A World Championship Dress Rehearsal: Elo Leaders Head to TSCHIO Aachen

Aachen always delivers one of the strongest fields in the sport.

But this year, the spotlight feels even brighter. Many of these combinations are likely to return to Aachen later this summer for the FEI Jumping World Championships. This week offers an early look at who could dominate the venue in August.

Seven of the world’s top 10 Elo-rated horses are set to compete, underlining just how strong the field is. While newly returned world number one King Edward will not be competing this week, the field still features many of the sport’s highest Elo-rated horses, including in-form contenders, Grand Slam challengers, and some of the fastest-rising combinations in the world.

From Point Break returning in elite form to Greya continuing her hot streak, here are the top Elo-rated horses to watch this week in CHIO Aachen.

The Headliners Arrive

If there is one thing Aachen guarantees, it is pressure. No combinations arrive this week carrying more attention than these three. Point Break comes into Aachen as the highest Elo-rated horse in the field and has wasted no time reminding the sport what he is capable of. After returning to 5* competition in Windsor, the stallion finished second in the Rolex Grand Prix.

While Point Break made a statement with his comeback, Greya has been keeping her streak as one of the hottest horses in the sport right now. Together with World Number One Kent Farrington, the mare has become one of the most dangerous and consistent horses against elite competition. 

For German fans, much of the spotlight will fall on Richard Vogel and United Touch S. The pair arrive as the current Rolex Grand Slam live contenders and continue to establish themselves among the best. The pair came heartbreakingly close to victory in 2024, but a rail at the final fence in the jump-off denied them the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen title. Aachen always brings added pressure, but with the form and talent these combinations possess, they look more than ready for the moment. 

The Horses Bringing Momentum

While those three will certainly arrive with expectation, others come into Aachen carrying serious recent form. These are the horses that have already been building momentum throughout the season.

Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone continue to establish themselves. Returning to 5* competition for the first time since November, the pair heads to Aachen with a proven record on the biggest stages and confidence on their side.

After producing 14 consecutive CSI5* 1.60m clear rounds, Dynastie de Beaufour is a name that stands out for her remarkable consistency at the highest level, establishing her as one of the most reliable horses in the field. 

In similar company for consistency is James Kann Cruz, who has built an exceptional podium finish rate, most recently adding a third-place finish in the MLSJ 5* Grand Prix of Lexington. 

Rounding out our top 10 Elo-rated horses in the world is Eddy Blue who captured a CSI5* Grand Prix win during WEF, often a strong indicator of combinations set up for major seasons ahead.

The Defending Champions Return

Not every dangerous combination arrives inside the world’s top 10 Elo rankings. Together with Martin Fuchs, Leone Jei returns as the defending Rolex Grand Prix champion. The pair have won four Rolex Grand Slam Grands Prix together and are looking to add a fifth title this week. They may not arrive as the highest Elo-rated combination in the field, but with their proven ability to perform under pressure in Aachen’s biggest class, they remain impossible to overlook heading into the week.

Also making their return are the 2024 Rolex Grand Prix winners DSP Chakaria and Andre Thieme. Coming into Aachen following their Hamburg Grand Prix victory last week, the German pair arrive with momentum and a proven record of delivering on home soil.

Aachen Awaits

With returning legends, in-form contenders, and some of the sport’s highest-rated horses all converging in Aachen, this week promises another elite chapter at one of show jumping’s most iconic venues. And with this year’s competition offering an early glimpse at what we may see back in the same arena later this summer, the spotlight feels even bigger than usual. If recent form is anything to go by, the margins will be razor-thin.