Aachen, Germany – August 19, 2026 – Show-jumpers finally contended their opening competition at the 2026 FEI World Championships Aachen today with the  €100,000 Turkish Airlines-Prize. In this speed class, 145 horse-and-rider combinations battled it out to attain the best possible starting position for the individual and team classifications.

Julien Épaillard (FRA) had the opportunity to watch the competition and plan his optimal route over the course, while 122 other riders took their turns. The French rider’s subsequent performance in the Main Stadium aboard his eleven-year-old gelding, Fringan de Vesquerie, was not only faultless, but also exceptionally fast. His round was quick enough to beat the leading time previously set by the Dutch show-jumper, Harrie Smolders (NED), 0.68 penalty points behind with Mr. Tac. None of the following riders in the class succeeded in topping Epaillard’s time. Whereby, not everything went exactly according to Epaillard’s pre-planned strategy. “My horse jumped very carefully,” the Frenchman explained. During the course, the rider had to briefly ease off the pace at two points and put in an extra stride – more than he had originally intended. Nevertheless, he was still incredibly fast: the clock stopped at 70.60 seconds. This put him a remarkable 1.34 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. “It is truly fantastic,” said the 49-year-old, who was part of the French bronze medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics. However, he has never won a medal at a World Championships yet in his long career. This strong start in Aachen’s Main Stadium left him feeling confident about the days ahead. “My horse is very sensitive,” Epaillard noted. “So, I am very happy with how well he handled the atmosphere in such an impressive arena.”

However, the riders from the world’s elite are hot on Julien Epaillard’s heels. The British Olympic Team Champions, Scott Brash (GBR) with Hello Mango (0.80 penalties) and Ben Maher (GBR) with Point Break (1.01 penalty-points) – whose performance the rider rated a “10 out of 10” – are well within striking distance, alongside the consistently successful Swiss rider, Steve Guerdat (SUI), 0.86 penalty-points, with his 13-year-old mount, the 2023 European Champion, Dynamix de Belheme. Following the minor “moment of alarm” the previous evening, when the German team was drawn to start first (“Lucky I didn’t pull that lot,” the national coach, Otto Becker, commented with a wink), the German riders also shone out with outstanding performances in the speed class. Sophie Hinners (GER) led the way: In the saddle of Iron Dames Singclair, she delivered a round that was not only a visual delight in terms of style, but also a highly successful race against the clock. “At one point this morning, I felt nervous,” the 29-year-old openly admitted. “But then I told myself: No, stay cool just like you always do!” A feat she pulled off spectacularly. With 0.84 penalties, the German rider finished the day in fourth place.

Following close behind, Daniel Deußer (GER) also secured an excellent position for the coming days with 0.86 penalties, finishing fifth. Marcus Ehning (GER), the very first starter in the class with Coolio, delivered a commanding round and was correspondingly satisfied. “My horse jumped superbly,” said the experienced rider, who finished 20th with 1.78 penalties. Only the European Champion, Richard Vogel (GER), incurred a jumping penalty after taking off too close to one of the fences. He finished 46th with 3.38 penalties. “All four performed brilliantly,” concluded Otto Becker positively. “But what we said beforehand has been confirmed: It is all extremely close, both in the individual standings and among the teams.” And in that very ranking, his squad leads the field after today’s action with 3.48 penalties, holding a very narrow lead over the teams from Belgium (3.69) and the USA (4.85). The battle for the team medals will be decided in the Mercedes-Benz Prize, which takes place tomorrow, Thursday, and on Friday.

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Final Results –  €100,000 First Competition – Team & Individual Qualifier Turkish Airlines-Prize

1) Julien Épaillard (FRA) & Fringan de Vesquerie – 0 / 70.60 – 0.00

2) Harrie Smolders (NED) & Mr. Tac – 0 / 71.96 – 0.68

3) Scott Brash (GBR) & Hello Mango – 0 / 72.19 – 0.80

Source: Press Release from Aachen 2026

Photo: © ALRV / Jasmin Metzner

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