FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen - Day 1
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Speed, surprises and significant firsts marked the opening day of the FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen (GER), as combinations representing 50 nations took to the Main Stadium for Wednesday’s Team and Individual Qualifier against the clock.
France’s Julien Epaillard and Fringan de Vesquerie delivered a masterclass in speed and precision, stopping the clock in a blistering 70.60 seconds to head the Individual standings.
Harrie Smolders (NED) and Mr. Tac came closest in 71.96 seconds, while Scott Brash (GBR) and Hello Mango completed the top three in 72.19 seconds.
With scores converted into penalty points, Germany seized the Team lead on 3.48, holding a slender advantage over Belgium on 3.69.
The USA sit close behind in third on 4.85, ahead of Great Britain in fourth, France in fifth and the Netherlands in sixth. Just 1.6 penalties separate the leading six nations heading into Thursday’s competition.
Opening challenge
Course designer Frank Rothenberger (GER) got straight down to business, setting a sprawling track across the vast grass arena featuring 13 obstacles and 16 jumping efforts.
Sweeping lines and strategic combinations offered opportunities to make up time, but demanded precision from the first fence to the last.
The questions caught out some of the sport’s most experienced combinations, while several World Championship debutants rose to the occasion and gained valuable experience for the rounds still to come.
Pathfinder Marcus Ehning (GER) provided the first answer. Aboard Coolio 42, the German veteran left every fence standing and broke the beam in 74.16 seconds, throwing down the gauntlet for the 144 combinations still to follow and laying the foundations for Germany’s eventual lead in the Team standings.
“The course felt great. It’s not so easy to start first in the speed class because I didn’t see anyone before me, but the way he jumped, I’m more than happy,” said Ehning.
His teammates kept the momentum rolling, with Germany ending the day on top of a tightly packed Team leaderboard. Daniel Deusser (Otello de Guldenboom) was encouraged by Germany’s opening performance but knows the questions will only get tougher.
“Three clear rounds in decent times is absolutely a good start for the Germans,” he said. “Everything is very close together today and there is still a long week to go.”
Deusser expects Rothenberger to turn up the technical pressure from here.
“Tomorrow it’s going to be 1.60m, even 1.65m in the schedule,” he said. “It will be more technical, with the triple combination, and in two days we even have the water jump. I think the next two rounds will be like two Grands Prix.”
Speed and precision
The leaderboard shifted repeatedly throughout the day as challengers came thick and fast, with every turn, stride and fraction of a second counting.
Ultimately, Epaillard could not be caught.
Renowned as one of the fastest Athletes in the sport, the Frenchman lived up to his reputation aboard the 11-year-old Selle Français gelding Fringan de Vesquerie.
Their 70.60-second performance put them 1.36 seconds clear of nearest rival Smolders and gave their Championship campaign an emphatic start.
Epaillard admitted the round had not unfolded entirely to plan, but quick thinking kept the clock on his side.
“I planned to do nine for the wall and eight after, but the oxer before the wall, the five strides was very long, and I decided to change my plan,” he explained. “The rest of the round was good. The turn on the plank was super.”
Epaillard also felt the opening test struck the right balance between speed and preserving horses for the challenges ahead.
“You can win time, but you can also lose time,” he said. “It’s difficult to find the good balance between being in the five best and keeping the horse ready for tomorrow. So, I think it is a good course.”
With qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games also at stake for France, Epaillard’s focus remains firmly on the Team competition.
“We have a super team, young riders and old warriors,” Epaillard added. “Of course, we would like to be on the podium. We will try to give our best, stay focused and hopefully on Friday night we’re still here.”
A debut to remember
Athletes from seven nations made their FEI Jumping World Championship debut in Aachen today, including Maria Gabriela Brugal Gasso, the first Jumping Athlete to represent the Dominican Republic at this level.
Brugal Gasso and J’adore Flamenco finished the opening competition with two fences down, but the moment stretched far beyond the scoreboard.
“It’s always an honour to carry the flag,” she said. “I’m proudly representing a little piece of a small island in the Caribbean at the biggest equestrian event in the world.”
Her journey is made even more special by J’adore Flamenco, her partner of six years, whom she has taken from a green eight-year-old to the World Championship stage.
“He’s so special. He’s the best thing in the world,” she said. “Him and I have done all of our firsts together.”
After everything it took to reach Aachen, two rails could do little to diminish their moment in the Soers spotlight.
Nothing decided yet
The first points are on the board, but the Championship remains wide open. Today’s converted scores will carry forward, with three more acts still to come before the curtain falls on the FEI Jumping World Championship.
Thursday’s Second Competition – Team Final and Second Individual Qualifier – will see Athletes return in reverse order, with the individual competitors first followed by the teams.
Image: Pete Nixon
