Great Britain have been crowned FEI Eventing World Champions in Aachen, completing a dominant week with team gold as Rosalind Canter and Laura Collett added individual silver and bronze. Germany’s Michael Jung claimed the individual World title aboard fischerChipmunk FRH after a dramatic final showjumping phase.
Great Britain completed a superb FEI Eventing World Championship campaign in Aachen on Sunday, taking team gold on a record-breaking score of 84.0 penalties as Rosalind Canter and Lordships Graffalo secured individual silver and Laura Collett and London 52 took bronze.
Germany’s Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH denied Britain a clean sweep of the titles, producing a faultless final round under immense pressure to become individual World Champions on their dressage score of 23.0 penalties.
Canter finished just 0.4 penalties behind on 23.4, while Collett completed the podium on 28.0.
For Great Britain, however, the team title capped an outstanding four days of competition. Collett, Canter, Gemma Stevens and Tom McEwen had led the Championship from the opening dressage phase and ultimately finished on 84.0, ahead of Germany on 95.6 and the United States on 113.5.
The result also secured Britain’s qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Britain seals World Championship gold
A total of 59 combinations came forward for Sunday’s final jumping phase in Aachen’s historic Main Stadium, where German course designer Frank Rothenberger had produced a 13-obstacle, 16-effort track.
Clear rounds proved difficult to come by, with just 13 combinations completing without jumping or time penalties.
Great Britain entered the final phase carrying a significant advantage following Saturday’s influential cross-country, but there was still work to do.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin were first of the British team combinations to jump, adding four faults to their score. Collett and London 52 followed, lowering one fence and adding 0.4 time penalties.
Tom McEwen (GBR) riding JL Dublin
FEI Eventing World Championship, Aachen (GER) 2026
Jumping Team & Individual
DHL-Prize. © FEI/Leanjo de Koster
It left Canter and Lordships Graffalo with the responsibility of bringing home the gold.
The pair responded with a composed clear round inside the 91-second time allowed, completing their World Championship on the same 23.4 penalties they had posted after dressage.
The result sealed team gold and left Canter guaranteed an individual medal with only Jung still to jump.
Britain’s final score of 84.0 is the lowest team finishing score recorded at an Olympic Games or World Championship, bettering the nation’s previous benchmark of 86.3 from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Rosalind Canter (GBR) riding Lordships Graffalo
FEI Eventing World Championship, Aachen (GER) 2026
Jumping Team & Individual
DHL-Prize. © FEI/Leanjo de Koster
“We came here to win a team gold medal, and we’ve done that and added a couple of extras just for a bonus,” Collett said.
“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.”
The victory continues a remarkable period for British eventing. Great Britain have now won team gold at four of the past five Olympic Games and World Championships, following victories at Tryon 2018, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Their only absence from the top step during that run came at the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni, where Britain finished fourth.
Michael Jung delivers under pressure
With the team title decided, attention turned to the individual World Championship.
Jung entered the Main Stadium as the final combination of the competition knowing that a clear round aboard fischerChipmunk FRH would secure gold, while a mistake could hand the title to Canter.
Two light touches during the round had the home crowd holding its breath, but the fences remained standing.
Jung and the 18-year-old gelding crossed the finish clear and inside the time to remain on 23.0 penalties, just 0.4 ahead of Canter.
“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.”
Michael Jung (GER) – fischerChipmunk FRH
FEI Eventing World Championship, Aachen (GER) 2026
Jumping Team & Individual
DHL-Prize. © FEI/Leanjo de Koster
Their winning score of 23.0 is the lowest at an Eventing World Championship since 1980 and gives Jung a record-extending fifth individual gold medal across the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The German rider first became individual World Champion in Kentucky in 2010 and has since established himself as one of the most successful event riders in the history of the sport.
For fischerChipmunk FRH, Aachen adds another major title to an exceptional career. The gelding is the reigning Olympic champion and a two-time European individual silver medallist, having finished second in 2019 and 2025.
Aachen also brought redemption following the 2022 World Championships in Pratoni, where Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH had led heading into the final jumping phase before a mistake at the last fence cost them the title.
“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 the title in front of a home crowd made the achievement even more significant.
“Aachen is always very special. It’s a big thing being in your home country,” Jung 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.”
Canter and Collett complete the podium
Britain’s strength was underlined by two riders joining Jung on the individual podium.
Canter and Lordships Graffalo finished the Championship on 23.4 penalties, just 0.4 behind the German combination.
The pair had produced one of the performances of Saturday’s cross-country, jumping clear and inside the optimum time before completing their week with another faultless round in the showjumping.
Collett and London 52 took bronze on 28.0 penalties after adding only 0.8 time penalties across country and 4.4 penalties in the final phase.
Laura Collett (GBR) riding London 52
FEI Eventing World Championship, Aachen (GER) 2026
Jumping Team & Individual
DHL-Prize. © FEI/Leanjo de Koster
It meant Britain finished the Championship with team gold and two of the three individual medals.
McEwen and JL Dublin also played a crucial role in the team’s victory. Having started the Championship as Britain’s pathfinders, they remained among the leading combinations following the cross-country before adding four faults in Sunday’s showjumping.
Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno III had earlier been eliminated on the cross-country, leaving Britain without a discard score and putting additional pressure on the remaining three combinations.
Canter, Collett and McEwen responded, ensuring Britain retained the lead they had held since the opening dressage phase.
Seven nations qualify for Los Angeles 2028
Aachen also represented the first major opportunity for nations to secure team qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The seven highest-ranked eligible teams, excluding Olympic host nation the United States, secured qualification.
Great Britain and Germany were joined by Ireland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden and Belgium in booking their places at LA28.
Belgium’s qualification remained under considerable pressure until the final phase, with Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Kiarado d’Arville producing an important clear round to help secure their country’s Olympic place.
“We were under a lot of pressure for the Olympic ticket, and nothing was going our way from the beginning,” she said.
“You have to ride for the fun, but at the end you ride for your country. I’m so relieved.”
For Great Britain, Aachen ends with another World team title, two individual medals, a Championship record and Olympic qualification secured.
For Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH, it ends with World Championship gold on home soil and another extraordinary chapter in one of eventing’s most successful partnerships.
Final team standings
- Great Britain – 84.0 penalties
- Germany – 95.6
- United States – 113.5
Individual podium
- Michael Jung (GER) and fischerChipmunk FRH – 23.0 penalties
- Rosalind Canter (GBR) and Lordships Graffalo – 23.4
- Laura Collett (GBR) and London 52 – 28.0
Feature image: Team Great Britain – Rosalind Canter riding Lordships Graffalo, Laura Collett riding London 52, Tom McEwen riding JL Dublin, and Gemma Stevens riding Flash Cooley. Team gold medalists at the FEI Eventing World Championship, Aachen (GER) 2026 © FEI / Leanjo de Koster
