An analysis of the past ten years of the FEI WBFSH Dressage World Breeding Championship for Young Horses reveals a clear trend: among the 337 finalists, 200 were stallions, 81 mares, and 56 geldings. Stallions therefore make up the overwhelming majority. But why? And what will the situation be at this year’s Young Horse World Championship in Verden from 6 to 10 August?
Eva Möller is someone who can that. “Ulf (Dr Ulf Möller) and I once worked it out: in 1999, Sandro Hit won the gold medal with Ulf, and since then one of us has always been at the World Championships,” says Eva Möller, with a hint of pride in her voice. In 2022, she celebrated her most recent major success at the World Championships for young dressage horses: gold with Global Player. It was her eighth World Championship medal and her third world title. Since then, she and her husband have been involved as trainers at the Young Horse World Championship. Eva Möller has celebrated her successes with mares, stallions, and geldings. Regarding the “dominance of stallions,” she says: “I believe it’s due to the fact that stallions – usually licensed ones – are subject to stricter pre-selection and that stallion owners place great importance on using the World Championship as a showcase for their breeding stations.” Personally, she enjoys riding stallions. “If you’ve got them on your side and they want to show off – if you can use that positively as a rider, it’s a small advantage
How does one prepare for a World Championship? “You train the horses just as you would for any other competition,” says Eva Möller. “A horse is trained according to the classical principles of the training scale. That’s exactly what we need. That is the guideline.” And this is a great advantage for horses trained and prepared for the World Championship in Germany. “I travel abroad a lot,” says Eva Möller. “And one does see more frequent uncertainties in training there.” The experienced has a tip: “The most common mistake at the World Championship is that riders put themselves under too much pressure. They want the horses to trot even better, canter even better, and in doing so, they sometimes override the horse’s natural abilities.” Nevertheless, she is firmly convinced: “Riding and judging at the World Championship have continuously improved over the past 20 years. From my point of view, everything has developed in a very positive direction.” The natural presentation of the horses has also become more positive. “One must never forget that, although the World Championship is a stage in itself, it can only be a milestone in the overall training. It’s a great opportunity, if done sensibly, to give a young horse positive competition experience.”
Eva Möller once again has several candidates among her protégés for the World Championship in Verden – a few stallions are included. The first selection event in Germany will take place from 23 to 25 June, the second on 15 July. After that, it will be clear which German candidates will compete for World Championship titles in Verden – and which of her protégés Eva Möller will be rooting for. “I think it’s wonderful that the World Championship is being held in Verden again this year,” she says. “Personally, I associate Verden with many great experiences. I’ve won more medals in Verden than in Ermelo,” she laughs. “But also because of the tradition and everything surrounding it – my heart beats a little faster for Verden.”
When the finals for the world’s best five-, six- and seven-year-old dressage horses conclude in Verden on 9 and 10 August, we’ll know whether the stallions, with their clear numerical advantage, were able to prevail once again at the 2025 World Championship.
ke place from 6 to 10 August at the competition grounds on Lindhooper Straße in Verden. Tickets for the World Championships are available from Ticketmaster at: https://www.ticketmaster.de/artist/verden-international-tickets/981934?camefrom=de_va_pverd https://www.ticketmaster.de/artist/verden-international-tickets/981934?camefrom=de_va_pverd. Weitere Infos finden Sie unter: www.verdenyh.com
