FEI World Championships Aachen 2026: Horse Welfare at the Heart of the Event
With only a few days to go before the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 get underway, it will be the horses, rather than the athletes, who take centre stage first. From 8 August, three days ahead of the official opening, the equine stars will begin arriving at the Allianz Park, where they will be welcomed into newly upgraded facilities designed to meet the highest standards of horse welfare.
Among the most significant developments ahead of the Championships is the construction of a state-of-the-art stable complex featuring 205 larger stalls, replacing the former stable blocks 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community following a resolution of the Bundestag, the new facility complies with the International Equestrian Federation’s (FEI) highest requirements and includes advanced ventilation systems, abundant natural light, indoor wash bays and a range of features designed to ensure maximum comfort throughout the horses’ stay in Aachen.
“Horse welfare is at the heart of the event,” said Birgit Rosenberg, Board Member of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein (ALRV) and Sports Director of the Championships. “Our goal is to provide the best possible conditions for the horses, from the moment they arrive until they leave.” This commitment extends far beyond the stables, encompassing the quality of the competition and training arenas, the warm-up facilities and even the obstacle equipment. “The horses are our true VIPs,” Rosenberg emphasised.
Transparency and Public Engagement
Transparency and open dialogue with the public will once again be key priorities throughout the Championships. To support this, the ALRV and the German Equestrian Federation (FN) will continue the successful Info Stewards initiative. Positioned around the dressage and show jumping warm-up arenas, these trained stewards will be available to answer spectators’ questions, explain the sport and encourage constructive discussion. They will work alongside the FEI’s official stewards, who will also oversee the training areas with the support of an extensive camera system.
Scientific Research Supporting Horse Welfare
Aachen continues to strengthen its commitment to evidence-based welfare through the CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle, an initiative established three years ago that brings together leading equine specialists and researchers from Germany and Switzerland.
The project aims to assess the welfare of sport horses using scientific methods, analysing factors such as movement patterns, feeding and drinking behaviour, time spent lying down in the stable and even cortisol levels measured from faecal samples to evaluate potential stress.
During the second week of the FEI World Championships, ten German riders competing in the German U25 Trophy of the Stiftung Deutscher Pferdesport and Holger Hetzel, Prize of Holger Hetzel, will participate in the research programme. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn more about the methodologies and preliminary findings at the CHIO Aachen Scientist Circle stand in the Championships Village from 11 to 23 August.
Through these initiatives, the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 reaffirm that horse welfare is not simply an aspiration, but a fundamental pillar of the event, combining world-class sport with investment in infrastructure, scientific research and greater transparency for the public.
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