A total of 59 combinations came forward for the final Jumping phase, facing a 13-obstacle, 16-effort track designed by renowned German course designer Frank Rothenberger. The sweeping course made full use of the vast space, with its scale and atmosphere adding another dimension to the closing Championship test. Clear rounds were at a premium, with just 13 combinations, 22% of the field, leaving every fence standing and finishing inside the 91-second time allowed.

When the final fence had been cleared, Great Britain stood on top of the world on 84.0 penalties, with host nation Germany taking silver on 95.6 and the United States bronze on 113.5.

Individually, Michael Jung (GER) and fischerChipmunk FRH brought the house down with a dream clear as the last combination into the arena, securing the World title on 23.0 penalties. Rosalind Canter (GBR) and Lordships Graffalo took silver on 23.4, with compatriot Laura Collett and London 52 completing the podium on 28.0.

Golden Britain

Great Britain concluded a dominant week in record-breaking fashion, with Collett, Canter, Gemma Stevens and Tom McEwen adding World team gold to an extraordinary run of Championship success.

Their final score of 84.0 penalties is the best-ever team finishing score at an Olympic Games or World Championship, surpassing Great Britain’s previous record of 86.3 set at the Tokyo (JPN) 2020 Olympic Games.

McEwen and JL Dublin opened Great Britain’s final-phase campaign with four faults, before Collett and London 52 added 4.4 penalties. Anchor combination Canter and the formidable Lordships Graffalo then produced a smooth clear to seal the World title.

For Collett, it was the emotional culmination of a week in which Great Britain had led from start to finish.

“We came here to win a team gold medal, and we’ve done that and added a couple of extras just for a bonus,” she reflected. 

“All the horses, all the people and all the team have been phenomenal all week, and we’re just very lucky to be part of one hell of a team.”

This latest victory continues an exceptional period of British dominance on the global stage. Great Britain have now won team gold at four of the past five Olympic Games and World Championships, triumphing at Tryon (USA) 2018, Tokyo (JPN) 2020, Paris (FRA) 2024 and now Aachen 2026. 

Their only absence from the top step during that run came at Pratoni (ITA) 2022, where they finished fourth, a disappointment emphatically put behind them in Aachen.

Legends

The individual title came down to a battle between Eventing greats, with the smallest mistake capable of reshaping the podium. 

Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH began with trademark composure, but two light touches had the packed stands holding their breath before both poles stayed in place.

From there, the pair never looked back, producing a superb clear to remain on their Dressage score of 23.0 penalties. As they crossed the finish, the stadium rose in a standing ovation for a fairytale home victory.

“He was jumping amazingly,” Jung said. “Normally a double of verticals at the end of the course is not Chipmunk’s favourite thing, but he was super. And you need luck on your side.”

The 23.0 winning score is the lowest at an Eventing World Championship since 1980 and delivers Jung a record-extending fifth individual gold at an Olympic Games or World Championship. Since first taking the World title in Kentucky (USA) in 2010, nine global Championships have been contested and Jung has won five of them.

For fischerChipmunk FRH, the win adds another gold to an exceptional collection of accolades for the 18-year-old gelding. The reigning Olympic champion is also a two-time European individual silver medallist, in 2019 and 2025, while victory in Aachen finally settled unfinished business from Pratoni 2022, where he and Jung led until the final fence.

“I’m speechless. Chipmunk is unbelievable,” said Jung. “He’s doing great Dressage, running fast Cross-Country and Jumping like a Jumping horse: careful, powerful and athletic. It’s a dream to ride him.”

Winning on home soil made the moment even more meaningful.

“Aachen is always very special. It’s a big thing being in your home country,” he added. “To have all the disciplines together makes it much more special, so much adrenaline and the stadium has such a cool atmosphere. I was definitely emotional at the end.”

Tickets to Los Angeles

The final standings also decided qualification for the Los Angeles (USA) Olympic Games 2028, adding another layer of pressure to every round.

The seven highest-ranked teams, excluding host nation USA, secured their places, with Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden and Belgium booking their tickets to LA28.

For Belgium, qualification brought particular relief after their Olympic ambitions remained on a knife-edge until the final phase. Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (Kiarado d’Arville) delivered when it mattered with a clear round to help secure her nation’s place.

“We were under a lot of pressure for the Olympic ticket, and nothing was going our way from the beginning,” she explained. “You have to ride for the fun, but at the end you ride for your country. I’m so relieved.”

After four days in which every mark, second and penalty mattered, Aachen delivered champions, records and Olympic dreams in equal measure.

For Jung and the host nation, there was something particularly fitting about an individual World title won in front of an ecstatic home crowd. At a Championship staged under the message “Welcome Home”, one of Eventing’s greatest prizes has indeed returned to German soil.

Four days, three phases and countless shifts in fortune came down to the very final fence. Aachen asked every question a World Championship should, and by the time the last horse left the Main Stadium, its new champions had answered them all.

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