CHIO AACHEN
World Equestrian Festival


June 27th - July 6th, 2025

“Hola España” - this is the motto of the partner country Spain at the CHIO Aachen 2025. The Kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula will play a major role at this year's World Equestrian Festival. Be it at the Opening Ceremony, in the CHIO Aachen Village or already at the beginning of the event. The partner country will also be one of the main themes of the concert “Horse & Symphony”.

The highly awarded event rider is not considered a major speaker, but in the fifth episode of the CHIO Aachen Podcast, Michael Jung gives an unusually open insight into his career and private life. Horses have always been the centre of attention from an early age: ‘I wasn't able to concentrate much at school, even when doing my homework. I only thought about horses from morning to night.’ In the cosy equestrian lounge at his home stables, he talks about other childhood memories, self-doubt and the special significance of the Olympic gold medal in Paris.

The secret has been disclosed: Spain is the official partner country of the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2025. Among others, the music star, Alvaro Soler, has confirmed his participation in the Opening Ceremony. The motto is “Hola España”.

‘Sometimes I get to the point where I ask myself: how did you actually do it?’ Even a few months after his sensational triumph at the Olympic Games in Paris, Christian Kukuk still seems somewhat incredulous when he talks about his path to the gold medal. A path that is peppered with many fateful moments, encounters and coincidences that ultimately result in a perfect script. The highlight: the positive pregnancy test of his partner immediately before the Olympic individual final. In the fourth episode of the CHIO Aachen podcast, recorded on the grounds of the legendary Ludger Beerbaum in Riesenbeck, the show-jumper talks about his life and reveals that he initially had no interest in riding as a teenager.

The “Walk of Fame” at the Aachen Soers has a spectacular new addition: A horseshoe of TSF Dalera BB. And the four-legged star, the Trakehner mare, was present in person when the plate with the horseshoe was placed in the ground.

In the second episode of the CHIO Aachen Podcast, the two successful riders talk about their experiences and take the listeners into the very special atmosphere at “bush shows”, to an Olympic start on the first day of school and into their home - where rabbits, not horses, can be found in the garden.

What a Rolex Grand Prix, what a finale for the CHIO Aachen 2024! André Thieme hadn’t actually qualified to compete in the highlight of the weekend. But on Saturday evening he found out that he had moved up onto the starter list. Then, on Sunday afternoon he fulfilled a lifetime dream with his exceptional horse, Chakaria.

Isabell Werth had already eternalised her name 14-times on her “favourite board”, which is located at the entrance to the Main Stadium at the Soers. The fact that her 15th victory in the Grand Prix Freestyle, the Lindt-Prize, is really special, is among others because of her new four-legged dance partner, Wendy.