Becky Moody (GBR) and Jagerbomb during the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle at the Longines Equita Lyon 2025 (FRA) ©FEI/Lukasz Kowalski
After another exciting FEI Dressage World Cup™ season, featuring the very best combinations in the world, the final line-up for the Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Fort Worth (USA) has been confirmed. From 8 to 12 April, Athletes will compete for the title at the impressive Dickies Arena in the Texan city.
Throughout the extended 2025–2026 FEI Dressage World Cup™ season, points were contested across four leagues. A total of 36 qualifiers were held in the Western European League, the North American League, the Pacific League and the Central European League.
Until mid-March, the battle for points remained open in the Central European League, North American League and Western European League. The final combinations secured their tickets during the last qualifiers in Motešice (SVK), Wellington (USA) and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED). In total, 18 combinations from 15 different Nations have qualified to contest the Final in Fort Worth.
A new champion to be crowned
Defending champion Charlotte Fry (GBR) has confirmed that she will not travel to Texas with Glamourdale (owned by the Athlete and Van Olst Horses), opening the door for a new and exciting contest at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.
Fry and Glamourdale won the Western European League qualifiers in London and Amsterdam and finished a close second in ’s-Hertogenbosch, but the pair will not be seen in action in Fort Worth.
Western European League contenders
Nine combinations from the Western European League have qualified to make the journey to Texas. Much attention will be on the FEI Dressage World Cup™ winners of 2024 in Riyadh (KSA), Patrik Kittel (SWE) and Touchdown (owned by Sommarkvarn AB).
Kittel competed in Basel (SUI) last year with Forever Young HRH, but returns to the Final with Touchdown. This season, the pair finished in the top three in Herning (DEN), Stuttgart (GER) and Gothenburg (SWE), although a win eluded them. The experienced Swede will be aiming to change that in Fort Worth.
Strong competition is guaranteed. Becky Moody (GBR) qualified from just three appearances with her homebred Jagerbomb (owned by Moody and Jo Cooper), finishing second in both Lyon and London, and a third place in Amsterdam.
Raphael Netz (GER), fourth in the league standings, competed this season with DSP Dieudonne and the more experienced Great Escape Camelot (owned by Sonja Krall and Theres Boss), with whom he placed fifth in the 2024 Final in Riyadh. Netz will travel to Texas with ‘Camelot’.
He is joined by fellow German Moritz Treffinger (GER), the youngest Athlete in this year’s Final at just 22 years of age. Treffinger also competed with two horses this season, but will ride the chestnut Fiderdance (owned by Gestüt Bonhomme GmbH & Co. KG) in Fort Worth.
The Netherlands will be represented by Thamar Zweistra, who will partner with Kingsdale (owned by Marieke Ponzo Dieu-De Pundert), having competed in the qualifiers in Mechelen and Neumünster with this horse.
Morgan Barbançon (FRA) will present the oldest horse in the field, the 20-year-old stallion Sir Donnerhall II OLD (owned by the Athlete and Marie Carmen Mestre Pons).
Also representing the Western European League are Carina Cassøe Krüth (DEN) with Heiline’s Danciera (owned by Poul Thøgersen), Bettina Kendlbacher (AUT) with Broadmoars Don Alfredo AWÖ (owned by Broadmoar KG) and Alexa Fairchild (BEL) and Fairplay (owned by the Athlete and AF Equestrian LDA).
North American League
The North American League remained competitive until the final qualifier. Over 10 events, three Final tickets were available.
The 23-year-old Christian Simonson (USA) had already secured his place well in advance with the stallion Indian Rock (owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center). The pair have been unbeaten since April 2025, winning qualifiers in Myakka City, Ocala and Wellington, all on home soil.
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu (CAN) secured her ticket with Jaccardo (owned by Jill Irving). After winning in Toronto (CAN), she also delivered strong performances in Florida (USA). It will be her first FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final.
At the final qualifier in Wellington (USA), Kevin Kohmann (USA) claimed the last available spot with his gelding Duenensee (owned by Diamante Farms), qualifying for his third consecutive Final.
Central European League
The Central European League spanned 13 qualifiers between May 2025 and early March 2026, with just two Final places on offer.
Sandra Sysojeva (POL) topped the standings with 80 points aboard Maxima Bella (owned by Sysojeva, Piet Lenskens and Dominika Krasko Bialek). The striking black mare became a firm crowd favourite, with the pair winning four qualifiers this season. They finished seventh in the 2025 Final in Basel.
Justina Vanagaite-Samuile (LTU) also qualified with Nabab (owned by Vanagaite-Samuile, Jurga Girniute-Bogdaniene and Ramunas Bogdanas). She previously competed in the Finals in Omaha (USA, 2023) and Riyadh (KSA, 2024).
Pacific League
The Pacific League consisted of three qualifiers in Australia: Werribee in March, Sydney in October and Werribee again in December.
Overall winner Mary Hanna (AUS) will not travel to Fort Worth with Ivanhoe, opting to skip what would have been her seventh FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final, despite winning the December qualifier in Werribee.
Her absence opens the door for second-placed Serena Ireland (AUS), who will compete with Royalty R (owned by the Athlete). Ireland placed third in Werribee in March and second at the same venue in December.
Non-league and FEI Extra Starting Place
The non-league starting place has been allocated to Julio Mendoza Loor (ECU) with Jewel’s Goldstrike (owned by Mendoza Loor and Jessica Mendoza), as the highest-ranked non-league Athlete on the FEI Dressage World Ranking List.
Mendoza Loor and his eye-catching chestnut competed in qualifiers in Lerma St Vincent (MEX) in November and Wellington (USA) in February, finishing third on both occasions.
The first FEI Extra Starting Place goes to Yessin Rahmouni (MAR) with Kind of Magic. This relatively new combination only made their CDI debut in Kronenberg (NED) at the end of November 2025, progressing through Lier to The Dutch Masters in ’s-Hertogenbosch. At just their third international show and first FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier, they immediately secured qualification for the Final. It will be Rahmouni’s second FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final appearance, following his participation in Leipzig in 2022 with All At Once, the sire of his current horse Kind of Magic.
The second FEI Extra Starting Place, allocated to fill the empty slot left by Charlotte Fry as title defender, goes to Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) and Alive and Kicking (owned by the Athlete), who is also sired by All At Once after participating at CDI-W events in London (GBR) and Amsterdam (NED) this season.
The Definite Entries list for the Zen Elite FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final can be found here