigning double FEI Para Dressage European Champion Rixt van der Horst and Eisma’s Royal Fonq N.O.P came out on top in the Grade III competition once more, winning the Grand Prix B test on a score of 78.467%.

“He was on fire today! We had a really nice, constant and harmonious test, I’m so happy,” Rixt said of the 11-year-old Westphalian stallion.

“I’m pleased we could set a good score for the Dutch team, it was really important to because there are a lot of nations who have a chance of a medal. So we really wanted to do our best and I was feeling the responsibility with my score for the team today.”

Second place went to Tobias Thorning Joergensen and Blue Hors Zackorado, scoring 77.067% to keep Denmark in medal contention. 

“It was really nice to feel him grow inside the arena today and wow, what a feeling he gives when he is fully with me. It’s just amazing, I’m so proud of him today,” Tobias said of the 10-year-old championship debutant.

It’s somewhat of a family affair in the Danish team this year, not only as teammate Katrine Kristensen brings her seven-month-old baby with her to the Championship, but also because on the team with Tobias is his mother, Line Thorning Joergensen who is competing in the Grade IV competition.

“It’s just amazing to share a competition like this with my mom, it’s the first time we’re competing at a Para Dressage World Championship together which is very fun. She’s probably my biggest partner in all of this.”

Notching up another third place was Francesca Salvadé scoring 75.267%, keeping Italy’s 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic qualification dreams alive.

“I’m really very happy with my result and my horse as this is our best score at a championship together,” Francesa said of her performance with the nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding. 

“Today is about the competition for the team and it was very important for me to do well, because we are a very close team and we all want to do well for each other.” 

Tight at the top 

With five teams fighting for a place on the podium, it will be all to play for on day two of the Team Final competition. 

The Grade V competition will commence with Jonna Aaltonen of Finland entering the arena with Laxton for U at 8:00 local time. Swiftly following, the Grade IV competition will see Great Britain’s Nicola Naylor and Humberto L begin the final team rotation at midday local time, and the new Team World Champions will be crowned just 90 minutes later. 

FULL RESULTS