Aachen 2026: A stupendous Silver medal and an emotional goodbye

Sunday saw the 2026 FEI World Equestrian Games draw to a close for our dressage riders. After a thrilling two weeks of results, Jemima Green rounded off the British campaign to bring home a silver freestyle medal, whilst Mari Durward-Akhurst announces the retirement of her iconic dancing partner.

© FEI / Leanjo de Koster

Grade II rider Jemima Green had a fantastic finish to her FEI World Championships, bringing home a silver medal in the Freestyle performance and absolutely smashing her old personal best out of the park with a score of 80.933%. For her artistic mark, Jemima blew away judges Marc Urban (E – BEL), Katherine Lucheschi (H – ITA), Kjell Myhre (C – NOR), Kristi Wysocki (M – USA) and Marco Orsini (B – GER), scoring between 83.000 and 86.600%. In the technical, Jemima and Fanta were greatly awarded for their supple, commanding trot work, and accurate, active walk, coming away with technical scores between 76.667% and 81.667%. The pair entered in trot to an orchestral version of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’, which carried on throughout the trot work, providing the perfect backdrop to their super work produced. In the walk, the pair glided through the leg yields, circles, and free walk to a compilation of Ellie Goulding’s ‘Love Me Like You Do’ and FADED’s ‘Where Are You Now’.

“I came out of it not really knowing what to expect, so when I was told 'I think we’ve got a silver, I was like ‘pardon?!'" Jemima went on to explain that “There was mistakes but actually he was relaxed; we had a trip, and a couple of transitions he was just a bit behind me so I just kept trying to ride it, I was enjoying my music, which is lovely. […] My first medium trot was not strong, so immediately I was like ‘right I need to do another one’, and that one was better. I do all my trot work and then do all my walk work, and actually that suits him better. In the free walk across the long diagonal, he really let go and stretched for me, and he really moved to the beat of the music… when he’s like that it really does just flow so well, then it feels soft which is lovely.”

Speaking about her first World Championship experience, Jemima mentioned that “Without any of them [her support team] here I wouldn’t have been able to do this, the whole of British Equestrian and Agria supporting us, we couldn’t be here without the full support. And there’s no way I could have done this without all the coaches, the Chef d’Equipe, trainers, farriers, everybody. It is a full, full team and I so appreciate it. Because the difference on him from two days ago to today, the little tweaks and the conversations between everyone has really made that.

“It has been overwhelming and exhausting! I think mentally I have found this one of the hardest shows – I think with everything going on and the pressure – I don’t think I’ve really felt the pressure but mentally I have, I came in today just really prepared with myself. I’ve been watching my music videos and visualising, I’m a very visual person and so that has helped today. I went to bed early last night and I’ve been trying to really think about how I’m going to perform at my best, and that has definitely helped. It has been an incredible experience”

For Grade I rider Mari Durward-Akhurst, this final test at the World Championships represented more than many of us knew going into it, as an emotional Mari announced the retirement of her fantastic mare, Athene Lindebjerg. With an incredible career spanning over ten years, the Gribaldi-sired mare completed her final centre line to finish in eighth place on 67.853%. Unfortunately, this was a difficult test of Mari as Athene lost her forwardness towards the end and was reluctant to keep going. Despite this, Mari persevered to complete the test: “She’s made my dreams come through. I don’t think I’d be the athlete I am now without her and everything she’s taught me. And I think that’s a sign she wants to retire so I think it’s the perfect time really, she can go and live in the field and have a wonderful time. She doesn’t owe Great Britain anymore!

“She’s retiring now, the World Championships was her last competition, and we’d have liked to go out with a different sort of bang, but I think she’ll be remembered for life now. But honestly everything she’s given me – she got me to my first Paralympics, my first individual medal at the Paralympics, Europeans and Worlds and she’s just absolutely incredible, and I can’t thank Di [Diane Redfern], Romilly [Hart], South Bucks RDA, and Athene for everything because it’s been absolutely amazing.

“We always knew this would be our last competition together, so it’s been an emotional week. I really wanted her to go out on the high of winning a gold, but I think she’s been at the highest level for ten years and obviously to come back to Paris having had children, she’s just incredible… but to end with a silver [in the individual], you can’t want more than that!”

Athene, who is also known as "The Duchess" at home, made her international debut with Sophie Christiansen back in 2015, where the pair dominated their field and never slipped off the top step of that podium. Following their glory at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, Athene made her debut with Julia Payne in 2017, and attended the Gothenberg European Championships later that year. Again, the mare never finished below first place. Finally, Mari made her international debut with Athene in 2023 at the Hartpury CPEDI3*. Over the last three years, this unstoppable duo achieved bronze at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, triple Bronze (team, individual and freestyle) at the 2025 European Champions in Ermelo, and have rounded off their career with a silver medal in the individual competition at the beginning of the week. On behalf of everyone at BDHQ, we would like to congratulate and thank Athene for her fantastic achievements over the years, and wish her the most fantastic and well-deserved retirement. 

Nicola Naylor also produced a brilliant test, finishing within touching distance of the medals with a final score of 76.505%. This jam-packed freestyle test was super energetic, technical and engaging, scoring 7.0s and 7.5s throughout to leave them on solid technical marks between 71.750% and 75.500%. Humberto remained focused, uphill and enthusiastic throughout the test, getting over his stage-fright spooks that the pair experienced in the Grand Prix B test. Their artistic marks sat around the 80.000% mark from all of the judges, and earned them an enthusiastic applause from the audience.

“I thought after yesterday it was great because he was so much more with me, so much more settled, willing to listen, take a breath, I took a breath!”, Nicola remarked, “It just felt smoother and it felt like he was in a happier place as well, which give the crowds and given the noise is amazing. He was really good.

“He’s full of beans! He’s definitely up for it, and that’s been the thing to try and temper that a little bit, just keep him on side, he’s very enthusiastic. It’s a very busy freestyle, we have crammed a huge amount In, it’s literally movement after movement after movement. We’ve done that deliberately because he likes to be busy, the more he does the happier he is. If it’s just endless cantering down the long side, he gets a bit not sure what he’s meant to be doing. But give him something to do and he’s really happy.

“The medium canters were great, I think they were really nice, I think all the canter tour actually was nice I think it just flowed really smoothly. […] he was really consistent, which is lovely, especially after yesterday where he was a bit all over the place, to get him back. It’s a great note to finish on – to have him consistent and happy, he’s never heard crowds like that before, he’s never heard clapping – so to give him that experience and for him to stay with me, I think is a great way to finish.

“He’s extraordinary, he’s like Mr Jekyll and Mr Hyde! He goes into the arena, has so much power and he is on it, and he could do test after test. You take him out and he goes, he sees the stewards and he literally drops his head and half shuts his eyes – it’s like he’s a donkey falling asleep! He just switches oof and is like ‘oh I’ve done that now’ and that’s him, he’s done and finished, and then you pick him up the next time and he’s full of power again.”

Finally Sophie Wells concluded her fifth World Championships in fourth position with 76.755%, just 0.685% off the podium. Aboard the Governor-sired mare MSJ Gold Standard, Sophie and Gracie danced their way round the Bridgerton-themed music compilation, which featured melodies from Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)’ throughout the trot tour, Michael Buble’s ‘Sway’ for the walk, and Madonna’s ‘La Isla Bonita’ highlighted the mare’s fantastic canter.

“The test was a bit of a mixed bag, she got a bit fresh outside, I didn’t know quite was I was going to get in there […] it was nice she was feeling energetic on day three! Some of the work felty good, some of the simple changes could have been better, I though the extended canter was quite bold. I had fun! I feel like it’s a really nice floorplan, the music’s fun, it’s really nice to go in and have some fun in there.”

Reflecting on their time at Aachen, Sophie explained that “It’s the first time we’ve done a competition with days in between – it’s a different thing to set them up in the right way and see what they need. Aachen is really cool, it’s really nice to come here and ride a horse that is super relaxed about everything, Aachen is just amazing – it was a proper dream on day one.

“The quality of riding is going up and we’ve just got to try and keep up with it and improve ourselves, the sport’s going from strength to strength. It was disappointing as it’s 4% off our best, but equally it wasn’t our best test in there either. There were mistakes, little things happened, it is what it is and we’ll just get home, regroup and get better.”

Speaking on her future with Gracie, Sophie revealed that: “the plan was always that she would be sold after the Worlds. We’ve got horses coming up at home, like Ontario – he did his first international at Hartpury this year. We’ll see what the future holds as we look towards LA.”

A huge congratulation go to the riders, their horses, and their support teams for their tremendous efforts over the week. We have an extremely exciting set of talents coming up through the ranks, both in Para and Senior dressage, and we look forward to seeing how everyone develops as we look towards the 2028 LA Olympics.

Results – top five and British riders

Grade I Freestyle

1. Marie Vonderheyden and Fan Tastico H, 80.540% (USA)

2. Sara Morganti and Bond Girl 18, 78.767% (ITA)

3. Rihards Snikus and Rise and Shine, 75.420% (LAT)

4. Massimiliano Chiatante and Fashion Girl, 75.360% (ITA)

5. Jody Schloss and El Colorado, 73.580% (CAN)

8. Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athene Lindebjerg, 67.853% (GBR)

Grade II Freestyle

1. Fiona Howard and Diamon Dunes, 81.866% (USA)

2. Jemima Green and Fantabulous, 80.933% (GBR)

3. Heidemarie Dresing and Poesie 143, 80.807% (GER)

4. Katrine Kristensen and Goerklintgaards Quarter, 79.307% (DEN)

5. Roberta Sheffield and Nardando, 71.060% (CAN)

Grade IV Freestyle

1. Kate Shoemaker and Vianne, 83.305% (USA)

2. Alexia Pittier and Sultan 768, 78.645% (FRA)

3. Helen Brandt and Vulkan Vegas IB, 78.005% (GER)

4. Nicola Naylor and Humberto L, 76.505% (GBR)

5. Vladimir Vinchon and Pegase Mayenne, 76.385% (FRA)

Grade V Freestyle

1. Lena Malmström and Fabulous Fidelie, 79.675% (SWE)

2. Regine Mispelkamp and Highlander Delight's, 78.185% (GER)

3. Britney de Jong and Caramba N.O.P., 77.440% (NED)

4. Sophie Wells and MSJ Gold Standard, 76.755% (GBR)

5. Jonna Aaltonen and Laxton for U, 74.605% (FIN)

FULL RESULTS