Sweet Victory for Laura Franziska Riegel at the 2026 Aachen Dressage Days

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2026 Aachen Dressage Days

German Laura Franziska Riegel called the shots in the Intermediaire I at the 2026 Aachen Dressage Days CDI on 4 - 6 May 2026.

Riegel and her 2019 Bundeschampion mare Caty OLD (by Sir Donnerhall x Furst Heinrich) were third in the Prix St Georges with 68.333% but clocked a sweet victory in the Intermediaire I with 69.167%. She also competed the 14-year old Hanoverian gelding Dior (by De Niro x Florencio) with whom she placed fourth in the Prix St Georges (68.235%) and third in the Inter I (67.941%).

Sweet Victory

When Eurodressage asked Laura if she expected to win, the level-headed Riegel replied, "my goal at every competition is simply to give my very best and to present my horses in the best possible way. To achieve a win, many different factors have to come together. The Aachen Dressage Days are known for their highly international field of competitors, and in the tour where I competed with Caty and Dior, riders from 16 different nations were represented. In that kind of field, it’s always difficult to predict beforehand where you might end up in the rankings."

On Dior at the 2026 Aachen Dressage Days

The weather conditions in Aachen were not ideal with a downpour of rain coming during their ride.

"Caty seems to really enjoy the atmosphere in Aachen. From the moment we entered the arena, she felt amazing. Despite the difficult weather conditions, with the rain pouring down, she stayed completely focused, kept trying her heart out, and gave me such a wonderful feeling throughout the entire test," said Laura. "As a rider, that’s the best feeling you can have, when everything flows naturally together with your horse. I would definitely say it was one of her best performances at this level so far."

The Next Step

The 23-year old Riegel came through the system, from pony rider to Young Rider, before stepping into the senior division in 2024. In recent years she mainly shows at CDI's in Germany with one cross-border sidestep to the CDI Kronenberg in The Netherlands.

She has been slowly working on making the transition to Under 25 Grand Prix level.

"U25 is definitely the direction I’m aiming for with both Caty and Dior," Laura explained. "However, the step from S** to S*** is a significant one. (..) At the moment, I’m working on developing both horses towards S*** level at home, and hopefully we’ll be ready for our first starts there in the near future. It’s also a special challenge when both horse and rider are new to a level, because it’s not only about educating the horses, it’s also about me continuing to learn how to prepare, ride, and present them correctly at this stage. In many ways, it’s a journey we’re taking together.

She added, "that’s exactly what makes our sport so special: the opportunity to grow and develop together with your horse as a partnership. I´m excited to see where it will take us."

Expert Framework

Laura is fortunate to have her own yard in Bonn, Germany, as great grand daughter of Hans Riegel, the founder of the multinational candy company Haribo. She has been very serious about the sport and has a good supportive framework set up to fine-tune her skills in the saddle.

"For several years, I’ve been working with Marcus Hermes, and for some time my horses and I were also based at his yard in Warendorf. When I started my studies three years ago, I decided to move back to Bonn with the horses because it made balancing university and riding much easier," she said.

"I still train with Marcus from time to time, and I’m very grateful for his continued support and input," she continued. "At home, I train together with my father, Arndt Riegel, who also accompanies me to all my competitions and supports me throughout the entire process. He knows me and the horses extremely well, so having him by my side, both at home and at shows, means a great deal to me."

Combining Academics with Riding

Laura is not a professional rider and has opted to continue to train her brain as well, combining a horsey life with academic targeted at business and economics.

"I recently completed my Bachelor’s degree in Management at the University of Witten/Herdecke and will begin my Master’s degree in Management at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management in September," she said. "Fortunately, I have a wonderful team at home and a great deal of support around me, which allows me to combine my studies, competitions, and the horses very successfully."

When asked if she wants to commit to riding after her studies or step into a professional life in a company, Laura admitted she does not know yet.

"At this stage, I am still exploring which career path suits me best," she disclosed. "Fortunately, I still have two years during my Master’s to gain experience and make that decision thoughtfully. One thing I do know is that horses and riding will always remain an important part of my life. While I do not see it as a professional career, it is definitely my greatest passion and an important balance alongside my studies and future work."