Often described as the pursuit of perfection, Dressage is the ultimate expression of Horse and Athlete working in harmony. The emotional intensity and attention to detail is awe-inspiring, as is the determination and tenacity which drives the Para Dressage athletes in their quest for excellence.

2019 FEI Dressage facts and figures

2019 FEI Para Dressage facts and figures

Top 3 NFs with Events in Dressage:

Greatest increase since 2018: Russia +21 Events

Top 3 NFs with registered Athletes in Dressage

Greatest increase since 2018: Canada +100 Athletes

Top 3 NFs with registered Athletes in Para Dressage

Greatest increase since 2018: Great Britain +9 Athletes

Top 3 NFs with registered Horses in Dressage

Greatest increase since 2018: Germany +82 Horses

Top 3 NFs with registered Horses in Para Dressage:

Greatest increase since 2018: Great Britain +21 Horses

Major Events 2019

What an exceptional year for Dressage queen Isabell Werth (GER), the most decorated Olympian equestrian athlete of all time, who won every major title on offer in 2019. The Netherlands also stood in the spotlight by winning nine medals at the Longines FEI Para Dressage European Championships, including team gold, on home ground in Rotterdam. Find out all about the heroes of 2019 below.

And…

• Check out all the latest Dressage sporting highlights on our dedicated FEI Dressage playlist on YouTube
• Watch all the main events live and on replay on FEI.TV
• Follow Dressage and Para Dressage on our dedicated Facebook and Instagram portals

FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, Gothenburg (SWE)

It was a classic rendezvous of champions, spoiling spectators with the best of what Dressage has to offer. Isabell Werth (GER) took nothing for granted as she entered the arena for the last test of the 33^rd FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Gothenburg. In what felt like an action replay, America’s Laura Graves and Verdades were once again breathing down Werth’s neck having set the mark at 87.179, leaving the most decorated athlete in the history of equestrian sport no room for errors. But with a score of 88.871 on the leader board at the end of their performance, Werth and her beautiful black mare Weihegold OLD proved unbeatable one more time.

My ride was really fantastic, my mare did a perfect test and she really deserved the win! – Isabell Werth (GER)

This win marked Isabell Werth’s fifth FEI World Cup™ Final victory, it was also her third in succession and, each time over the last three seasons, it has been Graves she has pinned back in runner-up spot. Third place went to the 2013 champion Helen Langehanenberg (GER) and Damsey FRH who finished on a mark of 86.571.

Podium

Pan American Games, Lima (PER)

The whole team gave it our all today. Yesterday it was close behind the Americans, and today we were on our ‘A’ game! – Tina Irwin (CAN)

Canada came out on top in a tight battle with the USA when the Team Dressage medals were decided at the Pan American Games which took place at the Army Equitation School at La Molina in Lima (PER). The three-member US side had a fractional advantage following the opening competitions, but consistently strong performances from the Canadian team saw the 2015 defending champions having to settle for silver, while Brazil stood on the third step of the medal podium.

However, the USA made up for it in the individual final when Sarah Lockman rode her wonderful stallion First Apple to gold. This was America’s ninth individual Dressage title in the history of equestrian sport at the Pan American Games, which date back to Buenos Aires (ARG) in 1951. Silver went to Canada’s Tina Irwin riding Laurencio and for bronze it was back to the USA with Jennifer Baumert and her gelding Handsome.

Team Podium

Individual Podium

Longines FEI Dressage European Championships, Rotterdam (NED)

Germany claimed the team title for a staggering 24^th time at the Longines FEI Dressage European Championships 2019 in Rotterdam (NED), while the hosts scooped silver and Sweden snatched bronze. The stakes were extremely high, as this was also an opportunity for nations not yet qualified to obtain one of the three available qualification spots for the Olympic Games 2020. Denmark, Ireland and Portugal earned their tickets for Tokyo.

The Grand Prix Special was a mighty battle between two of the sport’s true greats, Isabell Werth (GER) on Bella Rose 2 and double Olympian Dorothee Schneider (GER) on Showtime FRH. Two years ago in Gothenburg (SWE), Werth had pinned team-mate Sönke Rothenberger into silver medal spot, and this time around it was her other German compatriot who had to settle for second place. Bronze went to Cathrine Dufour (DEN) and Atterupgaards Cassidy.

This is the greatest day of my life, my first individual medal! I’m really proud to be sitting in second place tonight behind Isabell! – Dorothee Schneider (GER)

Werth brought the Longines FEI Dressage European Championships 2019 to a close when claiming her third gold medal of the week in the Freestyle riding her great mare Bella Rose 2. It was a day filled with personal-best performances, her compatriots Dorothee Schneider and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl (TSF Delara BB) clinched silver and bronze, with Schneider only 0.314 off Werth’s winning score.

Germany clearly dominated the Longines FEI Dressage European Championships 2019, bringing home six out of the nine medals up for grabs.

Team Podium

Individual Grand Prix Special Podium

Individual Grand Prix Freestyle Podium

Longines FEI Para Dressage European Championships, Rotterdam (NED)

After a history victory at the FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2018, top scores by Frank Hosmar (Alphaville N.O.P.) and Sanne Voets (Demantur RS2 N.O.P.) secured The Netherlands’ their second major international team title, this time at the Longines FEI Para Dressage European Championships in Rotterdam. In front of an excited crowd, Hosmar, Voets and teammates Nicole den Dulk (Wallace N.O.P) and Rixt van der Horst (Findsley) scored 227.039% and ensured the victory on home ground.

Team Great Britain composed of Sophie Wells, Nicky Greenhill, Georgia Wilson, and Mari Durward-Akhurst could not withstand the Dutch challenge and had to settle for silver but were delighted with the result, especially as three team members were making their debut at this level. Team bronze went to Denmark which included mother/son combination Tobias and Line Thorning Joergensen, alongside Caroline Cecilie Nielsen and Camilla Christensen.

Among the individual medallists, Jens-Lasse Dokkan from Norway took the highest step of the podium in the Grade I Freestyle. Georgia Wilson (GBR), who won silver in the Grade II Individual Test, topped her performance by taking home gold in the Freestyle. Denmark’s Tobias Thorning Joergensen added a second gold to his tally by winning the Grade III Freestyle as did Sanne Voets in Grade IV and Frank Hosmar in Grade V.

Team Podium

Grade I Individual

Grade I Freestyle

Grade II Individual

Grade II Freestyle

Grade III Individual

Grade III Freestyle

Grade IV Individual

Grade IV Freestyle

Grade V Individual

Grade V Freestyle

FEI Dressage Nations Cup™

The Swedes did it again! For the third year in a row they emerged triumphant winners of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ series, this time a mere three points ahead of Germany, with USA in third. Taking the win at Uggerhalne (DEN) and on home ground in Falsterbo (SWE), along with excellent placings in Compiègne (FRA) and Aachen (GER), the Swedes proved consistent and stronger than their adversaries.

Team Podium

FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championships, Ermelo (NED)

The annual get together of the most promising young Dressage talents did not disappoint, with former champions confirming their potential alongside new rising stars. This was the fourth time the event was held at the Dutch venue, as opposed to Verden in Germany where it was previously staged over a period of 15 years.

­­­­­Denmark’s Andreas Helgstrand had a fantastic championship,clinching gold in the five-year-old category on the very promising stallion Jovian and bronze on Queenparks Wendy, a mare by three-time World Breeding Championship winner Sezuan. Silver went to the sensational breeding stallion Secret, another son of Sezuan, who won the qualifier for Sweden’s Jessica Lynn Thomas and was a big audience favourite.

Podium: 5-year-old

The test for the six-year-old final demanded a heightened degree of difficulty, and sifted out the real potential stars who may well be the Grand Prix horses at the Olympic Games in 2024. Helgstrand was again among the top favourites with two youngsters, Revolution and Zhaplin Langholt, but in the end Frederic Wandres (GER) and Zucchero OLD snatched victory from under his nose with a winning mark of 9.66.

This horse excelled in the flying changes and lateral work, he was the closest to perfection! His future as a dressage horse is bright! – Judge’s comment about Zucchero OLD.

Podium: 6-year-old

The seven-year-old final demonstrated that once a champion, always a champion. D’Avie FRH, the 2018 six-year-old champion, produced a performance that had the audience bursting into applause well before the end to take the gold medal with a score of 85.107. Silver went to Denmark’s Jan Moller Christensen and Hesselhoj Donkey Boy, who previously took bronze as a five-year-old. Total Hope OLD, the horse with probably the most impressive pedigree as a son of Isabell Werth’s super-mare Weihegold OLD and world champion Totilas, went home with a well-deserved bronze medal.

Podium: 7-year-old