Becky Moody and Jagerbomb lead FEI Dressage World Cup Final opener in Fort Worth
British rider Becky Moody made a strong start to her FEI Dressage World Cup Final debut, taking victory in the opening Grand Prix with her homebred gelding Jagerbomb at Dickies Arena on Thursday night.
Competing in Fort Worth, Texas, Moody and her Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medal partner delivered a standout test to score 76.761%, putting them firmly at the top of the leaderboard heading into the decisive freestyle.
“I had that nice balance of energy, but with relaxation as well,” Moody said. “I always say, he’s not exceptional at anything, but he is just really good at everything. So he’s just a joy to ride in an arena like that, and it was an amazing crowd.”
Olympic experience meets homebred success
Moody’s performance carried added significance, with Jagerbomb a horse she bred and produced herself. The partnership’s journey to the World Cup Final included a major milestone, as both horse and rider experienced international air travel for the first time en route to the United States.
“I had never flown a horse before, and he had never flown before, so that was a factor in my decision making,” she explained. “I wanted that experience… and I’m really glad that I did, because we definitely learned things.”
Strong international field pushes early leaderboard
American rider Christian Simonson claimed second place with Indian Rock on 75.413%, impressing the home crowd with a composed performance.
“It feels a bit surreal to even say that I’m here at a World Cup Final,” he said. “’Rocky’ was amazing tonight… I think he and I have such a good bond together.”
Reigning champions Patrik Kittel and Touchdown finished third on 72.869%, despite minor errors in their test.
“Normally I don’t smile when I go around the ring,” Kittel said. “But then someone in the crowd [shouted], ‘We love you, Patrik,’ so I smiled before I even started.”
Kittel also praised the winning performance, adding: “[Becky’s] horse looks really happy… it just looks so harmonious, and that’s what we want to see in the sport today.”
All combinations through to freestyle showdown
All 16 combinations scored above 60%, securing qualification for Saturday’s Grand Prix Freestyle, where the 2026 FEI Dressage World Cup Champion will be decided.
Moody and Jagerbomb will be last to go, giving the British Dressage combination a strong position in the final phase of competition. Simonson is drawn 12th, while Kittel will compete 14th.
Despite leading, Moody believes there is still more to come.
“When you have bred them, it just adds that little bit of extra,” she said. “I don’t have any children, so he is my child. He’s just my pride and joy.”
Key Results
- Becky Moody and Jagerbomb (GBR) – 76.761%
- Christian Simonson and Indian Rock (USA) – 75.413%
- Patrik Kittel and Touchdown (SWE) – 72.869%
Feature image: The FEI World Cup™ Finals Fort Worth 2026 Fort Worth, TX, USA – Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb, during the dressage Grand Prix of the The FEI World Cup™ Finals Fort Worth 2026 North American League Fort Worth Texas USA Copyright © FEI/Shannon Brinkman