Aachen 2026: Historic Result for Poles! World Championships Summary and Medals

Thirteen days, six disciplines, over eight hundred pairs from nearly seventy countries, and one stadium that, for two weeks, was the center of the equestrian world. The FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 concluded on August 23rd with the individual show jumping final, and were the largest championships in the history of the sport in terms of the number of disciplines held simultaneously.

For Polish equestrianism, these championships brought one result that will remain in the statistics for years, and one that leaves a sense of dissatisfaction. For Equishop, they have an additional dimension: two Equishop Team riders competed in the Main Arena.

Below, we gather everything that happened in Aachen in one place: who won medals in each of the six disciplines, how the Polish riders performed, and what equipment our athletes used. All scores and placings are from the official championship classifications.

Key information at a glance

• The Championships took place from August 11 to 23, 2026 in Aachen. Six disciplines were held simultaneously: show jumping, dressage, eventing, vaulting, driving, and para-dressage. 
• Germany won the medal classification. Seven gold medals, ahead of the United States with six and Great Britain with four.
• Historic result for Polish dressage. The team placed twelfth, and Sandra Sysojeva on Maxima Bella was ninth in the Kür final, which is the best result for Polish dressage in the history of the World Championships.
• Steve Guerdat is the world champion in show jumping with no faults. The first Swiss rider to hold this title, and team gold remained in Aachen with the hosts.
• Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale defended their dressage title. Double gold, in the Grand Prix Special and in the Kür, where the pair scored 91.907 percent.
• Michael Jung once again best in eventing, and team gold went to Great Britain.
• Boyd Exell won the driving for the eighth time in a row. This is a streak that no one has come close to breaking in this discipline.
• Two Equishop Team riders competed in the Polish show jumping team. Marek Lewicki on Quaid Casio and Michał Ziębicki on Balou's Batman, both in Renaissance saddles.

Table of Contents

1. Thirteen days and six disciplines in one place
   
2. Medal table: who won Aachen 2026
   
3. Poland in Aachen: balance sheet in one table
   
4. Dressage: Fry's double gold and Poland's historic result
   
5. Show jumping: Guerdat flawless, Germany in team event
   
6. Eventing: Jung and Great Britain, end of Joanna Pawlak's run
   
7. Para-dressage: American record and Polish eighteenth place
   
8. Driving and vaulting: Exell's eighth title and German dominance
   
9. What equipment Polish Equishop Team riders used
   
10. What Aachen teaches about equipment selection
    
11. Frequently Asked Questions
    

Thirteen days and six disciplines in one place

Aachen 2026 was a championship with an unusual structure. Instead of separate equestrian events scattered throughout the calendar and continents, six disciplines were held simultaneously in one location, in Soers near Aachen, between August 11 and 23.

The program was arranged in two waves. In the first week, dressage riders, eventers, and vaulters competed, and in the second, show jumpers, drivers, and para-dressage pairs entered the arena. The entire event concluded with the individual show jumping final on August 23rd, so the Polish show jumping team entered the course when the stadium had already seen nearly two weeks of championships.

This arrangement changed a lot in practice. Horses worked for two weeks on grounds where competitions of other disciplines were taking place simultaneously, and medals were not decided by one successful ride, but by form maintained for several days in a row. In show jumping, the team result was the sum of penalty points from three consecutive rounds, not the result of a single competition.

The full program and official results are published by the organizer on the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 website.

Medal table: who won Aachen 2026

According to the official medal table of the organizer, the hosts won the championship.

Below are the same championships broken down by discipline, to show where each country won.

In para-dressage, individual medals were awarded separately in five grades, from Grade I to Grade V, and in two tests, which is why the table only includes the team classification.

Germany's seven golds are the result of breadth, not a single discipline. The hosts won team dressage and jumping, added individual gold in eventing thanks to Michael Jung, and dominated vaulting, where they took both team classifications and the entire women's individual podium. The Americans built all six gold medals on para-dressage, where they won the team classification and four individual competitions.

Poland in Aachen: balance sheet in one table

Before we move on to individual disciplines, here's the entire Polish performance in one place: six disciplines, six different stories.

Dressage is currently the strongest Polish discipline at championships of this rank. The team took twelfth place, the best in history, and Sandra Sysojeva reached the Kür final, finishing in ninth position. Show jumping, which for years received all the attention, this time brought twenty-second place for the team and fortieth for Jarosław Skrzyczyński individually. A few years ago, this order would have been reversed.

Editor's note: Grand Prix Freestyle (Kür) is the final and most spectacular part of championship-level dressage competitions and the World Cup. Riders present their own, individually choreographed sequence of figures, performed to self-selected music.

Dressage: Fry's double gold and Poland's historic result

Dressage was held in the first wave of the championships and yielded Poland's best result of the entire championship.

Germany won the team event with a score of 235.063, ahead of Great Britain (231.445) and Denmark (229.426). In the German team, the highest score of the day was achieved by Isabell Werth on Wendy de Fontaine, 79.876 percent.

Individually, the championships belonged to Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale. The British pair won the Grand Prix Special with a score of 82.295 percent, and a week later defended their title in the Kür, scoring 91.907 percent. In both competitions, Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour on Mount St John Freestyle took second place, and Katharina Hemmer on Denoix PCH won bronze in the Special, while Isabell Werth on Wendy took bronze in the Kür.

Now for the Polish part, as it's worth detailing. The Polish team took twelfth place with a score of 207.220, and this is the best result for Polish dressage in the history of the World Championships.

Sandra Sysojeva's ninth place in the Kür final means that Poland had a rider in the top ten of the World Dressage Championships. Exceeding eighty percent in the Kür at this level is no accident or lucky day.

We described the team composition and preparations before the start in the article about the Polish national team composition for Aachen 2026. If you are looking for a saddle to work on the same repertoire, we have detailed two dressage models in separate articles: Prestige Melody K and choosing seat depth and Prestige X-Optimax, one flap or two.

Show jumping: Guerdat flawless, Germany in team event

Show jumping concluded the championships and provided a rare story in this discipline.

Steve Guerdat on Dynamix de Belheme became world champion with a score of 0.86 penalty points, not having a single knockdown throughout the championships. He is the first Swiss world champion in show jumping. Thibeau Spits on Impress-K van't Kattenheye Z (5.60) took silver, and Harry Charles on LT Holst Freda (7.17) took bronze.

Team gold stayed in Aachen. Germany won with a score of 4.48 penalty points, going through both final rounds without a knockdown, ahead of Belgium (11.69) and Great Britain (12.98).

The Polish team, led by Maciej Wojciechowski, finished twenty-second in the team classification. The highest-placed Pole individually was Jarosław Skrzyczyński on Komboy, who concluded his run in fortieth place with a score of 10.71 penalty points and did not advance to the individual final. His team summarized this performance concretely: for two days, Komboy jumped flawlessly; two knockdowns only occurred in the last competition.

We are proud of how Komboy jumped and felt on the course, and that together we can form a pair and achieve such results.

- Jarosław Skrzyczyński's team, source: Instagram (profile: jaroslaw_skrzyczynski).

The Polish team consisted of five pairs: Marek Lewicki (Quaid Casio), Hubert Polowczyk (M Blue's Boy Z), Jarosław Skrzyczyński (Komboy), Michał Tyszko (Colinero), and Michał Ziębicki (Balou's Batman). We wrote separately about two of them before the championships: about Marek Lewicki and Quaid Casio and about Michał Ziębicki and Balou's Batman.

Marek Lewicki wrote after his first start in Aachen:

The most unique, iconic, and exceptional place I've ever had the opportunity to compete in. It's not just about sport and competition. It's about emotions, history, and an atmosphere that's hard to describe in words. Being able to represent Poland here is a great honor for me and the fulfillment of one of my biggest sporting dreams. And above all, thank you, Casio. For his heart, courage, fighting spirit, and for the fact that together we could stand in this extraordinary arena.

- Marek Lewicki, source: Instagram Marek Lewicki (profile: lewicki.marek).

Eventing: Jung and Great Britain, end of Joanna Pawlak's run

Eventing took place in the first week and concluded with two outcomes, one of which was predictable, while the other still made an impression.

Michael Jung on fischerChipmunk FRH won individually with a score of 23.0 penalty points, four-tenths ahead of Rosalind Canter on Lordships Graffalo (23.4). Laura Collett on London 52 (28.0) took third place.

Great Britain won team gold with a score of 84.0, ahead of Germany (95.6) and the United States (113.5).

Poland was represented by a single rider, so there was no team classification. Joanna Pawlak on the thirteen-year-old Wielkopolski stallion Armin de Monsieur was sixty-fifth after the dressage test with a score of 37.2 penalty points. Her cross-country run ended in elimination: after a refusal at obstacle 9A, the pair missed element 9B.

The cross-country course in Aachen was unforgiving for many pairs that day, and elimination itself is not uncommon in eventing. However, it's worth noting that Poland's participation in this discipline at the World Championships still involves individual starts, not a team, which changes the scale of comparison.

Joanna Pawlak summarized in a post:

One would want to return with success, as every athlete dreams of that, but sport involves ups and downs. We return happy, healthy, motivated. It wasn't easy to prepare for such an event, fighting for a start until the last moment, but it was certainly worth it. I am proud of Armin, because many people didn't believe in him, and he is a great and tenacious athlete.

- Joanna Pawlak, source: Instagram Joanna Pawlak (profile: joannapawlak_equestrian).

Para-dressage: American record and Polish eighteenth place

Para-dressage was held in the second week, and it was this discipline that determined the United States' high position in the medal table.

The United States won the team event with a score of 236.135, the highest in the history of this classification, ahead of Germany (229.875) and the Netherlands (227.639). The highest score of the entire championships in para-dressage, 83.305 percent, was recorded in the Grade IV kür.

The Polish team placed eighteenth out of twenty, with a score of 193.990. None of the Polish riders advanced to the kür finals.

The best Polish result in Aachen was achieved by Agata Weigt on Discovery 64. After her first test, she admitted it could have been better, but she wouldn't change anything: with her team by her side and such a horse beneath her, she felt like a winner, and she returned from Aachen with experience to build upon. Source: Instagram Agata Weigt, (profile: agataweigt).

We showcased the preparations of this team in a photo report from the visit of the Polish Para-dressage team at Equishop.

Driving and Vaulting: Exell's Eighth Title and German Dominance

The two disciplines least discussed in Poland provided two of the most decisive outcomes of the entire championships in Aachen.

In four-in-hand driving, Boyd Exell won individually with a score of 142.64 penalty points. This is his eighth consecutive world championship title. Dries Degrieck (148.85) took silver, and Chester Weber (156.77) took bronze. The Netherlands won the team event (315.13) ahead of Australia (317.25) and Belgium (325.52).

In vaulting, Germany won everything that could be won in the team events, and all the individual women's podium places: Alice Layher (9.041), Kathrin Meyer (8.862), and Annemie Szemes (8.436). Individually, among men, Quentin Jabet from France won (8.794), and in pas de deux, the French pair Gardies and Thibaudat (9.039).

Poland competed in both of these disciplines. In driving, Piotr Mazurek and Wiesław Sadowski participated in four-in-hand teams, and in vaulting, a seven-person group competed, as well as four individual athletes: Jakub Roguski, Jakub Ślemp, Roksana Naumiuk, and Julianna Kamińska. Beyond the podium, reports from Aachen focused on the leaders, so the full rankings for both competitions are worth checking in the official FEI results.

What equipment did the Polish Equishop Team riders use?

The Polish show jumping team included two riders with whom we work on equipment selection throughout the season.

Marek Lewicki competed on Quaid Casio in a Renaissance F2 jumping saddle made of calfskin. He was one of the first Polish show jumpers to trust this brand. His head was protected by a KEP helmet, and he competed in De Niro riding boots.

Michał Ziębicki rode Balou's Batman in a Renaissance M saddle made of calfskin.

These two models differ in exactly one thing, and it's a difference worth explaining. The F2 has a semi-flat seat 27 centimeters wide, while the M has a medium-deep seat 25 centimeters wide. Both saddles are built on the same Renaissance tree, have the same flap system, and weigh the same. The choice between them is about how the rider wants to be positioned, not about choosing a better saddle. All four models, F, F2, F2S, and M, are described parameter by parameter in a separate article: Renaissance F, F2, F2S, and M: which saddle is for you?. Available versions can be found in the jumping saddles category.

It is worth repeating the statement we made before the championships, which Aachen only confirmed: championships are not the place to test new equipment. A saddle in which a rider competes in several classes over five days, including a night class under artificial light, must perform consistently in each. On the day of the competition, there is no time for fitting or adjustments.

Michał Ziębicki spoke about how one prepares for such a start in a video from the season when Balou's Batman was called up to the national team:

He has always been a very ambitious, very brave horse. Therefore, at the beginning, we had to put in a lot of work and calmness for him to get used to being in unfamiliar places. However, this work paid off, and today we can enter the arena without fearing anything. He has an enormous heart, tremendous power, he is precise, and eager to work.

Aachen is exactly the place where such preparation proves itself, or not. Not because of the height of the obstacles, but because of the scale of the stadium, the atmosphere in the stands, and the pace the course demands.

What does Aachen teach us about equipment selection?

It's easy to conclude from the championships that it's enough to buy what the champion had. This is the most costly mistake one can make after such a championship, so it's worth stating plainly.

Top athletes' equipment is custom-fitted, not universal. Steve Guerdat won with a setup tailored for one horse and one rider, after years of work. The same applies to every pair on the podium. Buying the same saddle model without fitting provides exactly as much benefit as buying shoes in the Olympic champion's size.

Consistency wins over a single effect. The Aachen format rewarded pairs that performed equally well for five days. In terms of equipment, this means a configuration proven in daily work, not a novelty brought to the competition.

The same brand does not mean the same saddle. Two Polish riders from the same team, supported by the same store, competed in two different Renaissance models, because they have different riding positions and different horses. This is the best illustration of why saddle fitting exists.

If you want to check how a saddle works on your horse, and not just in a picture, we explain why an evaluation cannot be done on a stationary horse in our article on saddle fitting in motion. Details regarding service and booking a fitting can be found on the Equishop service page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Aachen and what is it?

Aachen (in Polish, Akwizgran) is a city in western Germany, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, located right on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands, about 60 km west of Cologne. For the equestrian world, Aachen is a special place: the CHIO Aachen is held here on the Soers grounds, recognized as the most prestigious equestrian competition in the world and called the "world festival of equestrian sports." Every year, the best riders in show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, and vaulting compete here, and the Aachen stadium can accommodate over 40,000 spectators. The city also hosted the World Equestrian Games in 2006 and the European Championships in 2015. For a rider, competing in Aachen is comparable in prestige to a tennis player performing at Wimbledon.

When did the World Championships in Aachen 2026 take place?

From August 11 to 23, 2026, in Soers near Aachen, Germany. Six disciplines were held concurrently: dressage, eventing, vaulting, driving, para-dressage, and show jumping. Show jumping concluded the program with the individual final on August 23.

Who won the medal classification at Aachen 2026?

Germany, with seven gold medals. Followed by the United States with six, Great Britain with four, the Netherlands with three, and France with two. Australia, Sweden, and Switzerland each won one gold medal.

Who became the world champion in show jumping?

Steve Guerdat from Switzerland on Dynamix de Belheme, with a score of 0.86 penalty points and no knocked down rails throughout the entire championship. He is the first Swiss world champion in this discipline. Germany won team gold.

What was the best Polish result at Aachen 2026?

Sandra Sysojeva's ninth place on Maxima Bella in the dressage kür final, with a score of 80.175 percent. The Polish dressage team placed twelfth, which is the best result in the history of Poland's participation in this discipline at the World Championships.

How did the Polish show jumping team perform?

Poland finished twenty-second in the team classification. The highest-ranked individual Pole was Jarosław Skrzyczyński on Komboy, fortieth, with a score of 10.71 penalty points. No Polish rider advanced to the individual final.

Who represented Poland in show jumping at Aachen 2026?

Marek Lewicki (Quaid Casio), Hubert Polowczyk (M Blue's Boy Z), Jarosław Skrzyczyński (Komboy), Michał Tyszko (Colinero) and Michał Ziębicki (Balou's Batman). The team leader was Maciej Wojciechowski.

What saddles did the Polish Equishop Team riders use?

Marek Lewicki used a Renaissance F2 jumping saddle made of calfskin, and Michał Ziębicki used a Renaissance M saddle made of calfskin. Both models are built on the same tree and differ in seat depth and width: the F2 has a semi-flat seat 27 centimeters wide, while the M has a medium-deep seat 25 centimeters wide.

Did Charlotte Fry defend her world championship title?

Yes. Charlotte Fry on Glamourdale won the Grand Prix Special with a score of 82.295 percent and the kür final with a score of 91.907 percent, winning double individual gold in Aachen.

How many times has Boyd Exell won the World Driving Championships?

At Aachen 2026, he won the title for the eighth consecutive time, with a score of 142.64 penalty points. The Netherlands won the team driving event.

How did the Polish para-dressage team perform?

The Polish team placed eighteenth out of twenty, with a score of 193.990, and none of the Polish riders advanced to the kür finals. The best Polish result was achieved by Agata Weigt on Discovery 64 in Grade V, with 65.974 percent. The United States won the team para-dressage with a record score of 236.135.

Who won vaulting at Aachen 2026?

Germany won both team classifications and swept the entire individual women's podium: Alice Layher, Kathrin Meyer, and Annemie Szemes. Individually, among men, Quentin Jabet from France won, and in pas de deux, the French pair Gardies and Thibaudat.

How many disciplines were held at Aachen 2026 and why is this unusual?

Six, concurrently, in one location: dressage, eventing, vaulting, driving, para-dressage, and show jumping. Usually, World Championships in these disciplines are held separately, in different places and at different times, which is why Aachen 2026 was the largest championship in this sport in terms of the number of disciplines held in one place.

Where can I find the full official results of Aachen 2026?

Complete classifications for all six disciplines are published by the FEI and the organizer on the official championship website. Polish announcements and information about the national team are published by the Polish Equestrian Federation.

Summary: what remains after Aachen 2026?

Aachen 2026 will be remembered as the hosts' championships, with seven gold medals for Germany, and as a championship of two streaks that will be hard to repeat: Steve Guerdat's clear rounds throughout the entire championships and Boyd Exell's eighth consecutive driving title.

From a Polish perspective, one result is most important. The dressage team's twelfth place and Sandra Sysojeva's ninth place in the kür final are the best results for Polish dressage in the history of the World Championships. In show jumping, the Polish team placed twenty-second. In eventing, Poland was represented by Joanna Pawlak, whose run unfortunately ended on the cross-country course.

For us, one more thing remains. Two riders, for whom we provide service care for their equipment throughout the season, competed in Aachen in two different saddle models from the same brand. This is a good conclusion to all of Aachen 2026: at this level, no one rides in universal equipment.

If you want to compare the models used by riders, visit our store at Oświęcimska 9 in Ruda Śląska or book a saddle fitting consultation. Our full offer can be found in the jumping saddles and dressage saddles categories.