He went on to stress “the exceptional signal effect of the horse show for Stuttgart in its role as a sport and event location”. The CEO is already looking forward to not only the equestrianism but also “the special atmosphere in the arena and the many encounters with competitors, partners, exhibitors, our experienced team and naturally the visitors.”
The fact that the equestrian fans are also looking forward to the horse show and its 24 classes is shown by the advance ticket sales: “As of today, about 40,000 tickets have been sold,” said Guido von Vacano, “and there are still tickets available for all nine sessions.” The organisers are expecting a total of over 160 riders from 22 nations, and they will travel with almost 300 horses.
Eighteen medallists at the Aachen World Championships will be competing in Stuttgart. They include Dutchmen Koos de Ronde, Ijsbrand Chardon and Bram Chardon – the winners of this year’s team driving World Championship – the Australian Boyd Exell, who won the individual driving World Championship for the third time plus the team third-placed Glenn Geerts (Belgium). Also in action will be the whole German team – Anna Sandmann (6th), Anna Mareike Meier (8th) and Christoph Sandmann (13th) – they claimed fourth place in the team competition. Exell has won 11 times in Stuttgart, Ijsbrand Chardon in 2016 and 2018, de Ronde in 2011.
Numerous favourites in the World Cup jumping class for the Grand Prix of Stuttgart
Saddling up in the jumping classes in Stuttgart are, for instance, the three individual medal winners in Aachen. The new world champion Steve Guerdat (Switzerland), the Belgian Thibeau Spits (silver) and third-placed Harry Charles (GBR). Guerdat won the GERMAN MASTER in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in 2024 and is likely to face tough opposition in Richard Vogel, the recently crowned team world champion, reigning European champion and two-time winner of the Grand Prix of Stuttgart (2022 and 2024) as well as the two other team world team champions, Sophie Hinners and Marcus Ehning. Local hero Michael Jung, four-time Olympic champion in eventing, has always counted as one of the riders to watch out for. Also entered is Christian Ahlmann, three-time GERMAN MASTERS winner in Stuttgart (2012, 2015 and 2016), the Swiss Martin Fuchs (2019 GERMAN MASTER), Pieter Devos from Belgium (winner of the Grand Prix in Stuttgart in 2018 und 2019) plus France’s Kevin Staut who won the Grand Prix of Stuttgart in 2023.
“Dressage Queen” Isabell Werth coming with her World Champs horse Wendy de Fontaine
The world’s most successful rider, Isabell Werth, has a soft spot for the Schleyer-Halle. In her long career, she has amassed a total of 14 Olympic medals, including eight gold, and topped the World Championship podium on ten occasions. She has also claimed an amazing 30 medals (22 gold) at European Championships. In Stuttgart, she is a serial winner in the Grand Prix Special (17 times) and in the freestyle (11 wins). The German is entered with her World Championship horse, Wendy de Fontaine.
Also lining up from the victorious World Champs dressage equipe in Aachen will be Katharina Hemmer und Frederic Wandres. The four-time Olympic champion and two-time World Cup winner (2022 and 2023) Jessica von Bredow-Werndl has also entered – she also won the Stuttgart World Cup freestyle in 2019. Moritz Treffinger came second last year in the iWEST-Dressage Cup in Stuttgart and was eighth in 2026 World Cup final in Fort Worth (USA).
A tenth victory for Michael Jung in the eventing Indoor Derby?
Local hero Michael Jung, a long-time ambassador of the STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS, will be coming to the city on the River Neckar as the recently crowned individual world champion in evening. The 44-year-old would love to claim the golden ribbon for the win in the Indoor Derby on Wednesday. The German World Champs team runner-up Libussa Lübbeke, last year’s winner Cathal Daniels (Ireland), who also won back in 2019; as well as his countrywoman Jennifer Kühnle (winner in 2024) have also entered as have Sven Lux, the head instructor at Michael Jung’s stables, and the U-25-World Championship runner-up Linus Weiß (Germany).
Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle is ideal for young riders to show their skills
Internationally, junior riders also have the ideal chance to present themselves in Stuttgart in two FEI Jumping Ponies Trophy classes and at federal state level when 15 youngsters compete on Wednesday afternoon in a style jumping with a jump-off. The ten best dressage riders from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg will, after five qualifying shows in summer, do battle on Wednesday and Thursday for the win in the iWEST Dressage Cup. After claiming victory in all five qualifying classes on her 20-year-old gelding Baron Clear, the clear favourite is Jana Lang.
25 qualifiers aiming for the finale of the BW-Bank Indoor Championship
The qualifying classes for the Thursday evening’s finale of the BW-Bank Indoor Championship in Stuttgart took place in Öhringen, Donnstetten, Bietigheim and Bisingen/Hohenzollern. Tina Deuerer will head to the NeckarPark as the leader. Four former BW-Bank champions will also be competing: the six-time winner Timo Beck won in 2000, 2002, 2008-2010 and 2016, Markus Kölz in 2013, 2015, 2023, Armin Schäfer in 1999 and Mario Walter last year. It will be interesting to see if the world and European champion Richard Vogel will get a place in the 25-rider field. Momentarily he is ranked 27th and he has to hope that two rivals are unable to compete.
To mark the horse show jubilee, there will be entertaining and attractive shows on offer on the opening evening. In the Brunold “Jeep Costume Jump & Drive”, six groups in fanciful costumes will generate lots of action and fun. In an exceptional display performed by the horse show ambassador, Isabell Werth, spectators will be treated to dressage in perfection.
“Fascination Driving” will be presented by the two Swiss Daniel Würgler and Markus Luder, Jiri Nesvacil from the Czech national stables in Kladruby and Michael Brauchle (Germany). The breathtaking “Go West – High Noon” is full-speed quadrille with five-in-hands. The opening evening will come to an end with the highly popular eventing Indoor Derby.
Organised to celebrate the jubilee, the inaugural so-called “Südgipfel” (literally - Southern Summit Meeting) going by the title of the “iWEST® Top 12 Masters” will see Baden-Württemberg take on Bavaria on Sunday, 15 November 2026 at 12.15 pm. Taking part will be the top six placed riders in the BW-Bank Indoor Championship on Thursday (12 November 2026) and the iWEST® Bavaria Championship respectively.
Tickets are CombiTickets: free travel to and from the horse show with the VVS public transport system
Advance ticket sales for the nine sessions of the 40th International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS Horse Show began at the start of May. Tickets cost between nine and 93 euro. Whole day tickets between 37 and 93 euro. Tickets for all five days of the event are available for 195, 255 and 277 euro. Tickets can be purchased via Easy Ticket Service by calling +49 711-25555-55, at all the official ticket offices as well as online at www.easyticket.de.
All ticket prices include an advance sales fee, a service fee and VAT - plus a delivery charge of 4.90 euro.
“print@home-Tickets” can be booked via the Internet, printed oneself or saved on the smart phone – without a delivery charge.
There are also various discounts for individual tickets as well as for groups. When accompanied by an adult, children up to the age of six will be admitted free of charge. They need a ticket for an own seat if they are over the age of seven.
All tickets are also simultaneously CombiTickets and entitle users to free travel to and from the venue with busses and trains belonging to Stuttgart’s VVS public transport system.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stuttgartgermanmasters
Instagram: www.instagram.com/germanmasters
