Moody is the Trail Boss in the 2026 World Cup Finals' Grand Prix

-- text © Eurodressage - quotes provided by the FEI - Photos © Shannon Brinkman

Hot favourite for the title, British Olympian Becky Moody, proved she is the trail boss at the 2026 World Cup Finals in Fort Worth, U.S.A. By winning the Grand Prix on Thursday evening 9 April 2026 she showed she's in charge of the field of 16 dressage riders that corralled in the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth located west of Dallas, Texas.

From Cowtown to Horse Town

Fort Worth was a US army outpost established in 1849 along the Trinity river to protect "settlers" from Native American raids following the Mexican-American War. After the American Civil War, Fort Worth became a major stop on the famous cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail.  Cowboys drove millions of cattle north to railheads in Kansas and the city became known as "Cowtown."

On the weekend of 9 - 12 April 2026 cows in Fort Worth make room for some of the world's most elite dressage and show jumping horses as the World Cup indoor show circuit culminates in these Finals, hosted in the U.S.A. for the 7th time since their inception in 1986. The "WCF" were hosted on U.S. soil the first time in L.A. in 1995, followed by Las Vegas (2005, 2007, 2009, 2015) and Omaha (2017, 2023).

In most recent years the quality of the field of riders has gone up and down. Some detractors have the impression the standard gets lower every year, but that is a common misconception. The field for the Finals have always fluctuated - particularly weaker years were in Gothenburg 2016 and probably Riyad in 2024 - but a quick look at the podium place-getters over the years reveals the greatest names in sport taking top honour on their best horses.

This year's World Cup Finals did have a "special feel" to it. Normally when it's organised in the U.S.A. a lot of excitement and anticipation are generated as Americans are known to throw excellent sport events. However, the biggest names in Europe qualified for Fort Worth declined to ride in the Finals which left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth. This opened the door, however, for many up-and-comers to have a career highlight ride at this show. Whether the reasons were the unstable political climate, the unwelcome feel many experience travelling to the U.S.A. (caused by the most insufferable U.S. president in history with his personal ICE army), or because the 2026 World Championships in Aachen in August are simply much more important, time will tell...

The Dickies Arena can seat 14,000 people, but not even 1/4th of the seats were filled. Let's hope the freestyle on the weekend fills up the stadium more. The sport and organizers deserve this.

Moody is Trail Boss

Those who made it to Fort Worth embraced a great opportunity to shine at what seems a fabulously organised event where the local hospitality -- beyond immigration at the airport - is welcoming and heartfelt.

British Olympian Becky Moody decided to ride 12-year old home bred KWPN gelding Jagerbomb (by Dante Weltino x Jazz) in three world cup qualifiers this winter season and they had to suffice for a spot in the Finals. The high declinature gave her a ticket across the Atlantic as clear favourite for the victory. 

The pair rode a straight first centerline and square halt and correct trot extensions. The left trot half pass had the better rhythm. The rein back was good. Jagerbomb's passage is a true passage in self carriage and with good collection. The first piaffe was a bit small but smooth. The extended walk improved in overtrack along the diagonal, the collected was correct. The bridle contact was always soft, quiet with the mouth closed and the horse accepting the bit. The poll remains the highest point throughout the test as it should be. The tempi changes were correct and straight,  the extended canter uphill and powerful. The zig zag had ground cover. The pirouettes were lovely and small. Jagerbomb is maybe not the prettiest or flashiest horse, but it's the correctness in the presentation and training that sets him miles apart. He got slightly crooked to the left in the final passage but Moody rode such a polished test and there was no doubt about their superiority that day.

The 2026 World Cup Finals are judged by Alice Schwab, Francis Verbeek - Van Rooy, William Warren, Magnus Ringmark, and Christof Umbach and they rewarded them with a winning total of 76.761%. Four judges had her first, one second, but there was little spread between their marks.   Unfortunately, the FEI / OC / scoring office (Equestrian Hub, Longines Timing) have not yet made public the individual marks given on each test for the Grand Prix, so it was not possible to do a thorough analysis of the judging aside from total marks.

"He felt really good today. 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."

For Jagerbomb the trip to Texas was his first via plane. “I had never flown a horse before, and he had never flown before, so that was a factor in my decision making [to come here],” Moody shared. “I wanted that experience, and for him to have that experience, and I’m really glad that I did, because we definitely learned things. This is just an amazing opportunity to come to such a fantastic place, and it’s so cool to be surrounded by such a strong equine culture [in Texas] that is completely different to anything I’ve experienced before.”

About Jagerbomb being home-bred, Becky added, "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.”

Simonson to the Fore

Not the expected, experienced Lithuanian-Polish Olympian Sandra Sysojeva grabbed second place in the Grand Prix, but young gun and America's hope for the future, Christian Simonson.

As youngest competitor in Forth Worth at age 23, Simonson moved out of the Under 25 ranks in 2025 shouldered riding horses for maecenas Heidi Humphries of Zen Elite Equestrian. Humphries, who made her fortunate with patented breast pumps, purchased Dutch Olympic team horse Indian Rock (by Apache x Vivaldi) as a confirmed WEG and LA Olympic hopeful for Simonson in December 2024.

Humphries' ambitions to bring U.S. Dressage back to its former glory (remember a decade ago under Debbie McDonald's leadership) seem limitless.  She is sponsoring riders Adrienne Lyle and her student Simonson, as well as competitions (Global Dressage Festival, WCF). Her company Zen Elite is the title sponsor of the 2026 World Cup Finals and there seems a clear vision behind the investment, creating a launchpad for Simonson and Indian Rock towards WEG in Aachen, even though Christian's coach Adrienne has not (yet) shown any of Heidi's confirmed Grand Prix horses  in 2026 (Helix, Lars van de Hoenederheide)

It's one thing to buy a Ferrari, but another to be able to drive it. While Christian's success with the first schoolmaster Heidi bought for him - Adelinde Cornelissen's former GP horse Fleau de Baian - has been okayish so far, the Emmelie Scholtens' trained and competed Indian Rock has lifted Christian to unprecedented heights in his career.  After only four CDI's together as a combination, they were the first to clinch the North American League ticket to the World Cup Finals. Hopes for a podium place finish proved not unrealistic.

Simonson rode the 13-year old KWPN stallion with much precision and a soft contact. The stallion has a massive neck and could stretch a bit more into the contact over the topline, so the horse lifts his back instead of hollowing it. The halt at entry was not immobile. The half passes were very balanced and showed nice crossing. At times the collected trot work looked a bit too passagey, especially after the canter. Good big reiback steps. In the trot extensions the horse needed to lengthen step and frame more to fulfil the criteria of a true extension. The first two piaffe-passages were carefully ridden and soft footed. There was plenty of overtrack and relaxation in the extended walk. There was an early transition to the passage though. The two's were carefully ridden with the ones to the right appearing bigger in scope than to the left. The horse gets a bit more mouthy in the canter work but Simonson kept a quiet contact. The zig zag became a bit counter-bent in the final half passes. The ones were smooth. It's striking how much better the tempi changes are under Simonson compared by Scholtens.  The exit of the first pirouette slightly hesitant, in the right he almost jumps together with both hindlegs but they were well ridden overall. The final passage was expressive with an easy transition into piaffe. The exit was a little unbalanced, but finely corrected by Simonson. The last halt was immobile.

“It feels a bit surreal to even say that I’m here at a World Cup Final, [let alone] be here with two people I really admire and have watched for so long,” he gushed. “’Rocky’ was amazing tonight. He is a horse that is just so dependable. I love him so much, and I think he and I have such a good bond together.”

Cup Winner in their Wake

Veteran World Cup rider and 2024 WCF winner Patrik Kittel piloted his 14-year old Swedish warmblood gelding Touchdown (by Quaterback x Sack) to a third place with 72.869%.  

Kittel made his 11th World Cup Finals appearance in Fort Worth and Touchdown has become his steady eddy with the usual high points (trot extensions, half passes, very nice two tempi changes) and flaws (trailing hindlegs in passage, very wide behind in piaffe). The regularity in the left half pass was better than in the right one. The horse at times bent to the left instead of straightened in the passage. They executed nice diagonal rein-back steps. Touchdown showed plenty of overtrack in the extended walk, even though the 4-beat rhythm is not crisp clear with a V-showing. The zig zag was tidy, the pirouettes well ridden.

"I was very pleased. Maybe a couple of points more I would have thought was in it, but I'm very happy," said Kittel after his test. "He's amazing to ride and train. I've had him since he was 7 and he has such a good temperament. The sweetest, kindest soul. He never lets you down. He always does his best. It's quite astonishing how good he is."

Mendoza Bringing the Emotion 

One of America's most liked competitors is North Carolina based Ecuadorean Julio Mendoza, who always brings a basket full of Latino emotion with him. After each ride there is always cheering, smiles, waving to the crowd, the usual tears, and his fingers pointing to the horse in celebration. It was no different in Fort Worth where he was the first to go into the arena for the Grand Prix and set the tone of the party.

Mendoza saddled his only Grand Prix horse:  the 15-year old Dutch warmblood Jewel's Goldstrike (by Bretton Woods x Scandic), which he bought from his friend Eliane Cordia-Van Reesema for a symbolic 20$ because she had no click with the chestnut.

The pair showed smooth half passes and good square halts, as well as sufficient overtrack in the trot extensions. There could be more bending and elasticity on the right lead.  The first piaffe was well on the spot, bit wide in front, but not rushed. The nose could have stretched a bit more out in the extended walk. There was a very nice second piaffe, but the passage at times gets a bit tricked looking. They produced safe tempi changes and zig zag. The left pirouette was the better one of the two. The final passage on the centerline was a slightly less well carried with the left hind stepping under a bit more than the right, but they rode smooth transitions in and out of the piaffe at X.

Mendoza scored 72,000% for fourth place but there was quite a spread between the judges' individual scores. The judge at C (Warren) saw 69.565% in the ride, while Umbach was more optimistic with a whopping 74.457%.

"I'm grateful for where I am now," said Julio after his test. "Goldstrike is a joy to have in the stable every day. Everybody wants to spoil him. He is a joy to ride. He always wants to do better. He lives in the field 24/7 outside. He comes in 45 minutes before my ride. I try to keep him happy by trail riding him twice a week. I try to push him to be a horse."

Sysojeva Settles for Fifth Place

Belgian based Polish rider Sandra Sysojeva ride her 10-year old Oldenburg mare Maxima Bella (by Millennium x Christ) to a fifth place with 71.696%.

Sysojeva rode trot extensions quietly without pushing but there was 'only' one hoof overtrack and a frontleg flashing much shoulder freedom in the first two. The trot half passes to the left could be a little smoother, but they were ground covering. The rein back was a little crooked but obedient. The piaffe and passage are the mare's strongpoint with impeccable rhythm and fluent transitions. The second piaffe was ridden early to the marker. There was good overstride in the extended walk and the collected was very clear in the 4-beat rhythm. In canter, however, the two's were rather short and the extended canter was ridden with a half-halting hand. The ground cover could have been bigger in the canter work. There was a small but slow striding left pirouette, but it got better on the right. The third trot extension was the best one. Unfortunately she halted a second in the piaffe at X but Sysojeva corrected it immediately.

"This time it was not so good. I made quite many mistakes. I'm not happy about myself," Sysojeva said after her ride. "I've had Maxima Bella since she was three. We passed through all the difficulties and now we are already competing for the third year at Grand Prix. I tried to ride her at less as possible. She always offers as much as she can. That's very good. I want to keep her happy."

Finals Culiminate with Freestyle on Saturday

By scoring above 60%, all 16 combinations in the competition qualified for Saturday's Grand Prix Freestyle, which will determine the World Cup Champion.

The Grand Prix Kur begins at 19h00 on 11 April 2026, which means European fans will have to burn the midnight oil once more if they want to watch the freestyle live streamed.

Related Links
Scores: 2026 World Cup Finals
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2025-2026 World Cup show circuit and finals