The KWPN society has announced the horses that are chosen to represent KWPN and The Netherlands at the 2026 World Championships for young dressage horses in Verden on 5 - 9 August 2026.
Selectors Johan Hamminga, Alex van Silfhout and Janine van Twist picked the final team after the third and last trial held in Ermelo on 22 June 2026. A long list had been drafted after the second trial in Delft at the end of May.
Confidence
"We are heading to Verden with confidence,” said Johan Hamminga. “It is always a matter of waiting to see what the other countries have, but we are certainly bringing a number of good combinations this year.”
Hamminga continued, "we started a bit earlier due to the weather conditions, but it actually wasn't too bad. It was warm, but there was a light breeze and nice stables were available for the horses. We had two rings available to coach the combinations after the tests. It was a well-organized and enjoyable day. We have a strong leading group in every age category. The riders have trained hard and we have several very good riders who were able to follow our instructions easily. Good tests were performed and the riding is getting better and better. That is necessary, too, because a truly clear test is required in Verden. Our Dutch riders are getting better and better at that.”
Noteworthy
Like all years before not a single Friesian survived the cut, but one was named second reserve.
Exciting late submission to the team is double World Young Horse Champion Red Viper, who was not present at the first two trials. Rider Dinja van Liere sighed in relief as she said it was "a really tough time with him" when "he suffered from a very nasty infection in his tooth and nerve." Dinja added, "Sometimes you can’t even begin to imagine what a milestone this is after nearly half a year of real misery – which was even more awful for him than it was for us. I’m sooo sooo sooo incredibly proud of how he performed today! He’s definitely not quite back to full strength yet, but what a champion he is."
Biggest absentee is the 5-year old World Champion Proud James, who was on the long list with owner and rider Annabella Pidgley after the second trial, but not on the final team.
The Dutch Team
5-year olds
- Lord Charmeur (by Lord Europe) - Janina Tietze
- Ready to Rumble (by Le Formidable) - Saskia Poel
- Real Dream (by Dynamic Dream) - Sadie Smith
- Rituals De La Fazenda (by Magnum De La Fazenda) - Thalia Rockx
- Rose-Bel Taonga (by Kjento) - Franka Loos
- Royal Esther Svn (by Toto Jr) - Danielle Heijkoop
- Own reserve: Renzo (by Kjento) - Sadie Smith
- Own reserve: Rockstar (by Le Formidable) - Saskia Poel
- Reserve: Rendez-Vous (by Kjento) - Moisés Jover Azuar
6-year olds
- Fiji (by For Romance) - Kim Alting
- Perfect Ritme (by Lord Europe) - Kim Noordijk
- Pina Colada (by Governor) - Kirsten Brouwer
- Pythagoras Wk (by All at Once) - Franka Loos
- Roman Empire (by Romanov) - Bart Veeze
- Tie Break (by Toto Jr) - Leonie Richter
- Reserve 1: Pjethro (vby Kjento) - Sadie Smith
- Reserve 2: Mattie P Fan Dulve (by Pier 448) - Danielle Heijkoop
7-year olds
- Red Viper (by Romanov) - Dinja van Liere
- Obsession Taonga (by Vitalis) - Lara van Nek
- Odi Murona (by Blue Hors Farrell) - Tessa Kole
- Ohio (by Kaiman) - Kirsten Brouwer
- O’Toto van de Wimphof (by Toto Jr) - Diederik van Silfhout
- Ozstralis Cottinglee (by Sir Donnerhall) - Kirsten Brouwer
- Reserve 1: Hexagon’s Oprahmanda (by Diamond Hit) - Tessa Kole
- Reserve 2: Oberon (by Kensington) - Daria Sushchinskaya
Photo © Digishots
Related Links
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2026 World Championships for Young Dressage Horses
Thirty-Six Horses Remain after Second 2026 Dutch WCYH Team Selection Trial
Participants for the First Dutch WCYH Team Selection Trial of 2026