Wayne, Ill. — The U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions (FOC), the annual showcase of American dressage talent, returns to HITS Lamplight Equestrian Center in Northern Illinois for seven days of competition, August 24-30, 2026. Horse inspections begin on Sunday, August 23, ahead of a full slate of championships spanning para dressage, young and developing horses, and youth divisions, alongside the sport's top senior competitors. ©US Equestrian The following national championships...

Aachen, Germany – To close the Icon Global U.S. Jumping Team’s bid at the 2026 FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen, Germany, Laura Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) was 14th riding St. Brides Farm, Inc.’s, Baloutinue , and McLain Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) finished 21st aboard Michael Smith’s High Star Hero after the final day of jumping on Sunday, August 23, 2026. With two clear rounds already to their credit earlier in the week, Kraut and Baloutinue had an unlucky foot in...

Aachen, Germany – A trio of freestyle wins on the final day of the FEI Para Dressage World Championship capped the U.S. Para Dressage Team’s medal tally at six in Aachen, Germany. Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes ; Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Fla.) aboard Vianne ; and Marie Vonderheyden (Wellington, Fla.) on Fan Tastico H each rode to gold in their respective freestyle grades to ceremoniously end the 2026 FEI World Championships on a high note for the U.S. in the...

Aachen, Germany – Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) drove his team of Amadeus, Despardo, Kadora, Julius V, and Nico Tuesje C* to a bronze medal at the 2026 FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hands in Aachen, Germany. Weber ended on a combined score of 156.7 after his world championship record-breaking dressage test on opening day gave him a significant edge. Competition concluded on Sunday, August 23, with The Defender U.S. Driving Team ending their championship after a day of cones on...

Aachen, Germany – The U.S. Para Dressage Team, comprised of Rebecca Hart (Wellington, Fla.) riding Floratina ; Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes ; Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Fla.) aboard Vianne ; and Marie Vonderheyden (Wellington, Fla.) on Fan Tastico H have won a thrilling team gold medal at the 2026 FEI Para Dressage World Championship on Saturday, August 22, in Aachen, Germany. After four FEI Para Grand Prix B tests across Grades I through IV over two days, a final team...

Aachen, Germany – Marathon day commenced on Saturday, August 22, at the 2026 FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hands. It was a rainy day in Aachen, Germany adding a new level of challenge to the already precise eight-obstacle course. The Defender U.S. Driving Team is currently placed fifth on a combined score of 333.26 and will contest the final phase of competition tomorrow where they will be back in the ring for individual and team medals. Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) drove his...

Aachen, Germany – The Icon Global U.S. Jumping Team held on for a fourth-place finish at the 2026 FEI Jumping World Championship in Aachen, Germany, on Friday, August 21, 2026, anchored by a clear round from six-time U.S. Olympian McLain Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) riding Michael Smith’s High Star Hero to finish on a team total of 16.85 penalties. “McLain showed us tonight why he's the anchor: he's done it before, and that's why he goes last,” said Chef...

Aachen, Germany – U.S. Para Dressage athletes made a strong showing in the FEI Para Grand Prix Test B for Grades I, II, and III on Friday during the first day of team competition at the 2026 FEI Para Dressage World Championships in Aachen, Germany, running through August 23, 2026. Cumulative scores currently have the U.S. Para Dressage Team sitting in medal contention overnight with one more team ride to come. Topping the FEI Grand Prix Para Test B for Grade I on a personal best score of...

Aachen, Germany – Sixteen-year-old JJ Torano (Wellington, Fla.) made a storybook debut in Aachen’s main stadium by winning the STAWAG-Prize CSIY for Young Riders aboard Lyon 50 during the 2026 FEI World Championships hosted in Aachen, Germany, and running through August 23, 2026. “That was so much fun,” mused Torano after his round. “There's no better place to win than Aachen. When we heard about this opportunity [to compete during the FEI World Championships],...

Aachen, Germany – The Defender U.S. Driving Team sits in third place on a combined score of 81.84 at the 2026 FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hands, held in Aachen, Germany, from August 17-23, 2026. Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) and James Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) drove down centerline Friday in the historic venue, finishing the dressage phase for the Defender U.S. Driving Team. Weber brought the drama as he broke his own World Championship Dressage record, scoring an 81.083%,...