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.

FEI Dressage facts and figures 2022

Top 3 NFs with events in Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered athletes in Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered horses in Dressage

Major Events 2022

Longines FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, Leipzig (GER)

The 35^th FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final held in Leipzig, was surely a highlight for our German Dressage athletes who got to fight it out for the title on home ground. Dressage queen Isabell Werth and her 17-year-old mare Weihegold OLD, came to defend a title they already won together in 2017, 2018 and 2019, one last time before sending the mare off to a more than well-deserved retirement.

Delivering a great performance on day one, it was reigning Olympic and European gold medallists, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl together with her 15-year-old mare TSF Dalera BB, who danced their way into the lead by winning the Short Grand Prix. From then on, Von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera proved unbeatable delivering one outstanding performance after another. The balance, rhythm, accuracy and lightness of their performance scored them 90.836 in the Grand Prix freestyle to Music, earning the pair the title well ahead of Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour (DEN) paired up with Vamos Amigos. Werth and Weihegold were able to secure the third rank, a great last result for this iconic pair.

Podium

FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ season 2022

The opening leg of the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ 2022 series hinted at a competitive season to come, as defending series Champions Germany beat the United States by just over a percentage point in Wellington (USA). In Compiègne (FRA), the Swedes took command by putting forward a team of veteran riders—each a former Olympian —and horses mixed in experience.

Led by Chef d’Equipe Alex van Silfhout and a strong all-female team, The Netherlands enjoyed a victory on home soil at the CHIO Rotterdam (NED), winning the FEI Dressage Nations Cup™ of The Netherlands in authoritative fashion ahead of the USA and Sweden.

The win in Aachen was full of emotion as Denmark recorded its first victory in the history of the event, leaving home nation Germany in second position and Sweden in third. With its podium finish in Aachen, Sweden earned points of each of the three events that had them on offer and continued to extend their lead, prior to the last event held on home ground in Falsterbo, where their overall win was then confirmed.

Podium

Blue Hors FEI Dressage World Championship for Seniors, Herning (DEN)

With a total of 19 nations chasing down the team medals, along with the six qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the ECCO FEI Dressage World Championships in Herning were clearly the flagship event of the year. With Denmark, Great Britain and Germany off to a good start, the suspense was palpable throughout the entire competition days.

They were always tipped to take the title, and Denmark’s Nanna Merrald Rasmussen, Carina Cassøe Krüth, Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour lived up to the challenge in style when claiming team gold on home ground.

They were chased all the way to the line by Great Britain’s Richard Davison, Gareth Hughes, Charlotte Dujardin and Charlotte Fry who finished just over one percentage point behind in silver medal position while the defending champions from Germany had to settle for bronze.

As the last two riders from each of the nations in strong contention took their turn, it was impossible to predict where the medals would fall until the very end. But despite the most intense pressure, the Danes achieved the goal they set themselves when these Championships were first allocated to their country three years ago, earning the world team title for the very first time.

Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale grabbed gold in the Grand Prix Special, where host-nation superstars Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour and Vamos Amigos clinched silver ahead of The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere and Hermes in bronze. The Dutch rider had raised the bar but Laudrup-Dufour bettered that, taking the intermediate lead before Fry, together with her 11-year-old stallion, had the crowd gasping with delight once again with his hugely extravagant canter, taking the win.

And the pair would make the magic last right to the end as they danced their way to their second gold medal of the championship when coming out on top of the Grand Prix Freestyle. From the moment they entered the arena they had the crowd under their spell with their outstanding performance and charisma. Both Laudrup-Dufour and van Lier were able to secure a second individual medal, respectively winning silver and bronze.

Team Podium

Individual Grand Prix Special Podium

Individual Grand Prix Freestyle to Podium

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

At the Longines FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses, we were once again fortunate to see the future superstars of the Dressage world showcase their talent in three different age categories.

Starting with the youngest, Lyngbjergs St. Paris is the name of the new world champion in the five-years-old category. The mare, who to date has only been ridden by Victoria E. Vallentin (DEN), took the victory ahead of the young German-bred stallions Vitalos and Fashion Prinz OLD, respectively mounted by Leonie Richter and Frederic Wanders.

Global Player OLD proved to be the real deal in the six-years -old category. Presenting a rhythmic trot and an extremely engaged canter, the pitch-black stallion earned two tens and the gold medal together with his rider Eva Möller (GER). Silver went to no other than the 2021 winner of the five-years-old category Hesselhoej Down Town, ridden by Sweden’s Jeanna Hogberg. Lastly, Lennox U.S. took bronze home to The Netherlands together with Jill Bogers.

In the seven-years-old category, Kjento made it a win on home ground. The black KWPN-stallion bred by A.J. van Os and owned by Van Olst Horses, danced to victory together with no other than the freshly crowned world Champion Charlotte Fry (GBR). Germany’s Destello OLD and Beatrice Hoffrogge took home silver, and Bronze went to Spain thanks to the performance of Escamillo and Manuel Dominguez Bernal.

Podium 5-year-old

Podium 6-year-old

Podium 7-year-old

Youth Championships

FEI Dressage European Championship for Young Riders & Juniors, Hartpury (GBR)

Germany was once again able to demonstrate their dominance at the FEI Dressage European Championship for Young Riders & Juniors in Hartpury with stunning Dressage performances, earning them the team win in both categories. Completing the team podium in the Young Riders category, Denmark and Sweden respectively went home with silver and bronze. Team silver in the Juniors went to The Netherlands and bronze to Great Britain.

Individually, the championship title in the Young Riders category went to Germany’s Helena Schmitz-Mokramer and DSP Lifestyle who produced the highest score on the opening day and repeated the feat right until the end. Right behind her in the Individual competition was compatriot Lucie-Anouk Baumgürtel (GER) & Zinq Hugo FH, while bronze went to Austria’s Paul Jöbst. The Individual Freestyle to Music saw the same trio occupy the podium, except this time Jöbst took home silver and Baumgürtel bronze.

These championships turned into a family affair, when Allegra Schmitz-Morkramer, the sister of young rider Helena, won the Individual competition in the Junior category together with Libertad, ahead of silver medallist Sophia Boje Obel Jørgensen (DEN) & Brilliant, and bronze medallist, Annabella Pidgley (GBR) & Espe. Gold in the Freestyle to Music went to Sophia Boje Obel Jørgensen while Annabelle Pigley won silver and bronze went to Mathilde Juglaret from France mounted on caporal de Massa.

Juniors Team Podium

Juniors Individual Competition Podium

Juniors Freestyle to Music Podium

Young Riders Team Podium

Young Riders Individual Competition Podium

Young Riders Individual Freestyle to Music Podium

FEI Dressage European Championship for Children & U25, Budapest Region (HUN)

FEI Dressage European Championship for U25 saw Germany’s youth ride to victory with an overall score of 222.853, ahead of team Denmark in silver position and The Netherlands in bronze. Individually, Raphael Netz (GER), paired up with Ferdinand BB, was able to repeat the feat from 2021 by taking the individual Grand Prix win a second time. The pair then went on to take the highest step of the podium in the Grand Prix Freestyle to Music. Right behind them, in second and third positions respectively, were Alejandro Oliva Lazaro (ESP) & Décor, and Thea Bech (DEN) with Dionisos.

The Children’s category also revealed itself as being dominated by Germany, ahead of The Netherlands and Belgium. Martha Raupach (GER) & Jack Sparrow made it double gold by taking the individual title ahead of team mate Lotta Plaas & Balsamico. Bronze went to Sophie van Norel & Itrina from the Netherlands.

Children Team Podium

Children Individual Competition Podium

Team U25 Podium

Individual U25 Competition Podium

Freestyle to Music U25 Podium

FEI Dressage European Championship for Ponies, Strzegom (POL)

It was back-to-back team golds for Germany during the FEI Pony European Championships in Strzegom. Mia Allegra Lohe and Tovdals Golden Future Imperial, Lilly Marie Collin and Cosmo Callidus NRW, Franziska Roth with Daily Pleasure WE and Julie Sofie Schmitz-Heinen paired up with Carleo Go were victorious with on a score of 226,371%, followed by The Netherlands and Denmark.

In the individual competition, German riders dominated the podium and in the Freestyle to Music, the title was again taken by Germany with Mia Allegra Lohe (GER) & Tovdals Golden Future Imperial on a score of 80.355%. Maddy Dijkshoorn (NED) & Boogie de L’Aube went home with a silver medal and Veronica Pawluk (POL) & D’Artagnan 187 with bronze.

Team Podium

Individual Competition Podium

Freestyle to Music Podium

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

The team title in the Young Rider category of the FEI Dressage North American Youth Championship hosted in Traverse City went to the combined USA Region 3 and 9, composed of Sophia Schults and Conocido HGF, Mary Claire Piller and Oreo, Sydney Schultz together with Dunkirk and Sydney Lipar with Zerragmo. Silver went to Region 7 and bronze to the combined Region 6/8.

It was then a dream come true for Erin Nichols as she finished in gold-medal position on both the Individual competition and the Freestyle to Music together with Handsome Rob AR. Gemma Starn (USA) paired up with Diamond First Choice and Ellanor Boehing (USA) on Sir Junior completed the podium of the individual competition. In the Freestyle to Music, Ellanor Boehing (USA) and Sir Junior made the cut again, this time earning silver and Sophie Schults riding Conocido HGF took home bronze.

In the Junior category, it was the American Region 4 which stood out thanks to their gold earning performances ahead of Canada and USA Region 7. Ella Fruchterman (USA) and Holts Le’Mans then secured double gold for themselves in the Individual competition and the Freestyle to Music. The remaining spots on both podiums all went to the USA except for silver in the Individual competition which went to Canada’s Anna Swackhammer together with Fabienna GV.

Junior Team Podium

Junior Individual Competition Podium

Junior Individual Freestyle to Music Podium

Young Rider Team Podium

Young Rider Individual Competition Podium

Young Rider Individual Freestyle to Music Podium

Para Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered athletes in Para Dressage

Top 3 NFs with registered horses in Para Dressage

FEI Para Dressage facts and figures 2022

Orifarm Healthcare FEI Para Dressage World Championships for Seniors, Herning (DEN)

Rihards Snikus won Latvia’s first ever equestrian gold medal at an FEI World Championship together with his wonderful King of the Dance in the Individual Grade I, narrowly ahead of defending champion Sara Morganti (ITA) and Royal Delight. Ireland also wrote history when winning its first ever World Championship medal in Para Dressage thanks to the performance of Michael Murphy and Cleverboy. In the Freestyle, Morganti then went on to claim her third consecutive World Grade I gold medal and it was Snikus’s turn to take silver while Murphy won his second bronze medal.

Grade II was dominated by Denmark’s Katrine Kristensen and Goerklintgaards Quarter. Winning double individual gold and team silver would definitely make this championship on home ground one for her to remember. Pepo Puch took home silver in the individual competition with Sailor’s Blue for Austria and Lee Pearson (GBR) won bronze together with Breezer. In the Freestyle, Pearson was also able to secure silver followed by compatriot Georgia Wilson and Sakura winning bronze.

In Grade III the Individual championship titles also went to the host nation Denmark after Tobias Thorning Jorgensen (DEN) & Jolene Hill stood on the highest step of the podium both times in front of an ecstatic crowd. Silver in the Individual competition went to Natasha Baker (GBR) on Keystone Dawn Chorus and bronze to The Netherlands’ Lotte Krijnsen, paired up with Rosenstolz N.O.P. The Freestyle then saw Krijnsen take home silver and Baker bronze.

Sanne Voets (NED) successfully defended her Grade IV World Championship title in Herning. Riding Demantur RS2 N.O.P., the double Paralympic champion took the title just ahead of her teammate Demi Haerkens, who made an impressive World Championships debut on EHL Daula. Bronze went to Brazil’s Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Rodolpho Riskalla together with Don Henrico.

Voets was then able to clinch team gold together with her compatriots Demi Haerkens (Grade IV), Lotte Krijnsen (Grade III) and Frank Hosmar (Grade V).  In a tight race with Denmark who ultimately had to settle for silver, bronze went to the USA.

Clearly on a roll, Voets then went on to repeat the feat in the Freestyle with a score of 82.485. The silver medal went to a delighted Kate Shoemaker (USA), on Quiana with while Brazil’s Rodolpho Riskalla edged the bronze medal on Don Henrico.

Belgium’s Michèle George reclaimed two World championship titles she last won in 2014, this time in the Grade V Individual and Freestyle competition paired up with Best of 8. Sophie Wells and Don Cara secured silver for Great Britain in the Individual competition and bronze in the Freestyle while Frank Hosmar (NED) did the exact opposite with Alphaville N.O.P.

Team Podium

Individual Podium Grade I

Individual Podium Grade II

Individual Podium Grade III

Individual Podium Grade IV

Individual Podium Grade V

Individual Freestyle Podium Grade I

Individual Freestyle Podium Grade II

Individual Freestyle Podium Grade III

Individual Freestyle Podium Grade IV

Individual Freestyle Podium Grade V