Australia Names Its Full Team for the 2026 FEI World Championships in Aachen

The Australian Equestrian Team is locked in for Aachen. With the final rosters now confirmed across all six disciplines, Australia will be represented in dressage, eventing, jumping, para dressage, driving and vaulting when the 2026 FEI World Championships — the tenth edition of the Games, and the event long known as the World Equestrian Games — run at the famous Soers in Aachen, Germany, from 11–23 August 2026.

It's a milestone Championships in more ways than one. For the team events in dressage, jumping and eventing, Aachen is the first qualifying opportunity for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, adding an extra edge to an already fiercely contested fortnight of world-class sport.

Here's who will be flying the flag for Australia.

Dressage

Equestrian Australia has named a four-combination dressage team blending deep championship experience with fresh faces. The squad features six-time Olympian Mary Hanna with her Paris Olympic reserve horse Ivanhoe, two-time Olympian Simone Pearce with Will Marq, Paris Olympian Will Matthew with the young Grand Prix mare Faye 43, and championship team debutant Warwick McLean aboard the up-and-coming Le Special.

Team

• Mary Hanna – Ivanhoe

• Simone Pearce – Will Marq

• Will Matthew – Faye 43

• Warwick McLean – Le Special

Reserve

• Jemma Heran – Total Recall

Eventing

The eventing squad brings together seasoned campaigners and exciting young talent. Leading the way is eight-time Olympian Andrew Hoy with his Aachen specialist Vassily de Lassos, alongside 2026 Adelaide CCI5* winner Oliver Barrett and runner-up Sam Woods — a group noted for its strong jumping records.

Team

• Oliver Barrett – Sandhills Briar

• Olivia Barton – APH Sodoku

• Sophia Hill – Humble Glory

• Andrew Hoy – Vassily de Lassos

• Sam Woods – SS Eight Count

From this team of five, four will make up the World Championship Team and one will be selected as the World Championship Individual, decided at or before the first horse inspection in Aachen.

Reserves: Isabel English (Cil Dara Bombay S), Sophia Hill (Tulara Baltango), Sam Jeffree (Santoro) and Kevin McNab (Faro Imp).

Eventing gets underway with dressage on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 August, cross country on 15 August, and the concluding jumping phase on Sunday 16 August.

Jumping

A five-combination jumping team has been named, headed by team captain Edwina Tops-Alexander, with Jamie Winning-Kermond — fresh from representing the Australian League at this year's FEI Jumping World Cup Final — also selected.

Team

• Edwina Tops-Alexander – Fellow Castlefield

• Jamie Winning-Kermond – Tulara Wat Colblensky

• Rowan Willis – Handsome

• Thaisa Erwin – Hialita B

• Tom McDermott – Oaks Ventriloquist

Reserve

• Hilary Scott– Lola

A team of four contests the Championships, so a final four is expected to be confirmed from the five selected combinations following the training session and warm-up class in Aachen.

Para Dressage

Following an eight-month selection process, Equestrian Australia has named what it describes as one of Australia's most competitive para dressage teams in recent years — with three athletes ranked inside the world's top six, including current Grade V World No.1 Lisa Martin. The team will complete a three-week staging camp in the Netherlands before heading to Aachen.

Team

• Bridget Murphy – Penmain Promise (Grade II)

• Dianne Barnes – Tjibbe B (Grade IV)

• Lisa Martin – Villaggio (Grade V)

• Mietta Innes-Irons – Sir Helmut (Grade V)

Reserves: Kylie Christian (Ivan Carlos, Grade I), Claire Graham (Furst Olli, Grade III) and Helen Batson (MSJ Tia Fortuna, Grade IV).

Para dressage competition runs from 19–23 August.

Driving

Australia's four-in-hand driving representation comes in the formidable shape of Boyd Exell and Tor Van Den Berge. Although a team of two with no drop score, they have already proven they can win at Aachen — last year the duo claimed the Nations Cup at CHIO Aachen, ending the Dutch team's 18-year reign in that event. Exell is one of the sport's greatest, having taken individual gold at the FEI World Championships on no fewer than seven occasions.

Vaulting

The vaulting contingent features two individuals and a six-athlete squad, with Ginger Kennett once again set to represent Australia on the world stage.

Individuals

• Ginger Kennett

• Bronagh Miskelly

Squad

• Nicki Coleman

• Tegan Davis

• Tigerlily Jakeman

• Erin Ryan

• Ivy Sykes

• Eliza Wark-Chapman

Squad reserves: Ginger Kennett and Bronagh Miskelly.

How to watch

Every moment of the 2026 FEI World Championships will be broadcast live and on demand via ClipMyHorse.TV.

Congratulations to all of our athletes, their horses, owners and support teams. Bring on Aachen — go Aussies!