EquiRatings Eventing Podcast

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH are World Champions, completing an extraordinary week in Aachen on a record finishing score of 23.0. At 18 years old, Chipmunk adds World Championship gold to his Olympic title, delivering when the pressure was at its highest.
Great Britain take team gold with another formidable championship performance, while the USA secure bronze, Ireland book their ticket to LA and Belgium grab a crucial Olympic qualification spot.
Diarmuid, Nicole and Spike break down the performances that decided the medals, the combinations whose stock has risen and the moments that made Aachen 2026 a World Championships to remember.
Highlights
Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH make history
Great Britain take team gold
The fight for the individual medals
USA secure bronze
Ireland and Belgium book their tickets to LA
The standout combinations and biggest stories from Aachen
Nicole takes us behind the scenes of an unforgettable week
Guests
Diarmuid Byrne, Nicole Brown and Peter "Spike" Milligan bring the final verdict on Aachen 2026.
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Connolly's RED MILLS — Performance nutrition backed by more than a century of expertise. Connolly's RED MILLS
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Support the brands supporting the show and relive the Aachen Diaries for all the stories and insight from the 2026 World Championships.

It's done. The medals have been decided and Aachen has its World Champions.
Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH delivered when the pressure was at its highest, jumping clear in front of an enormous home crowd to seal an unforgettable individual title. And alongside that German fairytale came British gold, as Team GB handled the weight of expectation to leave Aachen on top of the world.
Nicole catches up with Pete Cattell in the stables as the celebrations are still unfolding, reflecting on Ireland's fourth-place finish, the hugely important Olympic qualification secured for LA and a brilliant first World Championships for MGH Zabaione.
Then we leave the final word to the World Champions themselves, with Dickie Waygood on the team behind Britain's gold and Michael Jung on the heart-stopping moments of the round that made him World Champion.
Highlights
Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH seal the World title
Team GB celebrate World Championship gold
Reaction from the stables as Aachen comes to a close
Pete Cattell on Ireland's week and MGH Zabaione
Olympic qualification secured for Ireland
Dickie Waygood on the team behind British gold
Michael Jung relives his championship-winning round
Guests
Pete Cattell joins Nicole from the Aachen stables, with Dickie Waygood and Michael Jung bringing us reaction straight from the post-medal press conference.
The Aachen Diaries are powered by brands that know what it takes to keep horses feeling, looking and performing at their best.
FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips — Clinically proven nasal strips designed to support respiratory efficiency and reduce respiratory load during exercise. FLAIR Equine
Foran Equine — Science-led supplements supporting equine health, performance and recovery. Foran Equine
Carr & Day & Martin — Trusted horse care backed by more than 250 years of expertise. Carr & Day & Martin
Connolly's RED MILLS — Performance nutrition backed by more than a century of equine expertise. Connolly's RED MILLS
Horseware Ireland — More than 40 years of innovation, built around protecting the connection between horse and rider. Horseware Ireland
Support the brands supporting the show and catch up on the Aachen Diaries for all the stories, reaction and insight from an unforgettable World Championships.

What a day of cross country in Aachen.
Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH produced one of the rounds of the championship to take the individual lead, finding another gear when it mattered and coming home inside the time. Just behind, Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo made another championship track look effortless, with Laura Collett and Tom McEwen keeping three British combinations firmly in the individual medal hunt.
Nicole, Annie and Ali Barrett unpack a cross country day that delivered everything you could want from a World Championship, from the standout rounds and biggest movers to the moments that changed the team competition. They also look ahead to a final day where Jung has no fence in hand and the individual medals are incredibly close.
Plus, we head into Riders' Corner with Austin O'Connor and the Irish camp after all five Irish combinations jumped clear, leaving Ireland fourth and within touching distance of a team medal.
And Annie brings us reaction straight from the mixed zone, including Ros Canter, Michael Jung, Will Coleman and Ian Cassells after tackling an Aachen track that proved fast, intense and hugely influential.
Highlights • Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH take the lead • Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo make it look easy • Britain delivers under pressure • Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 produce a standout round • Will Coleman and Diabolo impress for the USA • Ireland goes five from five clear across country • Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos deliver again • The biggest movers and moments from cross country • Everything to play for on the final day
The Aachen Diaries are powered by brands that know what it takes to keep horses feeling, looking and performing at their best.
FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips Developed by veterinarians and backed by research, FLAIR Strips support the nasal passages to help horses breathe easier during exercise. Discover FLAIR
Foran Equine Scientifically formulated supplements designed to support equine health, performance and recovery, produced to pharmaceutical-grade standards in Ireland. Explore Foran Equine
Carr & Day & Martin Caring for horses since 1765, Carr & Day & Martin combines centuries of experience with trusted products across coat, hoof, leather and horse care. Explore Carr & Day & Martin
Connolly's RED MILLS More than 100 years of equine nutrition expertise, with feeds developed to support horses from everyday riding to the highest levels of performance. Explore RED MILLS
Horseware Ireland Born in Ireland and built around making life better for horses and riders, Horseware has been pushing equestrian innovation forward for more than 40 years. Explore Horseware Ireland
Support the brands supporting the show and follow the Aachen Diaries all week for stories, insight and everything happening from the heart of the World Championships.

Dressage is done in Aachen, and after 87 combinations, the World Championship could hardly be better poised heading into cross country.
Nicole, Annie and Brayden look back on a brilliant two days of sport, with Julia Krajewski and Uelzener's Nickel taking everyone by surprise to lead on 22.0 ahead of Laura Collett and London 52. There are standout performances from Austin O'Connor and Colorado Blue, Tamie Smith and Lillet 3, and Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos, while the team competition could not be tighter. Great Britain lead Germany by just 0.8 penalties, with France and New Zealand separated by only 0.3 behind them.
Then it's all eyes on Saturday.
Course designer Giuseppe della Chiesa joins Nicole to take us inside a championship track with almost 80 fences on the ground, multiple routes and very different ways of getting home. He explains where the intensity builds, why riders will need to know every option and why he thinks only around five combinations could make the optimum time.
Plus, Annie brings us reaction straight from the mixed zone as the riders reflect on their tests and turn their attention to a course being described as big, technical and seriously influential.
Highlights • Julia Krajewski and Uelzener's Nickel take the lead on 22.0 • Laura Collett and London 52 deliver under pressure • Austin O'Connor and Colorado Blue produce their best championship test • Tamie Smith and Lillet 3 impress on their championship debut • Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos put themselves right in contention • Less than a second separates Great Britain and Germany • Giuseppe della Chiesa takes us inside his Aachen cross country course • Why Saturday could turn the leaderboard upside down • Rider reaction ahead of cross country
The Aachen Diaries are powered by brands that know what it takes to keep horses feeling, looking and performing at their best.
FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips Developed by veterinarians and backed by research, FLAIR Strips support the nasal passages to help horses breathe easier during exercise. Discover FLAIR
Foran Equine Scientifically formulated supplements designed to support equine health, performance and recovery, produced to pharmaceutical-grade standards in Ireland. Explore Foran Equine
Carr & Day & Martin Caring for horses since 1765, Carr & Day & Martin combines centuries of experience with trusted products across coat, hoof, leather and horse care. Explore Carr & Day & Martin
Connolly's RED MILLS More than 100 years of equine nutrition expertise, with feeds developed to support horses from everyday riding to the highest levels of performance. Explore RED MILLS
Horseware Ireland Born in Ireland and built around making life better for horses and riders, Horseware has been pushing equestrian innovation forward for more than 40 years. Explore Horseware Ireland
Support the brands supporting the show and follow the Aachen Diaries all week for stories, insight and everything happening from the heart of the World Championships.

The first day of eventing dressage is in the books at Aachen and we have our first World Championship scores on the board.
Nicole catches up with European Champion and Olympic medallist Tina Cook after a full day watching from the stands. They break down the tests that caught their eye, a strong start for the Kiwis and what we might see when some of the biggest names in the field head down the centre line on Friday.
We also hear the story behind Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley from his owner Pru Dawes. Twenty years after watching the 2006 Aachen World Championships on repeat as an 11-year-old, Pru is back with her own horse representing Great Britain. She talks about the journey that brought them here, her friendship with Gemma and what it means to see a horse she has loved since he was four on this stage.
Plus, Annie heads into the mix zone for immediate post-test reaction from riders including Sophia Hill, Phillip Dutton, Sam Lissington, Ian Cassells and Jessica Phoenix, before joining Nicole to look ahead to a huge Friday of dressage.
With JL Dublin setting the early standard and fischerChipmunk, London 52 and Lordships Graffalo still to come, just how low could those scores go?
Highlights
• Tina Cook's take on day one of dressage
• A strong opening day for New Zealand
• The tests and horses that caught the eye
• Pru Dawes on the story behind Flash Cooley
• Rider reaction straight from the mix zone
• The new championship dressage test and the challenges it created
• How low could the scores go on Friday?
• fischerChipmunk, London 52 and Lordships Graffalo still to come
The Aachen Diaries are powered by brands that know what it takes to keep horses feeling, looking and performing at their best.
FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips
Developed by veterinarians and backed by research, FLAIR Strips support the nasal passages to help horses breathe easier during exercise.
Discover FLAIR
Foran Equine
Scientifically formulated supplements designed to support equine health, performance and recovery, produced to pharmaceutical-grade standards in Ireland.
Explore Foran Equine
Carr & Day & Martin
Caring for horses since 1765, Carr & Day & Martin combines centuries of experience with trusted products across coat, hoof, leather and horse care.
Explore Carr & Day & Martin
Connolly's RED MILLS
More than 100 years of equine nutrition expertise, with feeds developed to support horses from everyday riding to the very highest levels of performance.
Explore RED MILLS
Horseware Ireland
Born in Ireland and built around making life better for horses and riders, Horseware has been pushing equestrian innovation forward for more than 40 years.
Explore Horseware Ireland
Support the brands supporting the show and follow the Aachen Diaries all week for stories, insight and everything happening from the heart of the World Championships.