2026 Equestrian World Championships: Favorites Vogel and Krajewski in Aachen

Schedule of the Show Jumping Competitions

Among the most promising contenders for an individual medal is Richard Vogel. The native of Marbach has been part of the extended German elite for years and has been riding for the London Bears club since this season. Vogel has been nominated several times to the German Equestrian Federation's Nations Cup teams and is considered one of the athletes expected to set the tone in Aachen.

Vogel in Focus

Tokyo gold medalist Krajewski also plays a central role in the eyes of German fans. The rider based in Warendorf won the individual eventing discipline at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 and has since been part of the extended world elite. In Aachen, a strong performance could see her grow into the role of favorite for another medal.

Alongside Vogel and Krajewski, attention will focus primarily on Michael Jung. The rider from Horb am Neckar is currently regarded as one of the most successful eventers of the present day. Jung has been a world and European champion multiple times in the past and is expected to compete in Aachen with another chance at a medal for the German team.

Maher as Biggest Foreign Rival

Among the foreign competitors, attention is directed, among others, at Ben Maher from Great Britain. The Londoner won individual Olympic silver in London in 2012 and team gold in Tokyo in 2021, and unquestionably belongs to the circle of favorites. The British team, which has won the Nations Cup several times in the past, travels with broad strength at the top.

The organizer is counting on home advantage in Aachen, where the traditional tournament venue has hosted world and European championships on numerous occasions. The atmosphere in the stadium is considered one of the reasons why German riders frequently produce top performances at major championships. The coming days will show whether this home advantage will also make the difference in 2026.

Broadcast by WDR

WDR is providing extensive coverage of the show jumping competitions on radio and online. According to its own information, WDR will report with livestreams from all three competition days in Aachen. This allows fans to follow the decisions in the qualification, Nations Cup, and final without any time delay.

The schedule of the 2026 Equestrian World Championships is tight overall: after the disciplines already completed, the international equestrian scene's attention now turns to show jumping. With the team final on Friday evening, the first main decision of the weekend will be made, before the individual decisions are scheduled over the weekend.

Before the first starting gun on Wednesday, Vogel, Krajewski, and Jung are considered the names against which the competition must measure itself. Their previous successes and their placements in the world rankings support this assessment. Should all three ride within reach of medals in Aachen, it would be a historic result for the German team.

The final composition of the German team as well as the tactical lineup in the Nations Cup will only be decided by the national coach on the day of competition. Observers expect that the order in the team final on Friday evening will only be determined after the qualification on Wednesday.