Veronica and Greg Steward appointed as Para Dressage Stewards for the 2026 World Championships in Aachen

Australian officials Veronica and Greg Steward have been appointed as Para Dressage Stewards for the FEI World Championships in Aachen in 2026, one of the most prestigious assignments on the international equestrian calendar, and the latest milestone in a stewarding partnership that has already taken them to a Paralympic Games.

The pair were invited late in 2025 by Chief Steward Jaana Alverspaar, ahead of what will be their first time officiating at Aachen, having previously attended only as spectators, except a test event held at the venue in April 2026.

“Honoured and delighted,” was the pair's reaction to the news. “Working with a great group of people who have become friends, at arguably the greatest event in the equestrian calendar, at the most prestigious venue.”

“It is a privilege and enormous opportunity to be part of such a great event,” they added. “Very few people are as fortunate as us to do so, and we are grateful to those who have given us the opportunities to work at major events that lead to us being considered for selection.”

What they're looking forward to

For Veronica and Greg, much of the interest lies in the community that comes with major championships.

“Working with and catching up with a great group of people, both officials and athletes and their support crews,” they said of what they're most anticipating. “Over time you see the same faces, and it is a lovely environment.”

Building on the Paralympic experience

Veronica and Greg served as Para Dressage Stewards at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, and while Aachen will be a different experience, they expect it to be just as rewarding.

“Different, but equally if not more enjoyable,” they said, comparing the two. “The World Championships is arguably the biggest event in the equestrian calendar for some, and we will be closer to the venue than most Paralympics. Being only equestrian has some benefits and less overarching structure.”

At Paris, the pair worked under Juliet Whately, the FEI's Para-Dressage Chief Steward General, a relationship Veronica has built over more than a decade.

“I have worked with Jules since London 2012 at a number of championships and events,” Veronica said. “She is fabulous to work with and a great mentor to all. She has a lovely quiet and professional manner, with enough humour to keep everyone relaxed and encouraged.”

Whately wasn't directly involved in the Aachen invitation; however, it came through the Organising Committee on the recommendation of Chief Steward Jaana Alverspaar, another long-standing colleague.

“On this occasion she was not involved in the invitation, it was the OC at the recommendation of the chief steward, who I have also worked with since London, and who is an excellent organiser,” Veronica said. “Both are Level 4 FEI Stewards.”

Considering what the Paralympic experience demonstrated to them, the pair pointed to a handful of lessons they'll carry into Aachen: the role of teamwork within a large operation, working across a wide variety of nations, staying aware that everything is visible and that timing and structure matter, and above all remembering that for many teams, this is the biggest event they may ever compete at.

The role of a Para Dressage Steward

Stewarding operates largely behind the scenes, but it's essential to a fair and smoothly run championship. Veronica explained that a Para Dressage Steward's role closely mirrors that of a Dressage Steward, with several additional responsibilities layered on top.

A typical steward's role can include stable rotation, supervising lunging and horses outside the stables, overseeing schooling, training and warm-up arenas, and keeping the flow moving from warm-up into competition. For Para Dressage specifically, stewards also check that equipment in use is permitted, a bigger task in this discipline, given that “adaptive equipment” varies from athlete to athlete depending on individual physical needs. Stewards may also stand with commanders who call the test for some athletes, with companion horses (permitted for Grades I to III), and with callers or spotters positioned around the arena.

Horse welfare sits at the centre of it all. “All stewards are acutely aware of their responsibilities for horse welfare,” Veronica said. “This is paramount, and we have an obligation to ensure that this is always protected, including in stables, schooling and competition.”

Adaptive equipment checks are a particularly important part of the Para Dressage steward's job. “They perform two key roles: ensuring safety and assisting the athletes to maximise their potential, whilst ensuring a level playing field within and across all grades,” Veronica said. “It is the steward's role to ensure only permitted equipment is used, and in a safe and approved way.”

Teamwork at the heart of it

Close collaboration with the Chief Steward and Ground Jury underpins the whole operation. “Teamwork is important in all sport and equestrian disciplines,” the pair said. “We are extremely fortunate that the people involved in Para Dressage are a particularly friendly and cohesive group worldwide, and there is close interaction and communication between all the officials in the interest of the sport, the welfare of the horse and the safety of the athletes.”

Interestingly, the scale of a World Championships doesn't necessarily make the job harder. “In many ways the larger competitions are easier, as there is a lot of pre-event communication and preparation,” they explained. “You have a bigger team and often more clearly defined roles, and access to arenas and training areas is more structured.” Language can occasionally play a role, though this is rare, since the chef de mission or team manager is usually the point of contact. “From a stewarding perspective, the bigger events are often easier, as there is a clear hierarchy through to the Chief Steward and Technical Delegate.”

A career built across disciplines

Away from major international assignments, both Veronica and Greg hold significant officiating roles within Australia. Veronica is the FEI Steward Adviser (Steward General) for Para Dressage in Australia, as well as a Dressage and Para Dressage judge, judge educator, and FEI Eventing judge. Greg is an FEI Steward across Para Dressage, Eventing, Dressage and Showjumping.

That dual experience across judging and stewarding, Veronica says, feeds into how she does both jobs. “There is an improving level of communication and interaction between judges and stewards, and I think all judges would benefit from having some stewarding experience, as you gain a different perspective when observing outside the competition arena,” she said. “In fact, the FEI now ask candidate judges, as part of their upgrade format, to spend a minimum number of hours working with stewards, and strongly encourages the development of good working relationships across all officials.”

So what keeps them coming back, year after year, championship after championship? “Apart from the enjoyment and satisfaction gained from contributing to the sport, we have developed some wonderful friendships and seen many parts of the world we may not otherwise have.”

Advice for aspiring officials

For any Australian official eyeing a similar pathway, Veronica and Greg's advice is simple: get involved.

“We thoroughly recommend that you get involved in Para Dressage stewarding, it is really rewarding, and you can make some lifelong friendships,” they said. “Get involved at national level, and we encourage you to become a national dressage steward. From there you can progress to becoming an FEI Para Dressage steward.”

Veronica and Greg said they are available to provide guidance to those interested in following a similar path in Para Dressage stewarding.

Go Aussies

With Aachen set to draw a strong Australian contingent, Veronica and Greg are looking forward to being part of the wider team effort. “There will be lots of Australians at Aachen as spectators and team members, as well as officials, and I am sure that everyone will get behind and support our athletes - go Aussies.”

We congratulate Veronica and Greg on this outstanding appointment and thank them for their continued service to our sport. We wish them both the very best as they prepare for Aachen.