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.

2021 FEI Dressage facts and figures

Top 3 NFs with events in Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered athletes in Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered horses in Dressage

2021 FEI Para Dressage facts and figures

Top 3 NFs with registered athletes in Para Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered horses in Para Dressage

Major Events 2021

Longines FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, Gothenburg (SWE)

The Longines FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final was cancelled for a second year in a row, due to the unexpected outbreak of the neurological form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1).

The EHV-1 virus hit mainland Europe at the end of February 2021, leading to a lockdown in Austria, Belgium, Spain, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, to further prevent the spread of the virus.

The 28-day lockdown, which was announced on 1 March, would have allowed for the Finals to take place. But the Event was cancelled when the lockdown was later extended to 11 April to ensure the safety of all equine athletes.

FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season 2021

With the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ was reduced to three events in 2021: the CDIO 3* Wellington FL (USA), the CDIO5* in Compiègne  (FRA) and the CDIO 5* in Aachen (GER). With no nation taking part in all events of the series, it turned out to be a very close race among Germany, Great Britain and Sweden.

Germany secured overall victory with 25 points following their win in Aachen, ahead of Great Britain with 22 points. For the first time since 2017, Sweden did not take home the Series title and had to settle for third position on a score of 21 points.

Podium

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Find out everything about Dressage at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in the Olympic/Paralympic Games section.

FEI Dressage European Championship for Seniors & U25, Hagen (GER)

The FEI Dressage European Championships 2021 in Hagen (GER) brought together Europe’s crème-de-la-crème of the sport, among them several medallists from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Competing on home turf, Germany put on a strong showing with their Olympic gold medal winning team although they were not the only ones to send their best athletes to the Championships.

The first day of competition ended with Britain in the lead followed by Denmark, and then the home team who found themselves in third position.

However, the situation did not last long. as minor errors in both Catherine Dufour’s (DEN) and Carl Hester’s (GBR) tests cost them their leads in the competition while Isabell Werth (GER) and compatriot Jessica von Bredow-Werndl rode to perfection, sealing the deal for Germany with brilliant scores reaching upto 84.099. In the 58-year history of FEI Dressage European Championships, this was the 25^th time that Germany won the title of European Champions, a phenomenal achievement as a team. Great Britain took home silver and Denmark returned home with bronze around their neck.

Both individual championship titles went to Olympic gold medallist and firm favourite for the occasion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and her exceptional mare TSF Dalera BB. Producing the highest score in the Grand Prix Special, she pinned team mate Werth and her mare Weihegold into silver, while Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and Bohemian took bronze.

In the Individual Grand Prix Freestyle to Music, von Bredow-Werndl secured her third gold medal of the Championship, with a score of 91.021, finishing almost three percentage points ahead of Dufour who took silver. Bronze went to the Olympic individual bronze duo of Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Gio.   

German U25 athletes matched their senior counterparts, claiming all the gold medals in the FEI Dressage European Championship U25.

Semmieke Rothenberger & Flanell, Raphael Netz & Elastico, Ellen Richter & Vinay NRW and Ann-Kathrin Lindner & FBW Sunfire took Team gold for Germany, pinning The Netherlands’ Devendra Dijkstra & Hero, Febe van Zwambagt & Edson, Jessica Poelman & Chocolate Cookie RDP and Jasmien de Koeyer & Esperanza into the silver medal spot. Team Sweden’s Nathalie Wahlund & Cerano Gold, Jennifer Lindvall & Midt West Casino, Elin Mattson & Beckham and Lina Dolk & Languedoc snatched bronze by a narrow margin ahead of Denmark.

In the Grand Prix and the Freestyle to Music, the 2019 Longines FEI Rising Star Semmieke Rothenberger battled it out for gold with Bredow-Werndl’s protégé Rapahel Netz. In what turned out to be a tight race, Netz squeezed passed Rothenberger with only 0.052% to take gold. Bronze went to the Dutch Jessica Poleman & Chocolate Cookie R.D.P.

Determined not to let another gold medal slip through her fingers in the Freestyle to Music, Rothenberger together with Flanell presented an unbeatable performance that saw her  win her 24^th European Championship medal. While Netz took silver, Jessica Poleman took home a second, well-deserved, bronze medal.

Senior Team Podium

Senior Individual Grand Prix Special Podium

Senior Individual Grand Prix Freestyle to Music Podium

U25 Team Podium

U25 Individual Grand Prix Podium

U25 Individual Grand Prix Freestyle to Music Podium

FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses, Verden (NED)

The FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses 2021 in Verden began with the 5-year-old category and a strong performance from the Hannoverian stallion Danciero 7 saddled up by Germany’s Eva Möller, which put them into the intermediate lead. Möller was also in intermediate third rank with her second horse, the Oldenburg stallion Global Player OLD, in the same category. The KWPN mare Lightning Star ridden by Kristen Brouwer (NED) was intermediate second.

However, Danish Warmblood stallion Hesselhoej Down Town (DWB) & Jeanna Hogberg (SWE) eventually claimed victory, even though they found themselves in fourth position after the preliminary competition. But with 10s for trot and perspective, and 9.5s for walk, canter and submission, they managed to widen their lead. Danciero 7 had to settle for silver while Lightning Start took the bronze medal and Möller’s second horse Global Player OLD just missed out on the podium, finishing on rank four.

It was the stallions from the KWPN studbook who revealed themselves to be the new champions in the 6 and 7–year–old categories. After taking the lead in the 6-year-old qualifier by earning 10s for trot and canter, Kjento, under the saddle of Tokyo 2020 Olympic team bronze medallist Charlotte Frey from Great Britain, was on the road to gold. Collecting 10s again for canter, submission and perspective in the final, and finishing with a score of 96.00%, the stallion proved unbeatable. Silver went to the Rheinlander stallion Escamillo ridden by Spain’s Manuel Dominguez Bernal, with a score of 93.4%. The Hannoverian gelding, For Magic Equesta, scored 86.4% to win bronze with Poland’s Beata Stremler in the saddle.

The podium in the 7 year-old category was entirely dominated by Danish riders, with Jovian and Andreas Helgstrand’s name coming out on top of the leader board. Paired up with the KWPN stallion, they already took the lead in the preliminary test and kept it all the way through, winning the final on a score of 89.13. The silver medal went to the Danish Warmblood stallion Blue Hors Touch of Olympic L (DWB) & Nanna Skodborg Merrald (DEN) scoring 83.9, and gelding Eternity 75 (WESTF) ridden by Anne-Mette Strandby Hansen (DEN) took bronze with a score of 83.75%.

Podium: 5-year-old

Podium: 6-year-old

Podium: 7-year-old

FEI Dressage European Championship for Children, Juniors & Young Riders, Oliva (POR)

The Equestrian Centre Oliva Nova provided the perfect stage to showcase the Dressage talents of the future. In total, almost 170 youth athletes spread across the Children, Juniors and Young Riders categories competed for the medals up for grabs at the FEI Dressage European Championships 2021.

Marten Luiten (NED) & Fynona were crowned European Champions in the Young Riders category, returning return home with three gold medals. Coming into the Championship with a strong team, the Dutch kept their scores high all the way through the competition, leaving Germany with no chance for gold. With a total score of 225.530, the Dutch secured a significant nine-point victory over Germany and Denmark, who won silver and bronze respectively. Luiten continued his winning streak taking both the Individual and the Freestyle titles ahead of compatriot Thalia Rockx (NED) & Golden Dancer De La Fazena who took silver both times. Bronze in the Individual competition went to Luca Sophia Collin (GER) & Descolari, while Milou Dees (NED) won bronze in the Freestyle together with Francesco.

Germany clearly displayed the potential of their upcoming generation of international top-level Dressage athletes, winning every gold medal available in the Junior and Children’s categories. Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel (GER) & Zinq Hugo FH were crowned European Champions in the Individual and Freestyle, followed by Annabella Pidgley (GBR) & Sultan Des Paluds FRH winning silver and Austrian Paul Jöbstl (AUT) & Bodyguard 49 taking bronze each time.

Germany also proved unbeatable in the Children’s team competition, as Lara Lettermann & Soleil de la Coeur H, Lotta Plaas & Balsamico, Clara Paschertz & Danubio OLD and Martha Raupach & Jack Sparrow produced the four best rides, for gold. The Netherlands claimed the silver medal spot and bronze went to Russia ahead of Belgium who just missed out on the podium. The shining star of the individual competition was Germany’s Lara Lettermann who took gold ahead of her team-mate Clara Paschertz, while bronze went to Lize Van Den Heuvel (NED) & Hilton-S.

Young Riders Team Podium

Young Riders Individual Competition Podium

Young Riders Freestyle to Music Podium

Juniors Team Podium

Juniors Individual Competition Podium

Juniors Freestyle to Music Podium

Children Team Podium

Children Individual Competition Podium

FEI Dressage North American Youth Championship, Traverse City MI (USA)

The young riders from different American regions fought it out for the team medals at the FEI Dressage North American Youth Championship. The impressive performances of Erin Nichols & Handsome Rob AR, Miki Yang & Donavan, Katherine Mathews & Soliére and Christian Simonson & Zeaball Diawind for a Region 7 victory. The silver medal went to Region 1 while Region 4 took bronze.

Member of the winning team Simonson, sealed the deal on what could not have been a better week from him. As the only athlete to score above 70%, he rode to victory in the Individual Competition followed by his Yang, bronze went to Tillie Jones paired up with Qi Gong TF. The Freestyle saw Simonson come out on top once more and in this competition Allison Nemeth together & Tiko won silver, ahead of Jones who snatched her second bronze medal of the weekend.   

Young Rider Team Podium

Young Rider Individual Competition Podium

Young Rider Individual Freestyle Podium

FEI Dressage European Championship for Ponies, Strzegom (POL)

What a week it was for Germany at the FEI Dressage European Championship for Ponies, especially for Rose Oatley who took triple gold together with her 11-year old Palomino gelding Daddy Moon. The pair’s concentration and grace was well rewarded with scores reaching up to 89.700. Oatley was joined on the podium of the Individual Competition and the Freestyle to Music by Germany’s Antonia Roth & Daily Pleasure WE and Sophia Boje Obel Jørgensen (DEN) & Adriano B, who took silver and bronze respectively.

The Team competition saw Italy just miss out on a podium place, with victory going to Germany, followed by Denmark and The Netherlands.

Team Podium

Individual Competition Podium

Freestyle to Music Podium

Para Dressage

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Find out everything about Para Dressage at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in the Olympic/Paralympic Games section.