Awesome. That is the adjective that best describes the field of dressage competitors at the CHIO Aachen. The best of the best have confirmed their participation, the field of competitors reads like the “Who’s who” of the international dressage sport. This applies for both the individual riders and the Lambertz Nations Cup teams. The exclusive field of participants is headed by the double Olympic gold medallist, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. For the first time since 2019, the number one in the world ranking list is bringing her “Queen“, TSF Dalera BB, back with her to the Soers. On arrival the 37-year-old’s glance will no doubt immediately fall on the legendary winners’ board. Here, at the entrance to the Main Stadium, the names of the winners of the CHIO Aachen are eternalised. Since, the name of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, who has won almost every title up for grabs over the past years, is still missing from the board. To secure herself the engraving on this world-famous board, she needs to win the Deutsche Bank Prize. However, this will certainly be no easy task for the recently crowned German Champion in the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle, since she is up against extremely strong competition. From her own nation, the most successful rider in the world, Isabell Werth, who will saddle DSP Quantaz, is also competing. Isabell’s name already decorates the above-mentioned winners’ board 14 times. That is an absolute record! Ingrid Klimke with Franziskus FRH and Frederik Wandres with Bluetooth OLD complete the German team in the Lambertz Nations Cup, which promises to be more exciting than ever this year. Because the other nations are also sending their best riders to Aachen as well. First and foremost, last year’s winners from Denmark and Great Britain, the partner country of this year’s CHIO Aachen. The Danish team is headed by the team World Champion Carina Cassøe Krüth with Heiline’s Danciera and the rising star of the past months, Nanna Skodborg Merrald with Blue Hors Zepter, who recently notched up a sensational second place at the World Cup Finals in Omaha (USA). In the case of the British riders, all eyes are cast on the double World Champion, Charlotte Fry, who will ride her Olympic horse, Everdale. Her fellow team members comprise of the three-time Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin with her world championship horse Imhotep, who is already impressing with scores of over 80 percent after his rider took time off to have a baby. The performance of the young British rider, Annabella Pidgley, who will be presenting last year’s Deutsche Bank Prize winner, Vamos Amigos, on German soil for the first time, is eagerly awaited. Sweden’s top rider Patrik Kittel as well as Dinja van Liere (NED), who won double bronze at the World Championships in Herning last year, have also set their sights on top placings in the 5-star Tour.

“We are delighted that so many top athletes are going to be competing in Aachen,” exclaimed Birgit Rosenberg, Head of Sport at the CHIO Aachen. “The field of participants promises high-class and exciting dressage sport in all three Tours.” Because most of the top stars are not only bringing one horse with them to the Soers, but indeed several, which means we can look forward to top level dressage in the 4-star Tour and the Small Tour too. In particular, Sönke Rothenberger and his youngster, Fendi, will guarantee that. The highly acclaimed performances at the German Championships in Balve and the silver medal in the Grand Prix Special appear to be merely a throughfare on the way to the very top for this pair. A route, that first of all brings them to Aachen, where among others they will compete against the team Olympic gold medallist Dorothee Schneider with First Romance and Matthias AlexanderRath with Thiago GS.

Hence, we will be no doubt enjoy countless high-class performances in the Deutsche Bank Stadium before finding out on the last day of the show, whose name will be eternalised on the winners’ board in the year 2023. Whether that really is the name of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, will be revealed on the morning of July 2nd, in the Deutsche Bank Prize.