Main

<p>Unlock the power of data-driven equestrian insights! Subscribe to EquiRatings' newsletter for the latest news in Eventing and Show Jumping, delivered straight to your inbox. Get exclusive access to expert analysis, performance metrics, and captivating stories that keep you ahead of the curve.</p>

newsletter

Stay Ahead with EquiRatings Insights

<table style="border-collapse: collapse; background: #000000; border-radius: 3px; margin: 0 0 26px 0;" role="presentation" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 18px 18px 14px 18px; border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.15);" colspan="3">
<div style="font-size: 11px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.14em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #ffbd4a;">Most tested at the height</div>
<div style="font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; color: #ffffff; line-height: 1.15; margin-top: 5px;">Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga V/H Dingeshof</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 18px 18px; width: 33.33%; border-right: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.15); vertical-align: top;">
<div style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold; color: #ffbd4a; line-height: 1;">15</div>
<div style="font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.72); margin-top: 8px; line-height: 1.35;">1.60m Aachen rounds jumped, most of any horse in the field</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 18px 18px; width: 33.33%; border-right: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.15); vertical-align: top;">
<div style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold; color: #ffbd4a; line-height: 1;">73%</div>
<div style="font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.72); margin-top: 8px; line-height: 1.35;">Clear round rate across those 15 starts</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 18px 18px; width: 33.33%; vertical-align: top;">
<div style="font-size: 32px; font-weight: bold; color: #ffbd4a; line-height: 1;">0</div>
<div style="font-size: 10.5px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.08em; text-transform: uppercase; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.72); margin-top: 8px; line-height: 1.35;">Rounds worse than four faults, ever, at Aachen</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Jumping got underway at the FEI World Championships in Aachen on Wednesday. Team medals go out Friday. The individual final crowns a champion on Sunday. Before either happens, the Soers arena has already had its say on plenty of these combinations, and the ones who keep coming back with a ribbon are worth a look.</p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Six pairs in this Aachen data set have finished top three at 1.55m or 1.60m more than once. Three of them have done it three times or more, spread across different years, different classes, sometimes a different decade of the horse's career. Add up every 1.60m round each horse in this year's field has jumped at Aachen, not just the ones that ended on a podium, and the picture gets sharper still.</p>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #000000; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">The most seasoned at 1.60 in Aachen</h2>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Rounds jumped at 1.60m in Aachen, most to fewest, among the horses due to jump there again this week.</p>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0 0 16px 0;" role="presentation" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Katanga V/H Dingeshof</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">73% clear, 0% worse than 4 faults</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 100%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">15</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Baloutinue</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">54% clear, 0% worse than 4 faults</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 87%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">13</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">United Touch S</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">78% clear, the best conversion rate of the group</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 60%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Vertigo du Desert</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">67% clear</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 60%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">James Kann Cruz</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">44% clear, highest Elo of the group at 789</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 60%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">9</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Dorette OLD</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">63% clear with Jana Warger's (This week Dorette OLD will be competing with Marlon Modolo Zanotelli)</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 53%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; vertical-align: middle;">
<div style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Conner Jei</div>
<div style="font-size: 12.5px; color: #5b6770;">50% clear, 2 of 8 rounds worse than 8 faults</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 14px; vertical-align: middle; width: 42%;">
<div style="height: 10px; background: #eef0f2; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;">
<div style="height: 10px; width: 53%; background: #FFBD4A; border-radius: 6px;">&nbsp;</div>
</div>
</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 0; text-align: right; vertical-align: middle; width: 46px; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530;">8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Shane Sweetnam</strong>'s <strong style="color: #000000;">James Kann Cruz</strong> is the outlier in that top group. Nine rounds jumped, the highest average Elo of any horse with real Aachen mileage at 767, and four of those nine came home clear.</p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Smallest sample, biggest number: <strong style="color: #000000;">Sophie Hinners</strong>'s <strong style="color: #000000;">Iron Dames Singclair</strong> has jumped five rounds at 1.60m in Aachen and finished clear in every one. Five for five does not carry the weight of Katanga's fifteen, but it is a perfect record all the same.</p>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #000000; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">Katanga does not miss</h2>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Nicola Philippaerts</strong> and <strong style="color: #000000;">Katanga V/H Dingeshof</strong> have the busiest podium record in the set. In 2022 they took Nations Cup silver for Belgium, then came back three days later for individual Rolex Grand Prix bronze. A year on they were back on the Nations Cup podium again, bronze this time. Two team medals and an individual Grand Prix podium, all inside two summers. Zoom out to every 1.60m round she has ever jumped on this ground, not just the podium ones, and the record holds up: fifteen starts, eleven clear, and not one round worse than four faults.</p>
<table style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 10px; margin: -10px 0 16px -10px; width: calc(100% + 10px);" role="presentation" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #e7e9ec; border-radius: 3px; padding: 16px;"><span style="display: inline-block; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #ffbd4a; background: #000000; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 2px; margin-bottom: 11px;">Rolex GP podiums</span>
<div style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000; line-height: 1.1;">United Touch S</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #5b6770; margin: 3px 0 8px 0;">Richard Vogel (GER)</div>
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;">Bronze in the 2024 Rolex Grand Prix, then the win in 2026. Two podiums in Aachen's biggest class and an Elo rating of 783. Across every 1.60m round he has jumped here, nine in total, seven have gone clear.</div>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #e7e9ec; border-radius: 3px; padding: 16px;"><span style="display: inline-block; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #ffbd4a; background: #000000; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 2px; margin-bottom: 11px;">Four years, two different jobs</span>
<div style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000; line-height: 1.1;">Baloutinue</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #5b6770; margin: 3px 0 8px 0;">Laura Kraut (USA)</div>
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;">Nations Cup gold with the USA in 2021, Rolex Grand Prix silver in 2025. A team podium and an individual one, four years apart, same horse. Thirteen rounds jumped at 1.60m in Aachen altogether, second most in the field, seven of them clear.</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #e7e9ec; border-radius: 3px; padding: 16px;"><span style="display: inline-block; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #ffbd4a; background: #000000; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 2px; margin-bottom: 11px;">New rider, familiar ground</span>
<div style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000; line-height: 1.1;">Dorette OLD</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #5b6770; margin: 3px 0 8px 0;">Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA)</div>
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;">Two Aachen podiums already on the record, RWE Prize gold in 2023 and Turkish Airlines Prize bronze in 2024, both earned with Jana Wargers in the saddle. Eight rounds jumped at 1.60m here, five clear. Marlon Modolo Zanotelli takes over the ride into a venue this horse already knows well.</div>
</td>
<td style="width: 50%; vertical-align: top; border: 1px solid #e7e9ec; border-radius: 3px; padding: 16px;"><span style="display: inline-block; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 900; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #ffbd4a; background: #000000; padding: 3px 8px; border-radius: 2px; margin-bottom: 11px;">Same class, two years running</span>
<div style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000; line-height: 1.1;">Conner Jei</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; color: #5b6770; margin: 3px 0 8px 0;">Martin Fuchs (SUI)</div>
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;">Turkish Airlines Prize silver in 2022, bronze in 2023. While the wider record has been streakier, with four clears from eight 1.60m rounds in Aachen and two of the other four finishing with fewer than eight faults, they will still be a strong pair to watch.</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #000000; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">The oldest hand in the field</h2>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Luciana Diniz</strong> and <strong style="color: #000000;">Vertigo du Desert</strong> have podiumed at Aachen across three different years. Bronze in the RWE Prize in 2019, when the horse was ten. Silver in the Turkish Airlines Prize in 2021, at twelve. Silver again in a Rolex Grand Prix qualifier this May, at seventeen. Nine rounds jumped at 1.60m in Aachen across their career, six of them clear. Vertigo du Desert has proved to thrive in Aachen across all stages of his career.</p>
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c; background: #eef1f5; border-left: 3px solid #FFBD4A; padding: 12px 15px; border-radius: 0 3px 3px 0; margin: 0 0 8px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Team history matters too:</strong> Ireland's Shane Sweetnam stood on top of the 2024 Nations Cup podium, with James Kann Cruz, the same summer Philippaerts and Katanga collected their own team and individual medal double for Belgium. Most of the nations chasing a team medal in Aachen this week are bringing combinations with exactly this kind of form on this ground.</div>
<p style="font-size: 12.5px; font-style: italic; color: #5b6770; margin: 22px 0 0 0; line-height: 1.5;">Rounds jumped, clear rates and fault bands cover every 1.60m round each horse has jumped at Aachen.</p>
<div style="border-top: 2px solid #000000; padding-top: 20px; margin-top: 26px;">
<p style="font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0;">None of that decides Sunday. It just means the horses who have done this before are not guessing what the Soers arena is going to ask of them.</p>
</div>

Venue Form: The World Championship Horses With the Deepest Aachen Records

<div style="background: #f3efe5; border-left: 4px solid #b8862a; padding: 16px 20px; margin: 0 0 32px; display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 20px;">
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">Rounds</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">5</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">across 4 competition days</div>
</div>
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">Team field cut</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">Best 3 of 4</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">riders count each team round</div>
</div>
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">Individual final field</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">25 &rarr; 12</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">Round A cuts to Round B on Day 4</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>Familiarization is done. From Wednesday, the real competition starts, four days across three phases that will decide both team and individual world champions.</p>
<div style="width: 60px; height: 2px; background: #b8862a; margin: 32px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<p><strong>Day 1, Wednesday: The Speed Round</strong></p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 16px 0;">
<tbody>
<tr style="background: #000000;">
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Detail</th>
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Rule</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Height</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">1.55m</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table C, against the clock</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Winner</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Fastest time</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Knockdowns</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; color: #b8501f; font-weight: bold;">+4 seconds each</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div style="background: #f3efe5; border-left: 3px solid #b8862a; padding: 14px 18px; margin: 16px 0 32px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.15em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #8a6418; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 6px;">How the time becomes a score</div>
<p style="margin: 0; color: #2a3038;">Each rider's time is multiplied by 0.50 to get a points score. The fastest rider sets the mark at zero penalties. Everyone else takes penalties equal to the points gap behind that leader.</p>
</div>
<div style="width: 60px; height: 2px; background: #b8862a; margin: 32px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<p><strong>Day 2, Thursday: First Team Round</strong></p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 16px 0 32px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="background: #000000;">
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Detail</th>
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Rule</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Height</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">1.60m</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table A, against the clock</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Penalties</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Added to Day 1 penalties</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Team score</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">Best 3 of 4 riders count</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>This is the round where team medal contention starts to take shape.</p>
<div style="width: 60px; height: 2px; background: #b8862a; margin: 32px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<p><strong>Day 3, Friday: Team Final</strong></p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 16px 0 32px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="background: #000000;">
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Detail</th>
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Rule</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Height</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">1.60m</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table A, against the clock</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Penalties</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Added to Day 1 &amp; Day 2 penalties</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Team score</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Best 3 of 4 riders count</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #f9f3e3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Result</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">Lowest team total wins and team medals are awarded</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div style="width: 60px; height: 2px; background: #b8862a; margin: 32px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<p><strong>Day 4, Sunday: Individual Final</strong></p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 16px 0;">
<tbody>
<tr style="background: #000000;">
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Detail</th>
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Round A</th>
<th style="color: #fff; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-align: left; padding: 10px 12px;">Round B</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Height</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">1.60m</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">1.60m</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table A, against the clock</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Table A, against the clock</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Field</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">Top 25 individual riders</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; font-weight: bold; color: #0f2542;">Top 12 individual riders</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Penalties carried</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">From the previous 3 rounds</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 12px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">From the previous 4 rounds</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div style="background: #f3efe5; border-left: 4px solid #b8862a; padding: 14px 18px; margin: 16px 0 32px;">
<p style="margin: 0; color: #0f2542; font-weight: bold;">The rider with the lowest cumulative score after five rounds wins gold.</p>
</div>
<p>Four days, five rounds, one championship track that only gets tighter as the penalties stack up. It will be an exciting week of jumping.</p>

How is it Scored? Format for the FEI Jumping World Championships

Who Leaves the Poles Up? The Horses on Form for Aachen 2026

<div style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; color: #23292e; max-width: 760px; margin: 0 auto; line-height: 1.6;">
<h1 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #0f2542; font-size: 28px; margin-bottom: 4px;">&nbsp;</h1>
<p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #5b6770; font-size: 14px; margin-top: 0;">FEI Jumping World Championships, Aachen, August 19&ndash;23</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Ireland comes out on top in the team model heading into Aachen, at least on paper. The model gives the Irish an 19.7% chance of team gold at the FEI Jumping World Championships, the highest number of any nation among the 31 teams in the win chances table.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Germany sits second at 14.8%, with Belgium at 12.1%. Those three make up the leading group in the model, with Germany also having the advantage of competing in front of a home crowd. Brazil, France, the USA and Switzerland form the next group, each with a win chance between 7.6% and 9.7% and a top-3 chance above 24%.</p>
<p>The stakes go beyond medals this year. Aachen doubles as the first Olympic qualifier for Los Angeles 2028, with seven direct team quota spots on offer in jumping. Every nation in this table is chasing a world title and a ticket to LA at the same time.</p>
<h2 style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #0f2542; font-size: 20px; border-left: 4px solid #b8862a; padding-left: 10px;">Team Win Chances</h2>
<div style="overflow-x: auto; -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch; margin: 16px 0; border: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; min-width: 480px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
<thead>
<tr style="background-color: #0f2542; color: #ffffff;">
<th style="padding: 8px 10px; text-align: left; white-space: nowrap;">Team</th>
<th style="padding: 8px 10px; text-align: right; white-space: nowrap;">Win</th>
<th style="padding: 8px 10px; text-align: right; white-space: nowrap;">Top 3</th>
<th style="padding: 8px 10px; text-align: right; white-space: nowrap;">Top 5</th>
<th style="padding: 8px 10px; text-align: right; white-space: nowrap;">Top 10</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #fdf6e6;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; font-weight: bold;">IRL</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">19.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">44.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">60.5%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">83.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">GER</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">14.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">38.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">55.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">81.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">BEL</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">12.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">31.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">47.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">75.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">BRA</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">9.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">27.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">43.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">72.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">FRA</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">8.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">25.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">42.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">73.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">USA</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">8.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">24.9%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">39.9%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">69.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">SUI</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">7.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">24.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">40.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">70.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">SWE</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">4.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">14.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">26.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">56.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">GBR</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">3.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">14.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">26.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">57.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">NED</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">8.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">16.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">42.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">ITA</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">8.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">17.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">43.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">CAN</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">4.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">10.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">31.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">ISR</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">4.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">8.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">24.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">ARG</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">3.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">5.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">17.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">MEX</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">4.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">10.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">32.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">KSA</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.9%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">5.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">12.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">35.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">DEN</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">6.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">21.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">AUT</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">6.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">20.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">NZL</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">4.5%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">15.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">ESP</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">3.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">14.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">UAE</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">4.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">15.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">EGY</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.7%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">9.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">AUS</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">2.5%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">10.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">JPN</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.8%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">7.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">NOR</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.6%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">6.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">POR</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.5%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">5.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">HUN</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">RSA</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.4%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">1.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">POL</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.6%</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f8f9;">
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">COL</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px;">TUR</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.0%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.1%</td>
<td style="padding: 6px 10px; text-align: right;">0.5%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Seven teams currently sit ahead of the rest in the model. Ireland, Germany and Belgium each have a top-3 chance above 30%, while all three also have a top-10 chance above 75%. Brazil, France, the USA and Switzerland make up the group directly behind, with top-5 numbers all above 39%.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">Sweden, the reigning world champions, and Great Britain appear best positioned to challenge that leading group. Both sit above 4% for the win and above 55% for a top-10 finish, putting them ahead of the next cluster. The Netherlands and Italy follow, each around 2% for the win but with top-10 chances above 42%.</p>
<p class="isSelectedEnd">&nbsp;</p>
<p>Aachen could reshape a lot of this over three days. The team gold, the LA28 quota spots, and the direction of the sport heading into an Olympic cycle will all come down to which teams can put together their best performances when it matters most.</p>
</div>

Ireland Leads Team Predictions Model Heading Into Aachen

<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Aachen definite entries hold all three of jumping's reigning champions.&nbsp;<strong style="color: #111111;">Henrik von Eckermann</strong> holds the World title, won on King Edward at Herning in 2022. <strong style="color: #111111;">Richard Vogel</strong> holds the European title, won on <strong style="color: #111111;">United Touch S</strong> at A Coruna in 2025 on a score of 0.01. <strong style="color: #111111;">Christian Kukuk</strong> holds the Olympic title, won on <strong style="color: #111111;">Checker 47</strong> in Paris in 2024, Germany's first individual jumping gold in 28 years.</p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Three titles, three different roles in Aachen's World Championship. Vogel and United Touch S are on Germany's team. Kukuk and Checker 47 are reserve. Von Eckermann is on Sweden's team, but with Minute Man rather than King Edward, the horse he won his world title on.</p>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #111111; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">Vogel arrives with the biggest year of the three</h2>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Vogel's European title in A Coruna came on the lowest score recorded at the championship in two decades. This year has continued in the same vein. United Touch S won the World Cup Grand Prix in Basel in January, then the Dutch Masters Rolex Grand Prix in March, then the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in May. That is two Rolex Grand Slam legs in a row. A win at Spruce Meadows in September would make Vogel only the second rider in the Grand Slam's history, after Scott Brash, to complete it.</p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">His Elo has followed the results up, from 785 to 789 across the Aachen week earlier this year, and sits at 783 now, the highest of the three champions. Across his career 54 classifications at CSI5*/major championship 1.60m, United Touch S has jumped 35 clears from 74 rounds, a 47.3% clear rate against a 29.1% baseline for the courses he has faced.</p>
<div style="background: #f4f4f2; border-left: 3px solid #FFBD4A; padding: 12px 15px; border-radius: 0 3px 3px 0; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;"><strong style="color: #111111;">Worth noting:</strong> Only Scott Brash has ever won the Rolex Grand Slam. Vogel's Dutch Masters and Aachen wins put him one leg away, at Spruce Meadows in September, from becoming the second.</div>
</div>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #111111; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">Kukuk's record is the deepest of the three</h2>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Kukuk's Olympic gold in Paris ended a 28 year wait for Germany in the individual event, won in a three way jump-off against Steve Guerdat and Maikel van der Vleuten. Checker 47 has been his partner for all of it. Eighty career classifications at 1.60m CSI5*/major championship level, 93 rounds, 43 clears, 13 wins and 22 podiums.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Germany has named Kukuk and Checker 47 as the reserve rider for this World Championship. The season so far has been quieter than 2025. A climb to 3rd at Riesenbeck in July, Elo up from 758 to 763, is the most recent form line.</p>
<div style="background: #f4f4f2; border-left: 3px solid #FFBD4A; padding: 12px 15px; border-radius: 0 3px 3px 0; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;"><strong style="color: #111111;">Worth noting:</strong> Kukuk's 763 Elo still sits above Von Eckermann's and only 20 points behind Vogel's. The reserve role reflects a team decision for this event, not a drop in the horse's underlying record.</div>
</div>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #111111; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">Von Eckermann's title travels with a different horse</h2>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">Von Eckermann's World Championship came at Herning in 2022, riding King Edward to a double gold alongside Sweden's team title, and he held the world number one ranking from that win until May 2025. Minute Man is a newer partnership, and the numbers show it. Sixteen classifications, 21 rounds, 9 clears, a 42.9% clear rate at 1.60m CSI5*/major championship level.&nbsp;</p>
<div style="background: #f4f4f2; border-left: 3px solid #FFBD4A; padding: 12px 15px; border-radius: 0 3px 3px 0; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">
<div style="font-size: 14.5px; line-height: 1.55; color: #3c454c;"><strong style="color: #111111;">Worth noting:</strong> Von Eckermann's 21 rounds with Minute Man at this level are fewer than a quarter of Kukuk's 93 with Checker 47. The title is proven. This partnership's numbers are still a small sample.</div>
</div>
<p style="font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.7; color: #23292e; margin: 0 0 16px 0;">His 2026 season with Minute Man has run through the team ranks so far: 7th for Sweden at La Baule in June, a 7th place finish at Falsterbo in July, 5th individually at Riesenbeck. Sweden has kept faith with the pairing for Aachen. The world title is not in question. What Minute Man can do at this level over time still is.</p>
<div style="width: 48px; height: 3px; background: #FFBD4A; margin: 32px 0 12px 0;">&nbsp;</div>
<h2 style="font-size: 26px; color: #111111; margin: 0 0 12px 0; line-height: 1.12;">The three records side by side</h2>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; margin: 0 0 16px 0;" role="presentation" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">Combination</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">Title</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">Clear rate</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">CAS</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">Elo</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">Wins</td>
<td style="padding: 10px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 12.5px; font-weight: 900; text-transform: uppercase; letter-spacing: 0.06em; color: #5b6770;">Podiums</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec; background: #faf7f0;">
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #111111;">Vogel / United Touch S</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 13.5px; color: #5b6770;">European Champion</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">47.3%</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">+13.5</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">783</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">12</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">16</td>
</tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px solid #e7e9ec;">
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #111111;">Kukuk / Checker 47</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 13.5px; color: #5b6770;">Olympic Champion</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">46.2%</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">+17.7</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">763</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">13</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; color: #111111;">Von Eckermann / Minute Man</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 13.5px; color: #5b6770;">World Champion</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">42.9%</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">+3.3</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">735</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">1</td>
<td style="padding: 11px 8px; text-align: right; font-size: 15px; color: #1c2530;">2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="font-size: 12.5px; font-style: italic; color: #5b6770; margin: 8px 0 22px 0; line-height: 1.5;">Clear rate, CAS and Elo shown at CSI5*/major championship 1.60m level for the horse named. CAS is Clears Above Standard, the number of clear rounds a combination has produced above what the average competitor managed on the exact same courses. Titles are the rider's, not necessarily won on the horse listed.</p>
<div style="border-top: 2px solid #111111; padding-top: 20px; margin-top: 26px;">
<p style="font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; color: #1c2530; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0;">Three world titles, three different stories arriving at Aachen. Vogel's is written in this year's results. Kukuk's is written in the record books. Von Eckermann's still belongs to another horse.</p>
</div>

Reigning Champions Head to Aachen

<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 12px; margin: 24px 0 32px; padding: 20px; background: #f3efe5; border-left: 4px solid #b8862a;">
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 4px;">Years Apart</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">20</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">2006 WEG to 2026 Worlds</div>
</div>
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 4px;">Riders Tracked</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">13</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">Same venue, new horses</div>
</div>
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 4px;">Elo Range</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">570&ndash;765</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">Across the group today</div>
</div>
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 4px;">2006 Team Jumping</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">NED gold, USA silver, GER bronze</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">Kraut/Ward on USA, Ehning on GER</div>
</div>
<div style="flex: 1; min-width: 140px;">
<div style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 4px;">Dates</div>
<div style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">Aug 19&ndash;23</div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; color: #5b6573;">Jumping at Aachen 2026</div>
</div>
</div>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;">Aachen last carried a World Championship in 2006, when the Soers hosted the first World Equestrian Games to bring every FEI discipline under one roof. Twenty years on, the FEI World Championships return to the same showground from 11 to 23 August 2026, with jumping running from the 16th through the closing weekend.</p>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;">Thirteen riders who jumped at that 2006 Aachen WEG are on this year's lists too. New horses, new decades of mileage, same grass arena. Here is who they were then, and what the Elo model says about who they are now.</p>
<hr style="border: none; border-top: 2px solid #b8862a; width: 60px; margin: 32px 0;">
<h2 style="margin: 0 0 8px;"><strong>Aachen, 2006: who rode what</strong></h2>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;">The 2006 team jumping title went to the Netherlands, with <strong style="color: #000000;">Laura Kraut</strong> and <strong style="color: #000000;">Mclain Ward</strong> part of the USA squad that took silver, and <strong style="color: #000000;">Marcus Ehning</strong> part of the German team that took bronze. <strong style="color: #000000;">Luciana Diniz</strong> was already establishing herself as one of the sport's most durable championship starters aboard <strong style="color: #000000;">Dover</strong>. Twenty years is a long time in any sport built around a horse's career, and the list below is a reminder of how completely the string turns over even for riders who stay at the top.</p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 16px 0 8px;">
<thead>
<tr style="background: #000000; color: #ffffff;">
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: left; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">Rider</th>
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: left; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">2006 Aachen Horse</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr style="background: #f9f3e3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;"><strong>Laura Kraut</strong></td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Miss Independent</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Luciana Diniz</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Dover</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Marcus Ehning</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Noltes K&uuml;chengirl</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #f9f3e3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;"><strong>Mclain Ward</strong></td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Sapphire</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Eiken Sato</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Cayak DH</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Chris Pratt</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Rivendell</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Abdullah Alsharbatly</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Hugo Gesmeray</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a (Jr) Larocca</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Svante</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Edwina Tops-Alexander</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Isovlas Pialotta</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Rene Lopez Lizarazo</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Isky</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Geir Gulliksen</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Cattani 17</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Ibrahim Hani Bisharat</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Qwinto</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px;">Taizo Sugitani</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px;">Obelix</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<hr style="border: none; border-top: 2px solid #b8862a; width: 60px; margin: 32px 0;">
<h2 style="margin: 0 0 8px;"><strong>2026: the same 13, two decades of mileage later</strong></h2>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;">Top horses typically turn over every five to ten years, so each rider enters with a different championship partnership. Below, the 13 returning riders are sorted by current Elo of their 2026 championship horse, from strongest to weakest at major championship level, along with career wins for their current combination.</p>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin: 16px 0 8px;">
<thead>
<tr style="background: #000000; color: #ffffff;">
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: left; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">Rider</th>
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: left; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">2026 Horse</th>
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: right; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">Elo</th>
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: right; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">Clear Rate</th>
<th style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: right; font-size: 13px; letter-spacing: 0.05em;">Wins</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr style="background: #f9f3e3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;"><strong>Laura Kraut</strong></td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Bisquetta</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; color: #b8862a;">765</span></td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">46%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Luciana Diniz</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Vertigo du Desert</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">754</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">21%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Marcus Ehning</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Coolio 42</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">732</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">38%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold; color: #2f7d4f;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;"><strong>Mclain Ward</strong></td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">High Star Hero</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">732</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">41%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Eiken Sato</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Chadellano JRA</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">727</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">50%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Chris Pratt</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Ideaal ES</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">715</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">40%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #e8f5ec;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Abdullah Alsharbatly</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Diriyah</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">708</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; color: #2f7d4f; font-weight: bold;">80%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold; color: #2f7d4f;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Edwina Tops-Alexander</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Fellow Castlefield</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">673</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">28%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold; color: #2f7d4f;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Rene Lopez Lizarazo</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Casa Lady Love PS OLD</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">629</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">0%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Geir Gulliksen</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Island V G</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">593</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">22%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Jos&eacute; Mar&iacute;a (Jr) Larocca</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Abril Iconthon</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">591</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">20%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background: #faf8f3;">
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Ibrahim Hani Bisharat</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd;">Lesther</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">581</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right;">0%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; border-bottom: 1px solid #e5e3dd; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px;">Taizo Sugitani</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px;">Quincy 194</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: right;">570</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: right;">0%</td>
<td style="padding: 12px 14px; text-align: right; font-weight: bold;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div style="background: #f3efe5; border-left: 3px solid #b8862a; padding: 14px 18px; margin: 16px 0 32px; font-size: 15px; color: #2a3038;"><strong style="color: #8a6418; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.15em; text-transform: uppercase; display: block; margin-bottom: 4px;">Reading clear rate and wins together</strong>Clear rate is measured at 5*/major championship 1.60m level, so treat the small samples with caution, several of these combinations have jumped fewer than ten rounds together. Wins are career totals for Grands Prix/World Cups for the current combination, a useful check on whether a strong Elo has actually converted into results.</div>
<hr style="border: none; border-top: 2px solid #b8862a; width: 60px; margin: 32px 0;">
<h2 style="margin: 0 0 8px;"><strong>Kraut and Ward, twice over</strong></h2>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Laura Kraut</strong> and <strong style="color: #000000;">Mclain Ward</strong> are the two riders in this group already confirmed for Aachen 2026, both named to the Icon Global U.S. Jumping Team, Kraut on <strong style="color: #000000;">Bisquetta</strong> and Ward on <strong style="color: #000000;">High Star Hero</strong>. In 2006 they were teammates on the USA squad that took team silver behind the Netherlands, Ward with Sapphire and Kraut with Miss Independent. Twenty years later they carry the two highest Elo ratings in this entire group returning, <span style="font-weight: bold; color: #b8862a;">765</span> for Kraut and 732 for Ward, with two career wins apiece on their current horse.</p>
<div style="display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 10px; margin: 16px 0 20px;">
<div style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #c9c5bb; padding: 10px 14px; min-width: 120px;">
<div style="font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">Bisquetta Elo</div>
<div style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">765</div>
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #c9c5bb; padding: 10px 14px; min-width: 120px;">
<div style="font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">Kraut &amp; Bisquetta Wins / Podiums</div>
<div style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">2 / 4</div>
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #c9c5bb; padding: 10px 14px; min-width: 120px;">
<div style="font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">High Star Hero Elo</div>
<div style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">732</div>
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #c9c5bb; padding: 10px 14px; min-width: 120px;">
<div style="font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 0.1em; text-transform: uppercase; color: #5b6573; font-weight: bold;">Ward &amp; High Star Hero Wins / Podiums</div>
<div style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold; color: #000000;">2 / 4</div>
</div>
</div>
<hr style="border: none; border-top: 2px solid #b8862a; width: 60px; margin: 32px 0;">
<h2 style="margin: 0 0 8px;"><strong>Ehning, the home name</strong></h2>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Marcus Ehning</strong> was part of the German team that took bronze at the 2006 Aachen WEG, jumping Noltes K&uuml;chengirl, and returns twenty years later on <strong style="color: #000000;">Coolio 42</strong>. His Elo of 732 matches Ward for the joint third-highest mark in the group, and his current combination has already banked two wins, tied for the most of anyone on this list. Aachen has been Ehning's stage for over two decades, and a home crowd watching him arrive in this kind of form is the sport's most reliable storyline.</p>
<hr style="border: none; border-top: 2px solid #b8862a; width: 60px; margin: 32px 0;">
<h2 style="margin: 0 0 8px;"><strong>Diniz, still going</strong></h2>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Luciana Diniz</strong> was on Dover in 2006. Twenty years and multiple mounts later she is one of only two riders in this group, alongside Tops-Alexander, with more than 30 rounds logged at major championship level in the current data, a marker of just how long she has kept a horse in this bracket of the sport. Her current combination, <strong style="color: #000000;">Vertigo du Desert</strong>, carries a top-tier Elo of 754 and one career win, but a clear rate of just 21% at that level, a reminder that a horse's rating and its most recent form do not always point the same direction.</p>
<hr style="border: none; border-top: 2px solid #b8862a; width: 60px; margin: 32px 0;">
<h2 style="margin: 0 0 8px;"><strong>Alsharbatly, small sample, sharp number</strong></h2>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 0 0 14px 0;"><strong style="color: #000000;">Abdullah Alsharbatly</strong> rode Hugo Gesmeray at Aachen in 2006. On <strong style="color: #000000;">Diriyah</strong> he now carries the best clear rate in this entire group at <span style="font-weight: bold; color: #2f7d4f;">80%</span>, with a win already on the board together, though it comes from only five rounds, so it is a small sample rather than a settled trend.</p>
<p style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.72; color: #1a1a2e; margin: 14px 0 0 0;">Twenty years separate the two Aachens on the calendar. The names on this list are the throughline. The horses have changed, and so has the story they'll write.</p>

FEI Jumping World Championships